More ways in which society is shepherded and ordered.

The following additional photos portray how society is seemingly ordered by figures in authority, figures found in varying hierarchies of authority. Some of the familiar and seemingly ordinary items to be found in society will be examined, and looked at from a different point of view than what is generally considered to be the more accepted view, and therefore function, of the item in question.

Ordered society

This photo shows the degree of order around a housing estate; the garages are all in a row; the cars are neatly parked between the lines in the parking area; the houses are all uniform, going either horizontally or vertically along the horizon; and boundary walls stretch as far as the eye can see. Society is structured to such an extent that houses are seldom found in random formations but rather in linear form, and generally situated in areas that are designated specifically for housing areas. Self-contained mini-societies are found within these areas and they form part of the whole but are also removed from the bigger picture to a certain degree; however, they still follow the rules and regulations that have been set in place by the hegemonic societal structure.

Creels

This picture of stacked creels says something of the person that stacked them, and about the society in which they find themselves. The creels are neatly stacked, possibly for the reason of optimising the space, but maybe also in order to be able to count them more effectively. The fact that the creels are stacked so neatly on the ground is unusual because they will still need to be transferred to a vehicle before they can be taken to the place of usage, in which case the neat stacking is irrelevant, since they will be moved once more before they can be utilised. This area of ground obviously belongs to a fisherman/fisherwoman and is a place for storage of items that are not currently in use. The open area suggests that crime is not a problem, because the creels are not fenced off to the general public.

Post box

Normal red letterbox style, either free-standing or set in to a wall, as seen here.



Although this letterbox shape opening in the wall has the words 'posting box' on it, society normally views a small rectangular slit/hole as a place in which to put mail. The fact that this one has the words on it is even more confounding because it is situated on the outside of a post office and has a stamp machine next to it. This could be ordering people to place their items within the post box should they have the correct postage already placed on the item, and thereby encouraging people not to enter the post office unless absolutely essential; or ensuring they do not bring non-essential items in for processing by the staff, thereby also cutting down the workload that the staff need to deal with. It is noted that the letter box area is somewhat larger than the average red letter box which is found either free-standing or sunk flush in to a wall in the streets around neighbourhoods.

Cycle route

These three barriers are normal of areas that are designed to slow people down. This refers to both pedestrians and to cyclists; this could be because the route adjoins a pavement, as seen at front/bottom of photo, however, there is an adjoining section further along the route, but there are no such barriers to be found there; so it could in fact be indicative of a cycle/pedestrian route. One dividing solid white line is all that 'orders' cyclists and pedestrians to remain on their designated side of the route; with the white symbol at either end of the route indicating which side they are in fact supposed to adhere to. This is not like a normal road system where the motorist drives on the left-hand side, because depending on the direction the cyclist takes the cyclist will end up cycling on the right-hand side of the route. Therefore, cyclists must adhere to a different form of 'order' whilst on cycle routes than they would normally adhere to whilst on the road.

Bike spaces

Low-level cycle rack.



Why are lined up, bent metal structures considered to be bike racks? In all areas where there are metal structures similar to the above, whether they are at ground level or of a decent height as in the photo, they are normally considered to be places to store a pushbike. There are no instructions to indicate that these bent metal rods are for the purpose of cycle storage/parking, but it is a commonly accepted thing in society that where metal structures of this nature are found lined up in a row, they are for the sole usage of the cyclist. The cyclist is directed toward placing their cycle by these structures, even though there is no reason that they need to, and in theory no law to make them comply with this unwritten rule, but where there are cycle racks, then generally speaking cyclists will comply by making use of the structures; even though the structures may not be suitable for the cycle in question.

Barriers

Barrier style indicates something specific; in this photo these are temporary barriers, so they are moveable items. The red and white style of broken paint-work is seen on items that suggest danger ahead, and where caution is needed. It may relate to the way in which society is taught to see the colour red as a danger or stop signal, or it may also be for reasons of visibility. The barriers are high enough to indicate that they should not be climbed, however, they are not solid and they do allow for people to get between the top and bottom should they so choose, although this is never deemed proper in society, and people will normally only ever comply by walking around the area; the white arrow on the blue circular background is a road sign but it is directed to the attention of pedestrians, since it is the pedestrian who is being directed to walk around, and not therefore meant for the purpose of instructing a motorist. In a way, it could be argued that the arrow sign is both irrelevant and superfluous, because the barrier makes it obvious that a pedestrian must walk around, in which case authority is being enforced here; and society is being informed as to what to do, even though common sense will dictate that they would have gone around the barriers anyway.

