UKC

When I was younger there were loads of public information films on TV; Charlie telling everyone not to go off with strangers and Super Ted and Spotty man showing everyone how to cross the road (maybe only in Wales).
Anyhow, why are there no public info films any more?
What would you like to see tackled by a public info film?

My starter for ten would be issues relating to cycling (there could be a whole series on this subject), not just "please don't flatten me my BMW driver I've a wife and kids at home" but also things like "hey Red light jumping cyclist, you're breaking the law and really pissing off that driver behind you who will now think little of passing you at 30 mph with half inch to spare so it's probably better that you just wait"

Not wanting to get bogged down on the cycling thing, any topics you like.

In reply to gethin_allen:
Learn to swim Dave.

youtube.com/watch?v=v9FsEi2us88&

In reply to gethin_allen:

How about this one:
Spending too much time getting involved in pointless debates on UKC can seriously damaged your Saturday afternoon.

In reply to Gone for good:

What else are we supposed to do in this weather! Lol

In reply to gethin_allen:
Remember the terrifying Aids PI films featuring tombstones etc The end of the world seemed imminent when we were informed that heterosexuals as well as homosexuals were equally at risk? Unless you were in a committed life time relationship any form of new dating was out of the question. There was no cure and I'm amazed we are all still alive........

And before that the Nuclear bomb PI films? We had 8 mins warning to take shelter in the cupboard under the stairs with our cans of baked beans and bottles of water.....

In reply to Gone for good:

So perhaps a father Ted reality/imagination style message but reality/internet obviously.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Just show on repeat the clip from Hot Fuzz where, in the siege of Somerfield, one of the characters says "Don't go being a t**t now".

T.

In reply to gethin_allen:

they're all here:
http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/films/view_all_films.htm

In reply to gethin_allen:

Joe & Petunia – Acceptance of the Country Code

In reply to Glyno:

There are a few interesting but rather scary films in there about nuclear power and weapons, the thing that really amazes me is the money the country put into nuclear research at this time. it's amazing what can be achieved if the political will is there to provide the money.

In reply to Glyno:

Very entertaining films. Cheers.

In reply to gethin_allen:

I remember the "don't cross railway lines" one where the kid got his football boots stuck in the tracks and had his legs chopped off. It must have made an impression because it was thirty years ago since I saw it.

In reply to Wsdconst:


I remember that. Clumsy tw*t.

In reply to Yanis Nayu:

I always wondered why he didn't just leave his boots. If I remember he was carrying them and they got stuck when the points changed on the track. I'm sure he was there for ages trying to get them out too.

In reply to gethin_allen:

Anyone else got these?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Charley-animated-classics-Information-archives/dp/B...

Lots of creepy Saville ones on there.

In reply to Big Ger:

Inspired the excellent Charly (The Prodigy) so not all bad!

In reply to broken spectre:

I was playing old prodigy to some young work colleagues and when I mentioned Charlie they didn't have a clue about the song or the reference. Kids these days eh!

In reply to gethin_allen:

There are no public information films because government these days is frightened of appearing like a Nanny State even though common sense is still in as short supply as it ever was .

My favourites were always Joe and Petunia with ' the farmer down there with the purple face! '

For starters how about .....

Don't drive in the middle of the road on blind bends when there is no centre line marked
Merge in turn when one lane is closed rather than make a massive queue in one lane and resent the people in the outside lane who you think are queue jumping

In reply to gethin_allen:

I'm a great fan of the one that told you not to overtake when there is a junction coming up to your right. Based on the very sensible assumption that people turning L out of that junction often don't check their left as carefully, if at all, as their R as they are not thinking of people overtaking traffic coming from the L. Result as portrayed on the film is a nice overtaking manouevre on a straight road going horribly wrong as they hit someone turning L out of the side junction.

I've seen many near misses like this and an astonishing number of people think its safe to overtake past a side junction!

In reply to gethin_allen:
Perhaps also a specific one on how to park at Seathwaite in Borrowdale!


Oh, and not to feed children loads of sweets and fizzy drinks on long bus or train journeys. It's really pretty unpleasant smelling the vomit for hours!

In reply to Wsdconst:

Not seen the film but in real life would likely to have had his foot crushed to bits by the points.

In reply to Cheese Monkey:

If I remember correctly he was carrying them and they were tied together with the laces, so one was hanging down to the ground.

In reply to gethin_allen:

My all-time favourite

BE SAFE AT WORK

Public Information (1970s)

Sir Isaac Newton told us why
An apple falls down from the sky
And from this fact, it's very plain,
All other objects do the same
A brick, a bolt, a bar, a cup,
Invariably fall down, not up
And every common working tool
Is governed by the self-same rule
So when you handle tools up there,
Let your watchword be, "Take Care!"
If at work, you drop a spanner,
It travels in a downward manner
At work, a fifth of accidents or more,
Illustrate old Newton's law
But one thing he forgot to add,
The damage won't be half as bad
If you are wearing proper clothes,
Especially on your head and toes
These hats and shoes are there to save
The wearer from an early grave
So best feet forward and take care
About the kind of shoes you wear
It's better to be sure, than dead,
So get a hat and keep your head

Don't think to go without is brave;
The effects of gravity...can be grave!

JW

In reply to John Ww:

I agree it's a classic, and I swear my brother would be able to recite it word for word to this day.

My favourite though was always Reginald Molehusband, although to my dismay I've just found out that no surviving film or video of it is known to exist

In reply to john arran:

Wasn't Reginald Molehusband the chap who "parked perfectly every time"? And what about Augustus Windsock, the "world's oldest living cyclist"?

JW

In reply to John Ww:


Quite the reverse IIRC, he was so inept that "people came for miles to see him park", until "one day he did it right" to rapturous applause all round.

In reply to john arran:

Indeed - I stand corrected - the final line is "and parked perfectly".

JW

In reply to gethin_allen:

The Spirit of Dark and Lonely
Water

How about this for creepy!

youtube.com/watch?v=Sg6IVUvVsAs&

In reply to elsewhere:



This is way better.

youtube.com/watch?v=t2VvcOHi2E8&

In reply to gethin_allen:

And as if by magic, here's one airing on the telly this evening

youtube.com/watch?v=ObvC12uJa6A&