Britain Beware!

panfan's picture
Submitted by panfan on Mon, 2012-05-07 19:18
Forums: 
The 60s and 70s (and 80s?)

I've set the video (or whatever you call it nowadays!) for this retrospective look at public information films, that's on tonight on ITV (Mon 07 May 2012).

It'll be a trip down memory lane to see Charlie the cat advise on crossing the road, and to see footage of apparently popular 70s pastimes like carrying long metal poles pointing skywards as you walk directly underneath electricity pylons.

I remember the one telling you to take a break when you're driving, so you 'don't go to sleep forever'! I was really little when I first heard that, and didn't know what it meant. I thought it alluded to some mysterious illness that made you fall asleep forever if you kept on driving!!

PS. Who here was a member of the Tufty Club?!

Submitted by pp4ever on Mon, 2012-05-07 20:15
pp4ever's picture

 

I didn't know about this, but the thing is if you have those two DVD releases "Charley says" is there going to be anything of value here? I can do without the talking and commenting in humorous fashion from people that usually have nothing to do with the material myself. Maybe it's not that type of show though.
Submitted by Paperboyplod on Mon, 2012-05-07 20:32
Paperboyplod's picture

'Charley says, always tell your mummy before you go off somewhere!'

Charley is a cat btw!

 

—

Justin

Submitted by panfan on Mon, 2012-05-07 21:45
panfan's picture

I have to say Charley, or rather the boy, was very annoying.

I haven't seen any DVD releases, so if there's annpoying commentary, I'll have to ignore it and enjoy the old footage!

Submitted by Andy on Tue, 2012-05-08 01:28
Andy's picture

Charlie the cat was voiced by Kenny Everett.

Submitted by panfan on Tue, 2012-05-08 01:31
panfan's picture

I missed the first ten minutes, but recorded the rest.  From the brief bit I saw, it did seem to be more serious and not taking the mickey.

Submitted by Flight14 on Tue, 2012-05-08 01:48
Flight14's picture

I didn't catch this programme.I don't know if they featured "Clunk Click;every trip" ?.Do you remember that on tv back in the 1970s when seat belts wern't yet compulsory.Jimmy Savile was so right to try to get everyone to wear seat belts.

Charlie & his Cat-Kenny Everett ,really! ha,ha.The Tufty Club: - have you seen the PIF where Tufty's friend is run over by a squirrel in a car,who then stops with no expression on his face.Lol! really spooky !.....

Submitted by panfan on Tue, 2012-05-08 10:09
panfan's picture

Yes, Peter, Clunk Clink was featured towards the beginning, and seemed to be treated very well. If I've time I'll have to see if it's online so I can see the first part I missed.

Submitted by Paperboyplod on Tue, 2012-05-08 19:23
Paperboyplod's picture

Talking of wearing safety belts, I thought that it in Britainwas only made mandatory for front seat passengers to wear them in cars in 1983, rear safety belt laws didn't come into force, for about another decade, & only then where they were fitted to the back seats of cars, but Ade definately said that wearing rear safety belts became law in '83, so if I'm correct then some poor research has been going on, still an entertaining, if shocking at times hour or so's viewing, I take that the 'Grim Reaper' film wouldn't have featured such colourful language if it had been shown on TV!

—

Justin

Submitted by panfan on Tue, 2012-05-08 19:29
panfan's picture

I remember front at least was in 1983, but rear I'm not sure: Google needed I think!

Submitted by mojo2007 on Wed, 2012-05-09 10:27
mojo2007's picture

Did you see the Skyarts programme on Miss World 1974 ?   A few of the contestants were good looking enough to have been auditioned as a PP but they could not dance. 

Was there a look to 1974 ? Some girls reminded me of Ruth and Flick, but then most good looking girls remind me of Ruth and Flick.  Perhaps it was the hair styles .

mojo

Submitted by Paperboyplod on Wed, 2012-05-09 10:52
Paperboyplod's picture

Are you sure that this is the correct thread for Miss World 1974 stuff?

—

Justin

Submitted by panfan on Wed, 2012-05-09 18:05
panfan's picture

Did we have a Miss World thread?

Is mojo going off topic in an off topic thread, lol?!

For better or worse, I don't get Sky, so miss out on all this. Were there any fashion items or hair styles associated with 74 (like Ra Ra skirts from a later year)?

Submitted by Flight14 on Thu, 2012-05-10 02:07
Flight14's picture

Was it 1983 when car seat belts were compulsory for front passengers then.Not before time & well done Mr.Savile for drawing attention to the dangers of it.

Submitted by Paperboyplod on Thu, 2012-05-10 11:45
Paperboyplod's picture

Yeah, but Ade said that the wearing of rear safety belts became UK law in '83, but the wearing of those (but only where fitted) didn't become law for about another decade.

You are right about the law only affecting front seat passengers that year!

 

—

Justin

Submitted by Andy on Thu, 2012-05-10 12:51
Andy's picture

Yes I heard that if the car has them you have to use it and your breaking the law not the Car owner

having watched it yesterday there was a clip of Michael Aspel which said 1960 but was 1970

The Clunk Click campaign was 1st done by Shaw Taylor in the 60s got footage of him in Newcastle talking to motorists

Submitted by panfan on Thu, 2012-05-10 19:03
panfan's picture

Was it not still the case in 1983 that some cars didn't have rear seat belts, hence they couldn't enforce that?  Was it 1988 or something when this was enacted?

ETA: Just googled:

31 January 1983: British drivers ordered to belt up

Drivers and front seat passengers must wear seatbelts under a new law which came into force at midnight.

SEATBELT USE IN THE UK
  • In 1983 seat belt use in front of vehicles becomes compulsory
  • Back seat belt use by children becomes law in 1989; extended to adults in 1991
  • Of 1,432 car occupants killed in 2007, 34% had not 'belted up'
  • In 1982, 37% of drivers wore seatbelts - by 2007, it was 94%
  • An estimated 565 people were not using a seatbelt when killed in 2005. Some 370 may have survived if properly restrained
Source: Department for Transport