Traffic circle

Why do the cars go around a flat circle in the road? This vehicle can be clearly seen to have just gone around the traffic circle because the front tyres are still in the cornering mode. Vehicles will go to great lengths to miss crossing the circle even with their back tyres, this also includes large trucks. Trucks will approach very close to the pavement in order to 'go around' the white, very slightly raised circle, even when there are no other vehicles anywhere in sight. This could have been a reaction to having someone crouched, taking a photograph, as the vehicles went by, but this is an unlikely scenario. It is more likely that the larger roundabouts that exist elsewhere, have conditioned motorists to go around the item above; although this would not apply to people that have never driven anywhere but on the Orkney Mainland, so it can only be assumed that it is considered bad manners, or bad driving, if a driver in fact does refuse to go around the circle and instead decides to drive straight over it. This is a point of authoritarian control, where the rules of the Highway Code are adhered to by all motorists; the code is adhered to even when no other traffic is present, much in the same way as using an indicator when there is no other person/vehicle around to inform of a driver's intended action. The rules are so deeply ingrained in to the subconscious of the road user, that they are followed automatically and without necessary forethought.

Crossing point

The zebra crossing. The dotted white lines on the road indicate to the motorist exactly how close they may be permitted to stop in relation to the crossing itself. A safer place to cross the road, and a place where pedestrians are expected to be crossing the road. This also functions at another level; a crossing is the one place on a road where pedestrians know that they will be given right of way, and that traffic will stop if a pedestrian is seen stood at the side of the road. Although this may seem a reasonable and obvious statement, if a pedestrian stands at the side of a road, anywhere else, where there is no crossing point, they may stand there all day and still never be given the opportunity to cross the road. So, a pedestrian crossing serves as instructing politeness in to society, where politeness might not otherwise exist; it is also considered bad manners to not stop and give way to a waiting pedestrian, so there is also a certain degree of behavioural patterning being instilled in to society by the very use of areas that order society to behave in a certain manner, and to 'willingly' comply with the status quo. This is an unusual behaviour pattern, because it is up to both parties involved, both motorist and pedestrian, to stop at this point; a pedestrian will stop here and wait until a driver stops, only then will the pedestrian attempt to cross, even if the road is not overly busy or dangerous. Both parties are showing polite behavioural patterning that allows for society to run smoothly in much the same way that the crossing will run smoothly if these patterns of behaviour continue to exist and be adhered to by all people involved.

Safety barriers

This barrier is not there in order to keep the cars away from the pedestrians, neither is it there in order to slow the pedestrian down as they approach the kerb and the road. The barrier is solid and extends around the corner; it is also of a decent height and structure that does not permit for it to be climbed over or crawled under. Unlike such solid structures that are found at the ends of cycle routes which ensure that pedestrians/cyclists slow down in order to navigate them before coming the road which is on the other side of the deliberately placed barriers, normally 3, this barrier continues a good distance around the corner on either side, indicating that pedestrians have to walk to the end of the barrier in order to cross the road, even when there is no traffic. This is a safety issue, but is not planned just to prevent a pedestrian that is in a hurry; it is planned to effectively determine where the Council, of the area, designates that a pedestrian may be permitted to cross the road; and in effect is also for the benefit of the driver, not just the pedestrian as would initially be thought. The barrier ensures the pedestrian cannot cross at any point that the barrier cuts off, and ensures that drivers have a decent distance for breaking should the need arise.

