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Small original British public safety poster created during World War II.
• Artist: Designed by the famous British cartoonist and illustrator Cyril Kenneth Bird (1887–1965), who signed his work under the pen name Fougasse. He is most celebrated for his iconic "Careless Talk Costs Lives" wartime propaganda campaign.
• Campaign: It was produced circa 1944–1945 for the Ministry of War Transport’s Road Safety Campaign, issued in partnership with The Tilling Group of Companies (a major bus operator).
• Context & Meaning: The poster uses Fougasse's signature minimalist line-and-wash cartoon style to address a spike in traffic accidents during the war. The caption, "Yes, there's just time to get across —— very nearly!", humorously but urgently warns pedestrians against sprinting across wet streets into oncoming traffic under the cover of an umbrella. The final line serves as the campaign slogan: "Please don't take chances." |
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