• iconNews
  • videos
  • entertainment
  • Home
  • News
    • UK News
    • US News
    • Australia
    • Ireland
    • World News
    • Weird News
    • Viral News
    • Sport
    • Technology
    • Science
    • True Crime
    • Travel
  • Entertainment
    • Celebrity
    • TV & Film
    • Netflix
    • Music
    • Gaming
    • TikTok
  • LAD Originals
    • FFS PRODUCTIONS
    • Say Maaate to a Mate
    • Daily Ladness
    • UOKM8?
    • FreeToBe
    • Citizen Reef
  • Advertise
  • Terms
  • Privacy & Cookies
  • LADbible Group
  • UNILAD
  • SPORTbible
  • GAMINGbible
  • Tyla
  • UNILAD Tech
  • FOODbible
  • License Our Content
  • About Us & Contact
  • Jobs
  • Latest
  • Topics A-Z
  • Authors
Facebook
Instagram
X
Threads
Snapchat
TikTok
YouTube

LAD Entertainment

YouTube

LAD Stories

Submit Your Content

Home> News> UK News

Published 15:25 7 Aug 2023 GMT+1

Resurfaced road safety ad is unlocking childhood memories of even more traumatising advert

A resurfaced Think! children's road safety advert is triggering people's memories of another much darker video.

Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck

Featured Image Credit: Think!

Topics: UK News, Cars, Health, Parenting, Social Media, Instagram, YouTube

Poppy Bilderbeck
Poppy Bilderbeck

Poppy Bilderbeck is a Senior Journalist at LADbible Group. She graduated from The University of Manchester in 2021 with a First in English Literature and Drama, where alongside her studies she was Editor-in-Chief of The Tab Manchester. Poppy is most comfortable when chatting about all things mental health, is proving a drama degree is far from useless by watching and reviewing as many TV shows and films as possible and is such a crisp fanatic the office has been forced to release them in batches.

Advert

Advert

Advert

A resurfaced Think! children's road safety advert is triggering people's memories of another much darker video.

There's no doubt about it, Think! certainly produced some absolutely eye-catching adverts.

And they clearly worked as even years and years later, I remember those hedgehogs like it was yesterday.

Advert

However, it's the story of the boy who 'didn't stop, look and listen' which people are now being reminded of, which continues to haunt them to this day.

Your face as you realise which advert we're talking about after the 'King of the Road' campaign.
Think!

Instagram account The Archbishop of Banterbury has reposted one of Think!'s road safety awareness hedgehog adverts.

The advert is one from a series which first began in 1997 featuring 'the Hedgehog Family'.

Titled the King of the Road campaign (1998), the video may have a serious message of avoiding being hit by a vehicle and ending up severely injured or worse, but it maintains a pretty jovial tone throughout.

Advert

After all, what's scary about singing hedgehogs?

As they amble along the street, the pair of animals sing: "Take care out on the street. Use you head and then your feet.

"Don't run out like a fool. Take your time and play it cool. If you don't stay alert, you could end up getting hurt. You better stop and think and you'll be king of the road."

Quite cute right? However, the hedgehog adverts were nothing on the Tales of the Road which followed.

Advert

And one Instagram user couldn't help but remind us of it, commenting: "This is the nice version, who remembers the kids that would end up with broken arms and legs?"

New repressed childhood memory unlocked.
Think!

In 2008, the government road safety campaign group brought out a cautionary talk called The Boy Who Didn't Stop, Look and Listen.

Giving off a similar vibe to The Corpse Bride, the advert appears gothic in style and was reportedly inspired by Edwardian poet Hilaire Belloc.

A spokesperson for the Department for Transport told the Mail Online at the time: "We are taking a new approach to warning children about the dangers they can face on our roads, following new research that shows today’s six-to-11-year-olds need bolder and more direct communication about road safety."

Advert

And 'bolder' the advert certainly is.

The advert definitely hit home the message to children a lot harder than the singing hedgehogs did.
Think!

The Boy Who Didn't Stop, Look and Listen centres around a boy on crutches.

The eerie narrator reads: "Before his leg was bent backwards, he loved to play football all day.

"But the boy didn't cross in a safe place, where he could see cars come his way. He then didn't stop, look and listen. A car hit him at quite a pace.

Advert

"And now he can't play football, because his leg broke in more than one place."

If that isn't enough to make sure you always look twice and check before you cross the road then I don't know what is.

As one YouTube user commented: "These were the reason I had nightmares as a kid."

Choose your content:

9 hours ago
11 hours ago
12 hours ago
  • Instagram/ceri.menaidavis
    9 hours ago

    Dad who completed marathon in honour of son walks 100k with 20kg weight

    Ceri hopes that he can implement 'Hugh's Law' to help other struggling parents

    News
  • Getty Stock Images
    9 hours ago

    Doctor explains why you should never dry scoop your pre-workout

    Many fitness influencers share content of themselves dry-scooping, but a doctor has warned it is anything but healthy

    News
  • Reddit
    11 hours ago

    Why price of beef mince has suddenly exploded as Brits ask ‘why no one is talking about it’

    And it's not going to be fixed quickly

    News
  • Getty/SimonSkafar
    12 hours ago

    Surgeon explains why you should never hold your head back when you get a nosebleed

    Dr Michael Gartner reminded people of the best practice to follow when a nosebleed strikes

    News
  • Katie Piper issues 'end of the road' health update after 'years of battling with eye'
  • Influencer sues plastic surgeon for £1.7 million after 'overly large breast implants ruined her career'
  • Parents of 19-year-old girl who died after trying viral 'dusting' trend warn others about its deadly risks
  • YouTube mum Ruby Franke's ex-husband gives stark warning on dangers of social media after wife jailed for abuse