Pay here

A payment machine in a car park. This is not necessarily an instruction to pay for the privilege of parking within the car park, although at the same time it is exactly that. There is no-one to monitor whether a motorist is paying once they have parked their vehicle. Payment is very much left at the discretion of the motorist; this is instilling a form of compulsory honesty in to society, in order that society can actually exist. It is true that traffic wardens patrol the areas, but it is impossible for them to be in all car parks at the same time, and leaving the 'choice' of whether to pay for a ticket, to the driver, is at a base level ordering society to act and behave in an honest and responsible manner; but at the same time they are not being forced to act in a certain manner, since there is no-one around to ensure that they do so. Neither is this ticket machine situated at the entrance of the car park, in fact it is partially obscured by the plant growth around it, which means that honest citizens have to go and search the machine out in order to pay for their stay; this is also interesting, because motorists do go and find the machine and pay for their stay, which means they partially go out of their way in order to comply with this unenforced concept of paying for their stay.

Parking spaces

Allotting a delineated space for each vehicle. Wherever there exist rectangular lined forms on the ground, whether they are solid white lines, or broken white lines as above, they are deemed by society as places to park vehicles. Where these spaces are also seen on the side of roads, this is also the case. Each vehicle is parked in one designated area, and generally parked very centrally within that space. This instructs society that the space outside of their box is not for them to infringe on with their vehicle; in the photo above it can be clearly seen that motorists cannot, or should not, use the tarmac area outside of the lighter coloured area, which has obviously been designated for parking, whereas the outer area has not. Seldom does a driver just place a car in a parking space, but more often are they very careful to ensure that they centrally line the vehicle up, by reversing and pulling in again if necessary, in order to leave adequate space for the next vehicle. However, there is no-one to oversee this process, and it is one of society's unwritten rules of conduct and behaviour that motorists automatically comply with. In this instance it is the supermarket, in which the car park is found, that is enforcing its authority on its customers, and ensuring that they act in a polite and social manner to each other even before they enter the store; this indicates that a degree of structured behaviour is expected from the potential customers even before they enter the store in order to make any transactions.

Ordered by lines

Here is an interesting view of a car park. The solid white lines, as in the photo above, are indicative of where vehicles should be placed. The white lines in this photo have a small cross bar at the end showing where vehicles should not extend beyond. All cars in this park have complied and are parked between the lines, centrally as well. But the very interesting point occurs when the pedestrians are taken in to account. The pedestrians are not walking outside of the lines, in fact they are walking directly across the lines, bisecting them to a degree, and are obviously not headed towards any parked car; a car would never be seen bisecting white lines/parking spaces within a car park. This proves that the white lines are specifically aimed at motorists, and that they have no meaning for the pedestrian since they are not avoiding walking in areas designated for vehicles, and crossing these areas in a manner that a motorist would never consider. The lines are for the ordering of the motorist, and hold no meaning to any other person in society, unless they happen to be driving at the time, in which case they will automatically obey the lines marked out on the ground.

A choice

Solid rail near the ramp but also allocating handrail usage near the steps. This photo indicates that the ramp is for wheelchair users, people with prams, walking difficulties, and so forth. The steps could have been eradicated but have been kept, in order to give people the choice, and the steps take up a larger ground space than the ramp, which has obviously been put in to comply with disability laws and so forth; this can be ascertained by the fact that the entrance up to the steps is only as wide as the ramp itself, but where the steps occur the steps cover a wider entrance point than the ramp. Half of the ground space has effectively been removed in order to allocate the ramp; but the steps have also been left, which in itself is an enigma, since able-bodied and disabled can both use a ramp, therefore there is no need for the steps. Where steps and ramps are found, in unison, an able-bodied person, even if there is no-one else about, will tend to use the steps, indicating that society avoids using structures that in theory have been put in place for the use of other people, i.e. disabled. This is a very common occurrence and a subtle way in which society is primed to behave.

Steps and ramp

Handrail only near the steps; this set-up of a ramp and steps is favouring the walker that has no problems. It can be considered that the ramp is not meant for people with walking difficulties, but rather, either for a wheelchair user or for a parent with a pram, mainly because there is no handrail alongside the ramp. The handrail up the steps is a solid structure which is obviously designed for support, and will take a reasonable amount of pressure being put upon it, but the same facility does not exist for those needing to use the ramp; this is purely a compliance with the law, making certain that a ramp is available for people that require it. Disabled, and people with pushchairs, may consider that the establishment in question have done this for their benefit, whereas in reality it appears that it is in fact for the benefit of the establishment itself.

