There is a difference between a variant spelling and a misspelling -- a dictionary will only record a spelling as variant if it appears in edited prose often enough that it's clear the editors are accepting it and not just overlooking it.
That being said the word "diricted" is not a variant of the word directed and should not be use in the sign shown here. Nor should it have been used on the other 47 signs in the go kart park I visited in Ocean City, MD. The not so bright managers of the Jolly Rodger SpeedWorld were also not amused at my concern over the misspelling.
Now don't get me wrong. I am by no means a grammar nazi, nor the holder of a Scripps Speeling Bee trophy. But the obvoius ones drive me nuts. Especially when standing in line facing one for 20 minutes waiting patiently to go 80 MPH around the track in a shell of a vehicle, loosely named the Gran Prix.
Note the required helmet. Seriously? At 80 MPH will it really make much difference in your survival rate? It might keep your decapitated head from receiving a good scalping at best.
But what else is there to do on a warm summer night on the beach thank go karts, boardwalk Ferris wheels and......
Thrasher's Salt and Vinegar Fries.
My all time favorite Ocean City treat!
Overall it was a great week... horseback riding, sailing and enjoying the surf and sand. I spent many childhood summers on the boardwalk and it's always amazing to me to come back and enjoy the same sights and sounds unchanged by time.
Same ferris wheel, same Slavic exchange students running the town's service industry with a thick accent and heavy smile. Granted the prices go up and up, but it's nice to know that I can still play skeeball for 10 cents at Playland on the same lanes I played on back when my father was alive. I have so many wonderful memories from that place.
I was happy to add a few more :)
