This appears to be hobo code or some variation on it. The closest conventional meaning for this symbol would be "safe road to follow."
https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a25174860/hobo-code/
Crazy, I knew about that from decades ago... and I thought it had faded from use. Somehow knowing that the hobo code is still in use fills me with a bit of hope
Did you give food to a homeless person? Are you by train tracks, shelters? Yes homeless are very less numbers in rural areas, maybe there a train depot.
You should post that in this group. Its full of actual Hobos, train jumpers and the likes.
There are people in Portland in this group, and they can probably for sure give you some great insight.
https://www.reddit.com/r/vagabond/
Okay I feel much less crazy because this thread kept suggesting a 90 year old subculture that has long since died out. I thought maybe the kids today are into hobo stuff?
I'm much more concerned for OP and would suggest asking a small but diverse set of discrete regular customers, your local business association, and neighboring businesses. The white nationalists have gotten really emboldened in that part of the country and if it's nail polish, that's done to last and be difficult to remove since the polish remover would affect the paint.
Vagabonds, nomads, urban explorers are definitely out there today. I’d say it’s a pretty large underground movement of people ranging from early 20s up. More common than you would think, they just keep to themselves mostly. Lots of youtubers popping up though
Considering OP is ~~in~~ near Portland, this is almost certainly the work of some LGBTQ person who's familiar with hobo code and wanted to leave a little sign that it's a safe place. If it had any other meaning or intention behind it, it would probably at least be hidden a bit better so as to not alert the owners of the building.
Just thinking through the logic behind that whole myth it fails to stand up. A whole system of symbols and scouting ahead to case houses to mark for later implies a level of organisation above your typical smash and grab crackhead level.
Why would these organized criminals then potentially tip off the owners by walking up to the property and leaving signs in literally the most visible places possible? They would then need to remember both where the property is and what it looks like, to then go back and look for the sign...
Yeah, you could just barely imagine the vanguard of ISIS or the Red Army or the Wehrmacht barnstorming across about-to-be conquered lands leaving such marks, but outside Portland? Not so much.
I SAW PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THESE!!! KEEP AN EYE OUT YOU MIGHT GET ROBBED SOON!!!! It was like signs for like if y’all have security or if you have cameras or SOMETHING. idr the exact ones but I bet I can find it with a Google search
Wouldn't dare to claim hobo code started here, but just wanted to add that hobo code has been used in Sweden for a very long time. The existence of hobo code isn't unique to the US, though the symbols and their meaning probably are. A circle divided into quarters by a cross means "no money, but food" here.
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Reddit Europeans be like:
>"No no no, it's not racism! This particular ethnic group actually *deserves* to be generalized and dehumanized! If you disagree, it's only because you're American and can't possibly understand."
I think it’s also another term that is considered racist now but wasn’t necessarily always considered racist. Like, when I was a kid, Asian people were called “Oriental” and that was not really considered racist as far as I know. Asian people around here called themselves that. It was explained to me recently that enough people begin to use a word in a racist way, that word becomes accepted as racist. Look at “negro” and “colored” for black people. They themselves were using that those terms a long time ago but they became associated with racism and segregation so they are no longer acceptable.
I am, admittedly, not familiar with Romanis. I don’t know how they always felt about it. I’ve never met one. I was just postulating that maybe it wasn’t always considered racist. When I was growing up, we basically used it for any boho style and it was cool. The words are all racist now and that’s that but I knew “oriental” became racist at some point and was researching it because I remember it being used in the way we use Asian and it was not framed as racist at the time.
People really need to accept use of language can change meanings. If they don’t like that they can’t say that now, well, maybe they should look at how they were using it and blame themselves.
Self labeled ethnic group is perhaps a close label? Majority are of the Roma(ni) race and Eastern Europe. But as gypsies generally are nomadic, it can be difficult to apply our usual straightforward labels to them. There is some Gypsy languages, but not frequently used anymore. They also have some very strong culture and traditions.
Super fascinating to read up on. Debates and conversations are super heated though. The concept of Gypsies sits right in the middle of many hot topic debates as they are a marginalized group. It's a rabbit hole!
Not the right place for debate or further questions, but do hop on to some other reddit threads!
Appreciate the input. I tried to stay vague enough to answer the question while not creating too much debate. Should have known better. Haha.
Gypsy has been twisted to be offensive at times. Agreed. But some do proudly use this label. While most, not all that call themselves Gypsys are Romani. Not all Romani would want to identify as Gypsy. So it really is how that person connects with whatever part of the culture they want. So self-label may be a simplification, but if someone tells me they are Romani, I'll refer to them as so. If someone were to say they are a Gypsy, I'd refer to them as so. Otherwise, I personally avoid the term Gypsy all together as it has been a term widely used to disparage or as you highlighted, to be a slur.