Choice of entrance

Steps, ramp, and handrails on both; here there is a choice of entrance that people may take. Both entrance possibilities have been allocated with substantially set handrails. The one to the right is obviously designed for disabled, and people with pushchairs and so forth; basically for anyone where the steps will become an issue. The steps are for those that can navigate them without a problem. But, here again, society is being shepherded in to different categories; those that are unable to use the steps have to approach the building from the side-on, and those that have no problems with the steps are permitted to approach the door head-on. This may seem a relatively obvious statement, but there is ample room for the placement of a ramp that allows for everyone to enter the building from the front, and not have to be restricted to walking alongside the building in a differently designated area. Basically, this structure ensures a form of division of space exists between the able-bodied and those that are not capable of using the steps for whatever reason makes it cumbersome for them to do so. Segregation of a form is going on in this instance.

Wide steps

Handrails galore; this wide step leads to the doors of a library. The width permits for people not to have to vie for space when wishing to enter the building whilst seeing someone exiting the building at the same time. There really is no reason for such a wide step set-up and no need for a handrail in the middle, unless the middle rail is attempting to act as a divider as found on the public highway, and therefore acting as a flow for human traffic in a similar way to that found on roads where vehicles are concerned. The rails are substantial indicating that they are for repeated usage and by a multitude of people; it is also possible that the width of the step in the design feature itself, which would allow for more people to use it simultaneously, was deliberately employed as a means of portraying the importance of the building in relation to how many people in society will make use of it; but not necessarily all at the same time, so these steps appear somewhat out of place. The edge of the steps has been strategically marked by the placing of circular inlays, so that the edge of the wide steps cannot be easily misjudged when entering or leaving the premises.

Closed

Thick wood structures bar the way. This is seen by society as a place that is permanently closed, or at least on a long-term temporary basis. The two indicators of this are the thick wooden beams that bar any attempt at access, which have also been firmly wedged up to the wall on either side of the door, as can be seen; the other indicator is the smeared-out glass panes in the door, which do not permit people to gaze through in order to see what is happening inside. The double doors with no handle on the outside indicate a store that is used by a lot of people, and a store that makes ease of access of prime importance for the customer. The bottom of the doors also allow the viewer to note that they expect to have a good deal of wear and tear, because the bottom of the door is reinforced with metal coverings to afford a degree of protection from feet that might otherwise damage the doors through repeated knocks.

Extended height on a fence

Extending the security in an upward direction, and showing history at the same time. The wall was initially a lower stone structure, one that allowed for a degree of privacy in the form of a boundary marker; it could easily have been climbed and access gained to the premises. The heightening of the fence shows two things about society; firstly, it indicates that the premises now serve a very different function, or function in a very different socially constructed arena, than the previous low stone wall; and secondly, it indicates that society values the remnants from the past because it was not just removed and replaced with the newer structure. The old wall and the new higher fence, act in unison; they are there now for the sole purpose of maintaining that absolutely nobody can gain access via the outer wall/fence area, but that a person must gain access through a specified designated entrance. Whatever is inside the boundary is informing those on the outside that they are not permitted to be a part of what is occurring on the other side, and that they are relegated to the position of Other within the same society.

Exit/ no way in

No entry allowed. This is the exit point for people that are within the library area of the Kirkwall Library. The barrier is situated about hip height for an adult, and is a swing barrier, which means it is for ease of usage and not intended to fully restrict people. Two important features exist here; firstly, this is a sign normally found on the public highway, which means 'No Entry'; secondly, this is a manner in which to direct the flow of people within the library itself. No-one can or should enter via this point. A library is full of books, which are by default full of words, but a visual cue is being used by the library as a means to inform people of what it expects from them, and with cues that do not necessarily hold any meaning for the younger generation who are not legally old enough to drive, and will therefore not be familiar with the Highway Code. Red, of course, signals stop where traffic lights are concerned, and small children may be aware of this; but to use visual cues in a place that deals primarily in books does indicate something about society; maybe society considers that visual cues, and the more recognisable ones that are inherent in the daily lives of people, have more sway than the mere presence of words. By the use of traffic signs, there is a part of society that is being excluded in this use of instructional visual signs, namely those that are not of the age to understand what the Highway Code signs are supposed to mean. The use of traffic signs is also relevant when considered in the way in which the library signs themselves are acting to direct the people to follow a set route both in and out of the library itself; the public highway has been in a sense brought in to the building and the same signs that a motorist would obey are in effect being used to ensure compliance within a structure, because of the lawfulness that they enforce on the public highway itself; this makes them an ideal and forceful means of shepherding society in a set manner, and in a way that they might not be immediately aware of. The discourse of the Highway Code is shown here to be as effective indoors as it is outdoors.

