Darth Vader blames 'Speed Kills' Message
Darth Vader blames 'Speed Kills' Message
Author
Discussion

Trax

Original Poster:

1,601 posts

263 months

Tuesday 11th September 2007
quotequote all
Did anyone else listen to the 'Green Cross Code' man, aka Darth Vader on radio 4?

He seems to be campaigning for the government to bring back teaching children in schools basic road awareness skills again. I wasnt writing notes so the figures might be wrong, but I think he said the campaign that he was involved in finished in 1989, and I am sure he reckoned he saved thousands of lives with it.

He blames the governments change to concentrating on 'speed kills', with the increase in deaths since the Green Cross Code campaign finished.

Will anyone listen? We know there is no way that we will stop the spreading of outsourcing speed enforcement to independant business called 'safety partnerships', that will never happen, it just makes too much business sense to the idiots in charge, (no matter how many lives it costs, by only relying on taking pictures, to save lives). It costs no money, and looks like they are doing something.

What we do need to concentrate is on road safety, will Darth Vader come out of retirement? Will someone in charge actualy make a decision that will save lives, even though it may cost money?

G.O'Rilla

13 posts

230 months

Tuesday 11th September 2007
quotequote all
Trax said:
Will someone in charge actualy make a decision that will save lives, even though it may cost money?
Rhetorical question, I assume

Jasandjules

72,674 posts

260 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Ah, well, you see, the Green Cross code seems to have changed these days.

It is more like Pedestrians have right of way at all times, cars will slow down to avoid you.

Adam_W

1,098 posts

231 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Stop look listen think

hmm these days its more a case of blindly step off the pavement listening to your iPod

Bing o

15,184 posts

250 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Stop look listen play chicken

TonyHetherington

32,091 posts

281 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
I drive past two schools on the way to work (sometimes 3)...one of these days I will accidentally hit a child. It is truly stunningly unbelievable they just step onto road.

Green Cross Code is a superb idea and should be welcomed with open arms by primary schools I think (and senior).

Jasandjules

72,674 posts

260 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Adam_W said:
Stop look listen think

hmm these days its more a case of blindly step off the pavement listening to your iPod
And/or Mobile phone. I got the w***nker sign because the sound of my heaving braking from 40-10mph interrupted the conversation the Chav was having when he stepped out from the Kerb about 20ft from me...

tigger1

8,478 posts

252 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Jasandjules said:
Adam_W said:
Stop look listen think

hmm these days its more a case of blindly step off the pavement listening to your iPod
And/or Mobile phone. I got the w***nker sign because the sound of my heaving braking from 40-10mph interrupted the conversation the Chav was having when he stepped out from the Kerb about 20ft from me...
I'd have interrupted him with the bumper.

I especially "like" to get ride behind an iPod user and then give it shit with the horn, just to see the mild heart attack in action.

"like" isn't the right word...but you know what I mean

Pickled Piper

6,452 posts

266 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
On the contrary, it just goes by a different name. It's now called Kerb Craft. See my post on the "volunteering" thread.

I am one of a team of volunteers led a by a full time local Council employee to teach traffic awareness and road crossing skills to children aged five and above. We start by teaching them the difference between a pavement and a road, where it is safe to walk. how to recognize that a car is reversing. How to identify a safe place to cross and make sure they are seen etc etc. The stark difference in traffic awareness between the children that walk to school with parents against those that are dropped off by car is very apparent. Another very good reason to walk you kids to school.

Granted there are no large scale advertising campaigns on the TV. However, it is being dealt with at a local level. Why not find out about local schemes and sign up as a volunteer?

pp

JonRB

80,126 posts

303 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Trax said:
He seems to be campaigning for the government to bring back teaching children in schools basic road awareness skills again.
clap Bravo.

However, it hasn't completely disappeard. I asked my (almost)13 year-old lad if he knew what the Green Cross Code was (depressingly resigned to him saying "what?") and he promptly said "Stop! Look! Listen! Live!"

I particularly like the addition of "Live!" - that was never in the original but is a worthy addition.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th September 12:32

JonRB

80,126 posts

303 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Trax said:
He seems to be campaigning for the government to bring back teaching children in schools basic road awareness skills again.
clap Bravo.

However, it hasn't completely disappeard. I asked my (almost)13 year-old lad if he knew what the Green Cross Code was (depressingly resigned to him saying "what?") and he promptly said "Stop! Look! Listen! Live!"

I particularly like the addition of "Live!" - that was never in the original but is a worthy addition.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th September 12:34

JonRB

80,126 posts

303 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Trax said:
He seems to be campaigning for the government to bring back teaching children in schools basic road awareness skills again.
clap Bravo.

However, it hasn't completely disappeard. I asked my (almost)13 year-old lad if he knew what the Green Cross Code was (depressingly resigned to him saying "what?" ) and he promptly said "Stop! Look! Listen! Live!"

I particularly like the addition of "Live!" - that was never in the original but is a worthy addition.

Edited by JonRB on Wednesday 12th September 13:08

clonmult

10,529 posts

240 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Reckon there should be something like this brought back in on a national level.

the ex and me have gone to pains with our son to give him some road safety training - the basic look right, left, right again, then proceed carefully ...

andy400

11,799 posts

262 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Anyone else remember the 'Tufty Club'? The road-safety red squirrel? Teaching us how to cross safely with his furry chums?

Or did I dream it....?

smeggy

3,241 posts

270 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Can anyone find a 'listen again' link for it? I know a man who might be interested wink

Timberwolf

5,374 posts

249 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
andy400 said:
Anyone else remember the 'Tufty Club'? The road-safety red squirrel? Teaching us how to cross safely with his furry chums?
A quite frankly menacing 6ft high anthropomorphic squirrel and his dodgy friends?



I mean look at that weasel with the scary over-elongated neck. A member of the criminal classes if ever I saw one.

Here they are knocking over a gaff:



Collecting protection money:



Now you see why Tufty has such bulging pockets?

Oh, and for good measure, let's torch some cars:



The stuff of which nightmares are made.

Edited by Timberwolf on Wednesday 12th September 20:22

JonRB

80,126 posts

303 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Timberwolf said:
A quite frankly menacing 6ft high anthropomorphic squirrel and his dodgy friends?
True, but which is worse? That or a tall and muscular bloke in green tights talking to you and helping you cross the road?

Charlie the cat tells you never to go off with strangers but it's ok for Darth Vader keep you safe crossing the road? Mixed signals, man. smile

skymaster

731 posts

238 months

Wednesday 12th September 2007
quotequote all
Well ever since the voting public of Britain turned to the dark side (I hope you liked that) they seem to have thrown logic out of the window and replaced it with the notion that accidents will happen but if everyone drives at 20mph all the time then no one will actually die in them.

After all, we get force fed 'facts' telling us that hitting a child at a low enough speed and they are sure to live.

I would advocate an approach whereby we gain the skills required to drive properly, cycle safely and cross the road using some common sense. Todays method seems to just assume everyone is incapable of such things so lets just slow everything down to our (lack of) skill level.