>>"Don't touch this sign"
>>
>>Hilmar.
>
>That's rich! I can just see people spontaneously reaching out to touch the sign BECAUSE it says not to touch it.

Not necessarily. Back in seventies, a group of sociology students in Germany posted the "ladies only" and "gentlemen only" signs on phone booths in a department store. More than 90% of the people obeyed the signs.