The way in

Directing the flow: the use of yet another Highway Code symbol is found at the entry point in to the library area of the Kirkwall Library. Familiarity with the Highway Code has already been touched upon above, so this photo will also focus on the 'No mobile phones' sign. The barrier for entrance in to the library is obvious by the white arrow on a blue background, which normally stands for 'One Way'; not only does this show the way in to the area, but also indicates from the outset that the premises expect people to follow one route only, because 'One Way' means 'one way' by default. Maybe this is working at the level of instructing users of the library that they will comply with following a set route once inside the library area, since they have been subconsciously programmed to by the very visual cue of the sign recognised by the consciousness before they even enter. This can ensure that there are no crowd problems within the building because the flow of human traffic is in theory only going one way; and nobody will collide with anybody on the way in or out because these signs ensure this does not occur. The 'No mobile phones' visual cue is obviously not seen to be as familiar to people, because it has the words beneath the symbol of the mobile phone; maybe this is in case it is mistaken for another object such as a calculator. However, in theory, an image of a mobile phone will be more instantly recognisable to a minor than a Highway Code sign will be, but apparently society does not deem this to be the case, and have therefore opted, in this instance, to use road sign symbols in the knowledge that minors will comprehend them, even though they do not drive, but may own a mobile phone, and therefore not need to be informed in words as to what the latter symbol indicates. It may be the case that the Highway Code signs have been in existence for longer than the mobile phone and as such it is expected that everybody is able to have acquired a familiarity with those particular signs, and that in the future as new technology appears, only the signs relating to them will have written words for clarification and that the mobile phone signs and so forth will no longer require a written explanation.

Enter

Door handles, a thing of the past? This item is a press-pad which allows for access in to the public library in Kirkwall. There are no handles on the doors, so there is no other way in which to gain access other than by the use of the pad itself. Society, or more specifically, the immediate members of society that dwell in the vicinity of the library, are well aware of the function of this object. Not all people in society understand this concept; on many occasions there have been Europeans looking at the doors attempting to work out how to get inside the building, but this does not mean that these objects cannot be found within their own countries, it just means that people expect to find a door handle when looking for access and that they are still not fully accustomed to searching for a press-pad. The word 'Open' can be seen, but the word press is represented by a single remaining letter 'P', indicating heavy usage of the pad. The fact that there is a symbol depicting a disabled person, not necessarily a person in a wheelchair, indicates that this may be specifically aimed at disabled people. However, since there is no other means whereby to gain access, the symbol of the disabled person is slightly misleading to everyone concerned, because this is by default the 'door handle'.

Ordering the queue

Forming a queue: many establishments direct people where to stand without having to communicate in the manner of speech or written signs. The moveable barriers, seen above, can be found in many establishments, and serve as a means of informing people where they should line up for certain purposes. Due to security restrictions, other barriers of a similar nature could not be photographed, however, some barriers are deliberately set-up in a manner that ensures that people within a premises follow the barrier around, and so the queue of people from the front to the back can be controlled; with many such barriers not allowing space for people in the queue to bypass each other either forwards or backwards, as found in Post Offices and banks. The barriers that are used are normally similar to the above and they are not very solid but in fact very flimsy and could, if desired, be moved by anybody, but nobody does move them and the authority of the person that placed them remains upheld by those people using the services of the establishment. The barriers, in the photo above, really do not require to be placed where they are, because there is a counter that people will approach in order to do their business, and this is obvious when the building is entered; however, the main function they serve is to ensure that people do not crowd the counter, at specific points that require a certain degree of privacy between staff and customer, and that they remain in politely formed queues until they come to the front of the queue themselves.