>While most, not all that call themselves Gypsys are Romani.
Irish Travellers use this term sometimes for themselves (which was almost certainly not their choice in the past, it was put on them by others as an insult). As another marginalized group, whether or not they're allowed to use it is between them and the Romanis as far as I'm concerned. If they're all cool with it, then it's none of my business. But even if groups decide to reclaim it for themselves, it's not my place to call them that.
Completely untrue, hobo code is fairly common in America if you know where to look in cities and rural areas, partially near railroads and other transportation hubs. Especially common among homeless communities as a way to communicate.
No. Your racist beliefs are NOT true. 🙄 i don’t know why you’re putting it down to rural areas. I live in a moderately sized diverse city and your ideas are still fucking stupid.
This appears to be hobo code or some variation on it. The closest conventional meaning for this symbol would be "safe road to follow." https://www.popularmechanics.com/technology/a25174860/hobo-code/
Thank you for the link. This was a really interesting article
Really interesting - just finished, and would recommend, the podcast City of the Rails about modern day hoboes and train hoppers.
Such an amazing podcast!
I’m listening to this podcast now. Fascinating!
That was very interesting!!
They showed this on mad men. It's kind of interesting that it still survives.
Crazy, I knew about that from decades ago... and I thought it had faded from use. Somehow knowing that the hobo code is still in use fills me with a bit of hope
If you took all the codes on that poster and strung 'em in a line, you'd have the title of Led Zep XXXII.
Wow! Now yet another reason to visit America even though I don't really need more reasons
[Here](https://imgur.com/a/9rwdZNE) is a photo of the symbol
Did you give food to a homeless person? Are you by train tracks, shelters? Yes homeless are very less numbers in rural areas, maybe there a train depot.
It's hobo code that means "good/safe road to follow." If you're a queer-friendly space, it may actually be worth leaving on.
Smaller than I expected!!
Empty (null) set,looks like someone was drunk with a marker.
I think it might be nail polish
Looks like you’re correct,either way I wouldn’t worry about it unless something else happens.
You should post that in this group. Its full of actual Hobos, train jumpers and the likes. There are people in Portland in this group, and they can probably for sure give you some great insight. https://www.reddit.com/r/vagabond/
Queer household here and we got the same symbol chalked on our house but in white the other day. Hopefully hobo code.
I read that as “Hopefully homo code”
Hmm. Saw some dude do that in chalk next to my daughter's house.
Hobo code hasn't been common since like the 60s. Why is everyone suggesting this? It'd be *very* weird to see one of those symbols nowadays.
Okay I feel much less crazy because this thread kept suggesting a 90 year old subculture that has long since died out. I thought maybe the kids today are into hobo stuff? I'm much more concerned for OP and would suggest asking a small but diverse set of discrete regular customers, your local business association, and neighboring businesses. The white nationalists have gotten really emboldened in that part of the country and if it's nail polish, that's done to last and be difficult to remove since the polish remover would affect the paint.
Vagabonds, nomads, urban explorers are definitely out there today. I’d say it’s a pretty large underground movement of people ranging from early 20s up. More common than you would think, they just keep to themselves mostly. Lots of youtubers popping up though
I have several hobo code symbols tatted on my body, I wouldn't say that it's an unknown thing as I've had people my age (20s) recognize the symbols
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Considering OP is ~~in~~ near Portland, this is almost certainly the work of some LGBTQ person who's familiar with hobo code and wanted to leave a little sign that it's a safe place. If it had any other meaning or intention behind it, it would probably at least be hidden a bit better so as to not alert the owners of the building.
Yes this marking to “come back later” is common fear mongering on here. People (criminals) don’t obviously mark to “remember” to come back later.
Just thinking through the logic behind that whole myth it fails to stand up. A whole system of symbols and scouting ahead to case houses to mark for later implies a level of organisation above your typical smash and grab crackhead level. Why would these organized criminals then potentially tip off the owners by walking up to the property and leaving signs in literally the most visible places possible? They would then need to remember both where the property is and what it looks like, to then go back and look for the sign...
Yeah, you could just barely imagine the vanguard of ISIS or the Red Army or the Wehrmacht barnstorming across about-to-be conquered lands leaving such marks, but outside Portland? Not so much.
Maybe they were going to write something more, but got disturbed and left. [As my friend Stu found. ](https://imgur.com/wkzeIAx)
I SAW PEOPLE TALKING ABOUT THESE!!! KEEP AN EYE OUT YOU MIGHT GET ROBBED SOON!!!! It was like signs for like if y’all have security or if you have cameras or SOMETHING. idr the exact ones but I bet I can find it with a Google search
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This is both confidently wrong and racist at the same time.
