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Duration 02:15

Pedestrian Crossing

In 1951 there were two million cars registered on the roads of Britain, a figure that rose by 250 per cent over the next ten years. The rapid growth of car ownership in turn gave rise to government road safety campaigns.

In 1934 pedestrian crossings consisting of parallel rows of studs and Belisha beacons were introduced to reduce the number of road accidents (Belisha beacons were orange globes on top of black and white posts). By the late 1940’s their initial success and awareness was waning.

Research had shown that both pedestrians and drivers alike were ignoring the crossings. This short film alludes to the fact by showing how to safely cross the road. Allied to the public information campaign, in 1949 the Ministry of Transport experimented with different pedestrian crossing markings to help improve visibility.

Red and white stripes, as well as the more familiar black and white, were considered at isolated experimental sites. By 1951 the black and white stripes, with Belisha beacons on either side of the road, were approved as ‘Zebra’ crossings; the first officially installed in Slough.

A year later further “improvements” were made to pedestrian crossings and the flashing Belisha beacons. The globes originally made of glass were replaced in 1952 with plastic since children kept throwing stones and smashing them!

Transcription

“Let me introduce you to Mr. A. Now Mr. A is a perfectly straight forward kind of person. He reacts quite normally.

When there’s dried egg for breakfast.
When it’s opening time.
When he sees his bank balance.
When someone slips on a banana skin.
When he has bacon for breakfast.

But when it comes to the every-day business of crossing the road.
Hurt, old man? Never mind.

Now, let’s try and get this straight. You want to cross from here to there.
Good.

And it would be perfectly simple if it wasn’t for the cars – wouldn’t it.

Right. Now there are two ways of crossing the road. Your way – and I must say it isn’t terribly attractive – and this way. You see these two rows of studs.

All you have to do is to walk between the studs and you won’t get knocked down.

You see the motorist has a legal obligation to give the pedestrian a right of way at crossings. Now have a shot yourself.

Come on. it’ll be all right really.

Now

Look out

Now, now. There are some good common sense rules you know. You must look where you’re going

And it’s no good thinking you can have a sleep or eat your breakfast out there because you’ll soon find yourself in trouble. You must keep on the move when you cross. Now have another try

That’s it.
(Commentators’ voice rises in excitement to a crescendo)

Good.
Fine
Keep it up.
Splendid
(A roar of applause greets his arrival at the other side)