The pane

The divider pane of Perspex. A pane of see-through material, glass, Perspex, is normally considered to be for the pure purpose of visual access. The pane above, however, is a communication tool, as well as for visual purposes. Holes in a piece of see-through material, are known to society as areas whereby communication can go back and forth. Some such pieces of communicating Perspex designs have a few holes which are set further up the pane, but people still endeavour to get close to where the holes are in order to speak to the person behind; it is not viewed as odd, by society, that holes have been bored in to a piece of Perspex in order to allow a degree of communication and closeness to the person on the other side. This is also an indication of a certain degree of protection for the person behind the pane, and as such separates them from the people on the other side whilst also giving them a more authoritative status.

Time pieces

This was an arranged photo, for good reason; the fact that a jeweller's would not permit a photograph within any premises. Time pieces are used so that society knows what time it is, but to what end? Time is only there for one purpose, and that is to order society. Many households will have at least 3 of the 4 items in the photo; an alarm clock, a wall clock, a wrist watch, but possibly not a stopwatch. Not all societies are governed by time, generally people in African tribes do not necessarily have time pieces, but go about their daily activities as the sun comes up and cease them when the sun goes down. To highlight further the fact that society is governed by time, when British Summer Time and Greenwich Meantime occur, everybody alters their clocks so that everyone is in sync with everyone else where time is concerned. If a family were living in isolation, there would be no need for this, since time is relative, however some time piece may still be found in their abode. It is not necessary to know what the time is, since this is irrelevant; it is only necessary to know the time, if a person is ordered and following a set time pattern, for example, they must be somewhere at a set time. Time is not governed by individuals, but by people in authority. Highlighting further, if two watches are out of sync with one another, there exists the need for the two to be put back in to sync even if it is only by a few minutes, which in theory would not make the slightest difference; but society likes to be in sync with one another to the degree of being accurate to within seconds on their time pieces.

Timetable

The bus timetable, a simple enough item. Society believes that it is in order to permit the reader to know what time the bus will arrive, and it also gives an indication that the bus will pass, or stop, at the point at which the timetable is found. It also serves the purpose of informing people to be at a set point at a set time, should they wish to take the public transport on offer, which in reality could be seen as its ultimate purpose. The timetable is authoritative and non-negotiable, and society is very aware of this fact.

Speedometer

The speedometer, what is its function? A speedometer is supposedly there to inform you of what speed you are doing; this theory is fine initially, but it is not the case, unless it relates to a racing car driver. The speedometer, within society, is there for one purpose alone, and that purpose is to inform the driver of how fast they should not be going, not how fast they are going. If there were no speed limits, or it was an area, such as the desert, there would be no purpose in knowing what speed the speedometer registered, as long as the motorist had full control of the vehicle. When a motorist drives along they are constantly monitoring not how fast they are going, but rather whether they are going too fast, and the two are complete opposites. The speedometer is there in order to control society, and not for the purpose of registering the speed being done by the driver. At every maximum speed sign along the road that a driver encounters, the motorist will check that they are in compliance with society's rules, and will adjust their speed accordingly if they are going too fast, but seldom will a driver speed up if they are not going as fast as they are permitted to within any particular area. The speedometer relies on the driver being an honest and responsible member of society, because speed limits in every location cannot be monitored at every hour in throughout the day; there is the fear of those in authority taking action against a road user that does not comply with speed limits, so this could also place the speedometer in to the realm of those in authority being ever present within a vehicle that is being driven, and the anxiety of breaking society's rules and therefore being forced to adhere to those very rules is what the speedometer really symbolises.

The seemingly unwritten rules that society follows.

The following images will show scenes of everyday items, which you may or may not have considered before. They will show how seemingly ordinary everyday items, and areas, that we come across, have unwritten rules, or instructions, that society appear to be governed by even when there is no-one of authority around to enforce those rules.

