The most literal-minded people on the planet: Hilarious photos show what happens when people follow instructions TOO closely

  • Photos show what happens when people follow instructions to the word
  • When asked to name quadrilaterals, a pupil chose 'Bob', 'Cate' and 'Sam'
  • One man kept his phone 'under watch', by putting it under his wristwatch
  • When met with the sign 'Draw Bridge', a creative man produced a sketch

Instructions can sometimes be difficult to follow - especially if you don't read them carefully.

But if you look over them thoroughly and simply interpret them the wrong way, the results can be hilarious.

A series of photographs has captured the brilliant moments when children and adults alike have taken a set of instructions exactly at their word.

One pupil showed they really did know their alphabet, by putting each letter in every word in alphabetical order

One pupil showed they really did know their alphabet, by putting each letter in every word in alphabetical order

One man who is particularly keen to follow instructions puts his phone physically beneath his watch 

One man who is particularly keen to follow instructions puts his phone physically beneath his watch 

When met with the sign 'Draw Bridge', a creative passer-by obeyed by producing a detailed drawing of a bridge

When met with the sign 'Draw Bridge', a creative passer-by obeyed by producing a detailed drawing of a bridge

One child took their homework way to literally when asked to arrange the words in alphabetical order. Instead of the listing the items as instructed, they rearranged each letter of every individual word accordingly. As a result apple became aelpp - and so on. 

Someone decided to keep their phone very safe under their watch strap - as according to a sign that was the most prudent place to keep it.

And an accomplished sketch of a suspension bridge was produced by one man when he was confronted with a road sign that read 'draw bridge'.

On another exam paper a child was asked to find the difference between 8 and 6 to which he comically answered -  eight is all curly six is not.

Another pupil decided to 'name the quadrilateral', by calling them 'Bob', 'Sam' and 'Cate' amongst others.

A pupil literally describes the difference between the numbers 8 and 6, writing: 'Eight is all curly six is not' 

A pupil literally describes the difference between the numbers 8 and 6, writing: 'Eight is all curly six is not' 

This pupil had a whole host of names up her sleeve when asked to 'name' the quadrilaterals  

This pupil had a whole host of names up her sleeve when asked to 'name' the quadrilaterals  

One can only assume that the cake decorator was instructed to 'Write Happy Birthday on both'

One can only assume that the cake decorator was instructed to 'Write Happy Birthday on both'

While one would hope that a driver didn't deliberately crash through the brick wall under a 'drive thru' sign, you can't help but appreciate the irony

While one would hope that a driver didn't deliberately crash through the brick wall under a 'drive thru' sign, you can't help but appreciate the irony

Someone smashed through the glass at this bus stop, presumably after reading: 'If it ain't broke, break it'

Someone smashed through the glass at this bus stop, presumably after reading: 'If it ain't broke, break it'

This is not the most hygienic way to wash your hands, but it proves just how unhelpful the diagram is 

This is not the most hygienic way to wash your hands, but it proves just how unhelpful the diagram is 

One poor cake decorator got the sticky end of the icing nozzle when they misinterpreted some instructions to write 'happy birthday on both' of the treats ordered.

Other bakers also took instructions too literally, writing out the words 'Thanks for a great year in purple' in a pale shade of blue.

And one friend who made a rude joke about 'Matt' may have regretted it when the cake arrived with the words: 'Happy birthday **** ha ha ha. Don't write that, his name is Matt'. 

While one would hope that a driver didn't deliberately crash through a brick wall under a 'drive thru' sign, you can't help but appreciate the irony.

Meanwhile, someone smashed through the glass at a bus stop, perhaps after reading the advert displayed with the words: 'If it ain't broke, break it'.

Another person showed how unhelpful hand-washing signs can be, by copying the diagram above the sink - and failing to make contact with the water.

This smoker climbed on to the post to have his cigarette, no doubt following the direction of the arrow

This smoker climbed on to the post to have his cigarette, no doubt following the direction of the arrow

A mother covered her head while breastfeeding in order to obey the sign that reads: 'Please cover yourself' 

A mother covered her head while breastfeeding in order to obey the sign that reads: 'Please cover yourself' 

When a mother told her daughter to put her shoes by the door, she dutifully obeyed by putting them as close as humanly possible

When a mother told her daughter to put her shoes by the door, she dutifully obeyed by putting them as close as humanly possible

While cigarette butts are the 'butts' in question here, one woman could not resist the chance for a cheeky snap

While cigarette butts are the 'butts' in question here, one woman could not resist the chance for a cheeky snap

In another image, a smoker manages to have a cigarette in what looks like an uncomfortable position - and no doubt he's blaming the arrow on the sign which directed him there.

