Mia Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 Now, this is probably for those of you in your thirties or older, but who remembers the public information films they used to put on the telly? Some of them were really good, whilst others were just cheesy. Ones I remember include: The one with the hooded Death figure putting children off swimming in quarries/rivers etc. My god, that was scary. The ones with the cartoon animated couple (the woman was called Petunia). I especially remember the one teaching people to call 999 for the coastguard, where they thought a drowning man was waving to them (it was funnier than it sounds, honestly!) The famous "Charley Says" ones with the cartoon cat miaowing away, warning kids not to go off with strangers or to cross the road carefully. One about putting the chain on the front door to check who's there before opening it, with a catchy tune sung to "Green Door". I actually bought a cheap DVD that has loads of these on - some are hilarious! I think they should bring some of these back. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I remember a lot of those. I also remember a series of posters that used to be tied to lampposts so that you could spot different ones as you walked. The one that sticks in my mind is someone flying a kite near a pylon. When you're 8 things like that have a huge impact. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I always remember the one about railway tracks and how you are not to cross them, the whole premise of it is basically, a young boy and friends cross over a railway track, one of them gets their lace caught and then you just see the train and the trainer (which had been caught) flying, it was horrific! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 The one that sticks in my mind is someone flying a kite near a pylon. When you're 8 things like that have a huge impact. I remember a kid climbing into one of those electricity enclosures to retrienve a frisbee from where it had got stuck... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbain Posted August 16, 2008 Share Posted August 16, 2008 I remember the cartoon animated couple in the life guard one. I remember the 'Charley says' one really well, that always gave me the creeps, still does! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedge Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 Alvin Stardust teaching kids how to cross the road properly (in a very menacing manner!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 In the UK, we were all taught how to cross the road by Darth Vader. And Rolf Harris told us all to LEARN TO SWIM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted August 17, 2008 Share Posted August 17, 2008 I always remember the one about railway tracks and how you are not to cross them, the whole premise of it is basically, a young boy and friends cross over a railway track, one of them gets their lace caught and then you just see the train and the trainer (which had been caught) flying, it was horrific! Years and years ago a programme like Nationwide did a whole programme based on discouraging children from playing near railways. It was done (rather bizarrely) in the form of adults organising different dangerous games revolving around the railtrack ie 'lets play walking through a train tunnel' as the programme went on more and more children became inevitable casualties. They certainly didn't pull any punches in the 70s when it came to safety films. Always a cautious child (and adult) these frightened the life out of me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted August 17, 2008 Author Share Posted August 17, 2008 Oh my god Judy, we were shown that film in junior school! It was absolutely horrific, especially for sensitive souls like me and the younger kids (I was in the last year of junior school I think, but they showed it to the whole school, so that would include 7-year-olds). Kids were throwing up or crying and having to be taken out by teachers. You saw all these bloody casualties lying on stretchers. I think it must have scarred me for life, as I still remember it and don't like watching any nasty films! No-one except you Judy and a girl in my last office ever recalled it - I thought we must have been the only school to see it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 :lol:Wow someone else remembers it - I'd forgotten about the stretchers. Years ago I had the misfortune to see a fire safety film made for soldiers - I was working at an army camp at the time so had to see it as a member of staff. I was haunted by the graphic images in it for days - I couldn't believe what I was watching. We were shown a film of pictures of people in car crashes at school - as a child I'd never even thought about car crashes until then and became very scared about travelling on motorways as a result. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weave Posted August 18, 2008 Share Posted August 18, 2008 You are so right Judy, they certainly did not pull any punches in the 70s, the film about the railway track terrified me! I also remember the one about not swimming in canals, it was horrific but it did the job, I did not go near a canal! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
boo Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 There used to be one on the London Underground, where a little girls ragdoll got caught on the bottom of the escalator. It totally freaked me out as I used to have to go to London once a month with my Mum. She never did understand why I was so scared of the escalator!! I was telling my niece the other day about the one with the frisbe and the electricity pylon, she looked at me like I was talking another language!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedge Posted August 19, 2008 Share Posted August 19, 2008 I remember Jimmy Saville's seatbelt safety adverts being overly-complicated. Can anybody remember what SPLINK stood for? (Or was it SPLUNK?) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted August 19, 2008 Author Share Posted August 19, 2008 There used to be one on the London Underground, where a little girls ragdoll got caught on the bottom of the escalator. It totally freaked me out as I used to have to go to London once a month with my Mum. She never did understand why I was so scared of the escalator! Yes, I remember that! I always thought I was going to get dragged under the escalator. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I have just seen the film about frances the firefly who plays with fire and her wings catch fire. This scared me when I was younger (which I guess is the point) and I still get quite worried around fires and ovens. I can remember getting a matching booklet from my junior school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kell Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 Yes, I remember that! I always thought I was going to get dragged under the escalator. I once DID get my hair trapped in an escalator handrail (through no fault of my own, I might add - my hair was incredibly long in those days!). Fortunately, we managed to hit the emergency stop button and I had to have my hair cut to get free! Rather embarrassing, because I wasn't a small kid either - I was 14 or 15 at the time! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mia Posted August 20, 2008 Author Share Posted August 20, 2008 Ooh, that could have been nasty, Kell. Glad you were alright (apart from the embarrassment factor!). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephanie2008 Posted August 20, 2008 Share Posted August 20, 2008 I can remember being told stories about escalators when I was younger. I still get quite nervous about stepping on them (it takes me about a minute to actually step onto it). But i hate lifts so have to compromise somewhere. Sorry to hear about that Kell. That must have been awful for you. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JudyB Posted August 22, 2008 Share Posted August 22, 2008 There used to be one on the London Underground, where a little girls ragdoll got caught on the bottom of the escalator. It totally freaked me out as I used to have to go to London once a month with my Mum. She never did understand why I was so scared of the escalator!! I remember that and I too am very cautious now on escalators. How about the firework safety films - they were always pretty grim too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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