It's 30mph For a Reason!

It's late and I wanted to make another post before I went to bed. I did say I'd update at least once a week, but I can do more often.

As mentioned, I'm going to get on to Film Images and try and get hold of some PIFs to watch and review here, or if not I'll start having to go through my (limited) personal collection. Until then, you can download the UK's current anti - speeding TV spot here: http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/slowdown/download/2005tv.mpg

This is a creepy little film complete with atmospheric music and some kind of lighting filter that makes it look more eerie - perhaps one of my more technically - minded readers could help me out? (Have I got any readers yet?) An eight - or nine - year - old girl who could have come straight out of Village of the Damned is lying dead by the road side, for as she explains: if she is hit by a car travelling at 40 miles per hour, there's an 80% chance she'll die. But soft! Her injuries start to heal, her broken wrist mends itself, the blood stops pouring out of her ear and she drifts back into the middle of the road. Thankfully there are no more cars coming, and she sits up and gives a theatrical gasp, restored to life. Knock her down while driving at 30mph, and there's an 80% chance she won't die! Hooray!

Is it just me, or does the message come across as "If a little kiddie steps out in front of you while you're driving, don't bother to hit the brakes. Reduce your speed by 10mph in the limited time before impact, and drive on! They'll be fine!"

Still, it's a memorable one, and (in my opinion) one of the Think! campaign's best efforts to date. I will write more about Think! later on, but since 1999 all road safety material in the UK has carried the Think! strapline. If you really want to know, you can go to the website and view the exact details of the girl's injuries at 40mph and 30mph, and see the accompanying campaign poster and radio appeal: http://www.thinkroadsafety.gov.uk/campaigns/slowdown/slowdown.htm

I am a regular on a website for "stage mothers" (no, I'm not a stage mother myself) and in the past I have attempted to find out if anyone knows the child who played the starring role in this PIF, but so far, no luck. Sorry.