A breastfeeding mother has paid attention to the sign that instructs her to 'cover yourself' while breastfeeding. Her head is completely covered while her baby feeds in peace.

Another parent is surely pleased that her daughter followed instructions to put her shoes by the door - she'll just have to hope that no-one entering trips over them.

One woman does exactly what the sign instructs her when it says to 'place butt here' - shimmying her rear end right up to the sign.

This could be considered clever marketing by the 'Take 5' brand, with one customer taking five bars in one go

This could be considered clever marketing by the 'Take 5' brand, with one customer taking five bars in one go

One person made things difficult for themselves by opening this tub of salad dressing upside down - in response to the instructions 'open on other side' 

One person made things difficult for themselves by opening this tub of salad dressing upside down - in response to the instructions 'open on other side' 

When this pedestrian sign was turned the wrong way round, a woman copied it by doing a handstand 

When this pedestrian sign was turned the wrong way round, a woman copied it by doing a handstand 

This guy could have got a new chest of drawers, but seemed delighted with the free piece of paper instead

This guy could have got a new chest of drawers, but seemed delighted with the free piece of paper instead

Another cake decorator gets it wrong by writing out the full instructions, in a pale shade of blue rather than 'purple' as instructed

Another cake decorator gets it wrong by writing out the full instructions, in a pale shade of blue rather than 'purple' as instructed

A friend who made a rude joke to the cake maker about 'Matt' may have regretted it when the very literal centrepiece arrived

A friend who made a rude joke to the cake maker about 'Matt' may have regretted it when the very literal centrepiece arrived

A customer shows the clever marketing strategy used by the Take 5 bar, by taking five bars from the shop in one go. 

Another person made things difficult for themselves by opening a tub of salad dressing upside down - in response to the instructions 'Open on other side'.

When a pedestrian sign was turned the wrong way round, a woman copied it by doing a handstand on the pavement next to it.

One man could have got a new chest of drawers, which was left outside a house with a sign reading 'Free please take' - but chose to take the free piece of paper instead. 

Another school pupil proved how well they could follow instructions by writing 'or' in each space provided, completely ignoring the mathematical element of the test. 

One child proved very good at following instructions by writing 'or' in each space provided 

One child proved very good at following instructions by writing 'or' in each space provided 

This man definitely saw the comic potential of the sign 'Touch only with your eyes'

This man definitely saw the comic potential of the sign 'Touch only with your eyes'

Others managed to show the humour that can be found in signs such as 'Touch only with your eyes' and 'Hug left curb when leaving'.

And one dog owner proved the ambiguity of the word 'it' in the sign 'If your dog does a poo, please put it in the litter bin' by pretending to dump his canine friend.

In other funny photographs, someone pretends to feed a deer with a 25 cents coin, as directed by a sign, while a pedestrian jokingly puts on his superhero shirt to wait for Green Arrow, deliberately misunderstanding a road sign.

One little boy found a clever way to get around instructions when his mother told him he could not step foot outside - by leaving just his feet inside the building. 

One man turned the sign 'Hug left curb when leaving' into a very emotional affair 

One man turned the sign 'Hug left curb when leaving' into a very emotional affair 

The word 'it' in this sign is very ambiguous - as demonstrated to hilarious effect by this dog owner 

The word 'it' in this sign is very ambiguous - as demonstrated to hilarious effect by this dog owner 

A 25 cents coin is probably not the best thing to feed this deer - although he is following the instructions

A 25 cents coin is probably not the best thing to feed this deer - although he is following the instructions

This pedestrian made sure he waited for Green Arrow exactly as directed by the sign; his friend's baby wearing the superhero's shirt

This pedestrian made sure he waited for Green Arrow exactly as directed by the sign; his friend's baby wearing the superhero's shirt

One little boy was told he could not step a foot outside, so he made sure to keep that part of his anatomy firmly inside the building

One little boy was told he could not step a foot outside, so he made sure to keep that part of his anatomy firmly inside the building

The comments below have not been moderated.

The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline.

We are no longer accepting comments on this article.