Parking space

A line of garages indicate that this is probably a housing area, and since they are all uniform in build, design and colour, they have probably been constructed by the same person or organisation. The tracks in the snow show that they have been used for the purpose that they were built, which is to store a car/private vehicle. A garage can be used for many purposes, but the mere fact that a building is considered, or termed, a garage tends to convey the instruction to people that they should store their car in it; this is an unvoiced instruction that society seems to conform by.

Delineation of areas.

This photo shows how society is regulated by the rules of boundaries, even if there is no-one around to enforce them. A lone person walks on the pavement which is the designated area for a pedestrian, whilst the cars are parked at the side of the road which is the area that is likewise designated for vehicles. The boundary walls to the houses, lining either side of the road, can also be seen to be stretching as far as the eye can see.

What can we learn

A weird-angled shot, and a motorist decided to speed up in the slush when seeing me close to the road trying to get this, so I got a soaking, and was not very amused. But I wanted this photograph because it says a lot about society. The raised sections on either side of the road, we know as pavements, and they are primarily for pedestrians; the road is for vehicles; and the two remain separate. The fence indicates an area which is out of bounds to the general public, and is only accessible to those that have permission to be there. The street lights indicate that the area is made safe for society at night. The sign shows a person where they are in the area. The markings on the road, or roads, since there are two of them, allow for motorists to know when they should stop, and which side of the road they should be on; and the fact that there is a sewage system is evident by the drain in the road. The houses indicate that there is a community in close proximity, and all the houses are modern in style.

The road disappearing into the horizon

I just like this photo, which is why I put it in, even though it still informs us that the large slushy area is used by vehicles due to the tracks, thereby indicating that the road/area has a set function in society, even if there are no vehicles on it at any particular point in time it is still considered to be there for a specific reason.

Footsteps in the snow

This is an interesting sociological shot; the footsteps are constant in that they follow a direct route, but the path and grass are both hidden by snow. This indicates that society has been conditioned to walk on a pavement even if that pavement is hidden by snow and therefore indistinguishable from the grassy area around it. If society knows where the pavement is, they will still use it, even if they cannot see it; this is sort of amazing, and could only show up on a photo that has a snow base to it because the footprints can be seen to leave a trail of where the pedestrians chose to walk even though they were not instructed to walk along the snow-buried pathway, and could just as easily have walked on the snow covered grass areas.

Footsteps in the snow (opposite direction)

This is not such a good shot as the previous one as it shows pitted snow which could be regarded as footprints, showing that the camera can 'lie' even when there is no manipulation of the photo present.

The stile

This section in the fence is positioned in such a way as to allow for access across the fence; there is also a higher protruding piece of wood on the left in order that a person may grasp it for stability when climbing the 'steps' in the fence. This is effectively informing society that they may climb the fence at this spot, and the footsteps in the snow indicate that people have done precisely that, since the eye can follow the tracks right across the snowed area.

The sleeping policeman

This 'sleeping policeman' is there in order to slow the motorist down, it also depicts that the area is probably built-up, and not out in the country somewhere. The bump is made deliberately high enough to slow any driver down. The arrows on either side point in the direction the traffic should be going, so they also serve to instruct the driver as to which side of the road they should in fact be on. The central line is a divider keeping the motorists in their own section of the road, not only in order to allow for no accidents, in the form of vehicles hitting one another, but also to act as a 'directional signifier' ensuring that the 'flow' of traffic goes one way only on either side of the road.

Deadly electric

The heavy bolt, lock, and the solid wire fence indicate that this is not an area of unrestricted access. The fence is also high, and has no access points, other than through the front where the bolt and lock are situated. The warning sign at the top also backs up the point of the area being off limits to the general public.

The many functions of the door

This is a door, and acts as a boundary marker to a very private space, which society is not invited in to, but may have access to via the doorbell, or the letter box. The doorbell was the main feature of the photo, but looked odd out of context, so the complete package has been photographed and it is important that it has been done this way. The lock indicates that people cannot have unrestricted access, the letter box indicates that it is where mail should be placed (since some doors do not have letter boxes), and the doorbell insists that a person does not knock on the door. Sociologically the visitor is being directed to ring the bell due to the mere fact that there is one; this convinces a person not to knock on the door. If there is a bell it is normally rung by the visitor; society acts in this manner, even though they are not instructed by anyone that they may not knock on a door that has a bell.

