Junior Road Safety: Riding Your Bicycle

[@davidramsay8204]

Had a great time making the movie as we all got 3 weeks off school at Beverly Hills North Primary.Filmed mainly at Beverly Hills and Peakhurst and no it is not Bill Hunter or Rachael Griffiths.Donna Williams was the good sort while the boys included Ricky Heaton ,Col McDougall,Ian Brown,Bruce Saunders,Glenn King and the fat kid Larry Millott who was very lucky to survive the horrific "crash" .Brought back many great memories from a much simpler time but we sure had a lot of fun.

[@mickellis8747]

Hay Dave, Memories.

[@jimmoore70]

A distinctive identity that says we're too scared to ride a bike without a compressed foam hat, and that only dorks need/want to ride bikes in Australia, unless its for sports and then it's OK as doing sports is also part of our (mythical) identity.

[@EdwardHore]

How quick was that, a period film about cycling turned in to the infamous helmet debate, give it a rest for 5 minutes and enjoy the damned video for what it is... Gawd it brings back memories, especially the gravel rash.

[@mellotron71]

This brings back so many memories. Certainly reminds me of how lucky I was to grow up in the 70s when everyone rode to school. Wonderful footage that captures what was such a normal activity in those days. Thanks for sharing.

[@Ride2Wk]

Love it. It brings back memories for me as I rode a similar bike in the mid 70s (just a few years after this film). No helmet law and no overblown fear of "stranger danger" (even though it was just as common then as it is now) so most kids walked, cycled or caught buses / trains to school. Less traffic congestion and fitter kids since we actually got plenty of exercise. While we made mistakes we learnt valuable lessons from them. Safety nannies today have put so much fear into parents now.

[@Myra1959]

I like those vintage bikes.

[@NFSAFilms]

Hi Blu. Yes it has been the comments left by others for this film that have really informed us as to locations and people involved in it. It's been very helpful, especially those by David below who was actually involved in the production.

[@fknucklewit]

Trip down memory lane!

[@johnnevada46]

Filmed when Australians were generally a healthy weight, children rode bikes, and helmets hadn't been invented.

[@Jcmprofessional]

I watch that in primary school when I was a kid.

[@MarkHenstridge]

No children were injured in the making of this film(I hope).

[@NFSAFilms]

No comment ;)

[@RodsPinballVideos]

Mate, best stoner video on KZbin. The music is great!

[@rustysnails]

4:40 Tallawalla St and Bundara St Beverly Hills, 5:37 Morgan St and Kingsgrove Rd, Kingsgrove, 5:50 Ponyara Rd and King Georges Rd, Beverly Hills. Other location in and around Beverly Hills, Kingsgrove.

[@rustysnails]

Thought I recognised that shock of white hair - Col McDougall.

[@ItsAllAboutContext]

Every year the local cops would come to our school to check our bikes and give us safety tips. One of these involved us riding in the playground and the cops driving straight at us in their car and hitting the brakes just in time to avoid hitting us - not sure what he lesson actually was meant to impart!

[@ghostintheasylumbasement698]

Shit i remember watching this film on the old projector in primary school in the 1980s in Melbourne feeling old much lol

[@NFSAFilms]

Hope it kept you safe on your bike.

[@450hp202turbo]

All Aussie kids , this was before the troubled makers came.

[@DZ_AU]

Helmets generally aren't necessary when you have a considerate road culture that respects other road users, unlike Australia where some motorists take your mere presence on a bicycle as a personal affront to the sense of road entitlement. If everyone plays nicely, everyone wins

[@NFSAFilms]

Jim, Rachel Griffiths was born in 1968 and this film is from 1971, so it can't be her.

[@neilmansfield8329]

Hope the boy survived

[@jimmoore70]

I think that was Bill Hunter driving the White Wings truck. And of course a young Rachel Griffiths riding safely and upright. But I have to know...did Tubby make it?!

[@JK1367]

Fantastic to see how cycling isn't a dangerous activity if you do it properly! There is a beautiful absence of foam hats too - the government won't like this video being re-released - that is their only plan for safe cycling in Victoria! Visit Freestyle Cyclists .org to bring back some sense to government planning!

[@johnnevada46]

Australia is one of the very few nations in the world that requires cyclists to wear helmets. I suppose this reflects a certain physical and cultural isolation. In a way, it could be seen as a way of asserting a distinctive Australian identity.

[@jeffreyrumbold9363]

No helmets - my kinda ride :)

[@jimmoore70]

I know that's what Wikipedia says but we all know actors lie about their age. And Rachel always plays characters who are wiser than their age would suggest, just like she's doing in this film. So are you saying it was Bill Hunter?! Then it's true, he *is* in every Australian file ever made since WW2. But most importantly - what of Tubby?! If you're out there Tub, please tell me if you pulled through. I haven't felt such a longing to know since the end of Picnic at Hanging Rock.

[@NFSAFilms]

Hi David thanks so much for letting us know that story. And giving us some detail on the making of the film, much appreciated. So which kid are you and are you in touch with any of the other cast?

[@NFSAFilms]

Hi Garry thanks for letting us know. We have Ian Spruce credited as well as you and Graeme. Did you do any other work for the Film Unit? Hoped you enjoyed seeing the film again. Sorry no royalties! :-(

[@Aussiegirl265]

Oh my goodness, no helmets?!

[@cianleonizoabad]

*kid gets hurt* cue guitar

[@mikeyboy26]

It may have been answered in earlier posts, but do we know where it was filmed??

[@keagaz1]

i wrote and recorded the music with greaeme harkness at ajax films neutral bay...with alan harkness....i was about 13/14 years old....ha......any royalties?

[@hdanelsoto2011]

Kids should wear helmet. And adults too who rides bikes

[@MrButtonpresser]

Great stuff. How far away did those kids live from school?

[@KaiserKujo]

Is that Beverly Hills @ 5:50?

[@mowie1236]

And ruin their awesome hair? No thanks!