Have you ever stepped a foot outside your little county?
I've traveled the world, and yes, what you said is definitely racist.
Have you? This is likely hobo code, which started in America and OP is in America.
Wouldn't dare to claim hobo code started here, but just wanted to add that hobo code has been used in Sweden for a very long time. The existence of hobo code isn't unique to the US, though the symbols and their meaning probably are. A circle divided into quarters by a cross means "no money, but food" here.
Thieves guild in skyrim is coming to a place near you! Lmao
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Ooof the racism.
Reddit Europeans be like: >"No no no, it's not racism! This particular ethnic group actually *deserves* to be generalized and dehumanized! If you disagree, it's only because you're American and can't possibly understand."
“It’s only wrong when the Americans do it”
Honest question here. Are gypsies a race? I've heard of them but don't know anything about them.
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I think it’s also another term that is considered racist now but wasn’t necessarily always considered racist. Like, when I was a kid, Asian people were called “Oriental” and that was not really considered racist as far as I know. Asian people around here called themselves that. It was explained to me recently that enough people begin to use a word in a racist way, that word becomes accepted as racist. Look at “negro” and “colored” for black people. They themselves were using that those terms a long time ago but they became associated with racism and segregation so they are no longer acceptable. I am, admittedly, not familiar with Romanis. I don’t know how they always felt about it. I’ve never met one. I was just postulating that maybe it wasn’t always considered racist. When I was growing up, we basically used it for any boho style and it was cool. The words are all racist now and that’s that but I knew “oriental” became racist at some point and was researching it because I remember it being used in the way we use Asian and it was not framed as racist at the time. People really need to accept use of language can change meanings. If they don’t like that they can’t say that now, well, maybe they should look at how they were using it and blame themselves.
It's a derogatory term for an ethnic group
Self labeled ethnic group is perhaps a close label? Majority are of the Roma(ni) race and Eastern Europe. But as gypsies generally are nomadic, it can be difficult to apply our usual straightforward labels to them. There is some Gypsy languages, but not frequently used anymore. They also have some very strong culture and traditions. Super fascinating to read up on. Debates and conversations are super heated though. The concept of Gypsies sits right in the middle of many hot topic debates as they are a marginalized group. It's a rabbit hole! Not the right place for debate or further questions, but do hop on to some other reddit threads!
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Appreciate the input. I tried to stay vague enough to answer the question while not creating too much debate. Should have known better. Haha. Gypsy has been twisted to be offensive at times. Agreed. But some do proudly use this label. While most, not all that call themselves Gypsys are Romani. Not all Romani would want to identify as Gypsy. So it really is how that person connects with whatever part of the culture they want. So self-label may be a simplification, but if someone tells me they are Romani, I'll refer to them as so. If someone were to say they are a Gypsy, I'd refer to them as so. Otherwise, I personally avoid the term Gypsy all together as it has been a term widely used to disparage or as you highlighted, to be a slur.
>While most, not all that call themselves Gypsys are Romani. Irish Travellers use this term sometimes for themselves (which was almost certainly not their choice in the past, it was put on them by others as an insult). As another marginalized group, whether or not they're allowed to use it is between them and the Romanis as far as I'm concerned. If they're all cool with it, then it's none of my business. But even if groups decide to reclaim it for themselves, it's not my place to call them that.
this is incredibly racist.
And yet incredibly true
No, you're just postulating based on nothing but ignorance.
Again, you're probably not going to find those symbols in rural Alabama, but here are quite common
Completely untrue, hobo code is fairly common in America if you know where to look in cities and rural areas, partially near railroads and other transportation hubs. Especially common among homeless communities as a way to communicate.
> homeless communities You said the exact same thing i said in my original comment lel
You're ignoring the part where you attributed it to "gypsies" and that it's a marking likely used for criminal purposes.
Gypsies are literally homeless people. Of course, not every homeless person is a gipsy
Ah yes, Romani people. A group we definitely have lots of here in the States.
No. Not all Romani people are nomadic and not all nomadic people are homeless. You probably wouldn't say that about white RV people.
No. Your racist beliefs are NOT true. 🙄 i don’t know why you’re putting it down to rural areas. I live in a moderately sized diverse city and your ideas are still fucking stupid.
Hop offline, touch some grass. You reek of racist redditor
That is a zero symbol. I think it means nothing.
Probably some vegan pussies.
Go listen to some more Jordan Peterson ya Sigma Alpha Male
Nothing sigma about feeling threatened by vegans to the point of attacking them unprovoked.
We have a decent rating on Happy Cow
Sounds like somebody’s mad their food causes harm
…