1943 BICYCLE SAFETY & TRAINING FILM WORLD WAR II BIKES 44884

Made by the Affiliated Aetna Life Companies, “Points for Pedalers” is a black-and-white film produced in 1943 and geared toward bicycle safety. (The picture was approved by the Bicycle Institute of America and is being shown, we are told at mark 00:37, through the courtesy of the Iowa Department of Public Safety). Before World War II, the narrator explains at mark 00:55, bicycles were used primarily for recreation and pleasure, as we see a young couple relaxing on the lawn as their bicycles rest on the ground. By the time of the film’s production, however, they were being used to help relieve “America’s transportation problem” as a young rider parks her bike along a row of other bicycles. “More than 12 million cyclists are riding their way to health,” the narrator continues at mark 01:24, as the camera follows bicyclers making their way down the street on their way to schools, offices, factories, and the market. Even with so many bicycles on the road, it is easy to avoid accidents if a person rides safely, keeps a bicycle in proper working order, and knows and observes traffic regulations. Mark 02:25 begins a discussion on the proper positioning of your body when on a bicycle as well as pedaling technique, with young men and women shown illustrating the proper methods. A strict adherence to traffic signals is stressed beginning at mark 03:18, with a reminder at mark 04:00 never to stop in the middle of the street, and never to carry a passenger on your handlebars or hitching a ride by grabbing hold of a moving vehicle. At mark 05:30, the viewer is once again reminded of the importance of proper maintenance, as the narrator discusses various measures to reach that goal. If a community offers a safety course, viewers are encouraged to take advantage of them, the viewer is told at mark 08:13, as the film’s young couple stroll with their bicycles alongside a police officer. Bicyclists can also be tested to make certain they’re aware of various rules and regulations, we are told, including proper starting and stopping. As the film comes to an end, the narrator revisits five essential rules for safe bicycling as they are shown on the screen.

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