Boundary fences

There is no gate between the wooden fence and the concrete style fence area to the back of the photo; this is a boundary marker indicating to the general public that it is private property, but also that it is allowing access and is therefore not acting in an overly aggressive 'keep out' manner.

The gate

The entrance to a play area for children, but this is not just any entrance point; it is too wide for pedestrians, and it is not designed for motorists in general, therefore it must be for Council workers and so forth. It is also a heavy metal fence set into a wooden fence, meaning it is made to last.

Enclosed space

A three-tier picture: the fence is in order to separate the people on the outside from those on the inside, and the play area depicts that this is for children, with the houses in the background signifying where the children may live, since the housing area is close to the playground.
Not the best of photos, but there didn't appear another angle that would have worked well at all.

Entrance

This picture shows the point at which people can enter the area that has been segregated off from the area outside of it. Because the fence is low, this would appear to depict that there is no real safety issue, but that the fence and gate exist mainly as boundary and entrance/exit points respectively, and that people are not necessarily to be kept out, so it is not an exclusive area.

Gate

An entrance point, indicating this is where pedestrian go, and that there is no entrance for vehicles. There is also no lock or latch on this gate, which shows it is capable of self-closing meaning that it has been designed, constructed and placed there with people in mind that may not remember to close a gate behind them, children for instance.

Signs

This image shows a minimum of three signs to the left in a relatively small area, in addition to the signs on the farther side of the road. All of these are informative or instructional signs.

Speed monitors

Traffic signs aimed at keeping children safe. A speed sign and a 'Children crossing' sign slightly further along on the left-hand side. The sign indicating that people should be travelling at 20mph cannot ensure that motorists do so, it is merely an encouragement for them to do so at a particular time of day.

No Golf!

A low fence area set into a tall wire fence. This picture shows that the wooden fence area is in fact steps, and allows for people to cross over or through the wire fence at this specified point. This ensures that people do not climb the wire fence, a wire fence that also acts to keep people in, or safe. This delineates those on both sides of the fence from one another, for whatever reason the fence has been constructed. The height of the wire fence depicts that it is there not only as a boundary but also in order to keep people out; or at least to stop people climbing over the fence at any random point. The 'No Golf' sign speaks for itself, and it is red and demands attention; golf is not allowed to be played in this area, for reasons which are not given. The odd thing is that it has the words 'No Golf' on it, indicating that those that see it may not understand the symbolism on the sign itself.

Barriers

The fences in the foreground are barriers on a pavement, looking through the first barrier to the second and the third barrier; they are there in order to slow a pedestrian down. They are informing the pedestrian that there is potential danger ahead. We can see that they are positioned in such a way that a pedestrian must swerve around the three separate solid metal fences in order to reach the roadside, and as such do not have a clear line to the road, thus ensuring that they comply with society's rules.

Dog waste only

A bin specifically for the purpose of 'Dog waste'. This says two things to the viewer: the first is that this is where dog excrement should be placed; secondly, and more subtly, it is informing society that they must clean up after their dog, but without saying it in a direct manner. This particular waste bin is aimed at adults because it is set at shoulder level, although other similar bins are also placed at hip height which means they are not solely targeted at the adult population, which means they encourage all ages to be responsible and clean up after their dog. The fact that it is red may be important, since red usually, in our society, tends to indicate danger, whether this refers to the danger of the contents within, or possibility of a fine should a person not comply, could be a debatable point because some dog waste bins are in fact black in colour.

Bus stop

This item, a bus stop, is an obvious one; but is it as obvious that in order to catch a bus the pedestrian is being directed toward using the bus stop just by the mere presence of it. As such, people are being directed to stand at a certain point along a road, although they may not be at all aware that they are being instructed to do so.

Bollards

These bollards serve two separate functions: one is to ensure that cars cannot skid off the road and into the area which is delineated by the bollards, and the other is to inform the driver that they are not permitted to place a vehicle beyond the line of bollards. The second reason is more probable because the bollards are situated alongside the side of the pavement which is furthest from the roadside, so a motorist would have to cross the pavement in order to access the area in the first place.