back to article Peppa Pig told to belt up

Parents whose kids have ever refused to belt up will be relieved to learn that kids TV character Peppa Pig will not in future been seen without a seatbelt, thereby ensuring that pre-school nippers are educated early in the need to travel in safety. Peppa Pig: Pic: Astley Baker Davies Astley Baker Davies, the company behind …

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  1. Kenny Millar

    Oh FPS!

    There are too many 'families' in this country where the child is in charge and the parents do whatever the kids want.

    My daughter is nearly 5. A while back she refused to allow me to (appropriately)strap her into the (appropriate) seat. So I simply lifted her out the car, locked the car and went back indoors. She cried about not going out and was told simply, either get strapped in, or don't go in the car - you choose. Needless to say we now have no issue about wearing seatbelts.

    1. Iggle Piggle
      Thumb Up

      Peppa {oink} pig

      I tend to agree that to some extent the people who have complained are perhaps missing an opportunity. I remember an occasion when our daughter saw an episode of Nijntje (Miffy in the UK) and her observation was that she does not look where she is going when riding a bike so she is naughty.

      Peppa pig is also naughty for not wearing a seat belt and that is the lesson to be taken from this. But to what level do you allow the naughtiness? We do not like our daughter seeing too much violence so some cartoons are not allowed. If there were a children's show that routinely showed people smoking then that would be black listed too.

      There are posts here that simply say we should not be allowing kids to use role models from the television. The trouble is that kids use everything as role models and simply telling a five year old that it is only fiction does not work. That's why we have ratings on films because kids do not always understand that television is fiction. The best you can hope for is that they realise that not all people make good role models.

      I tend to agree with your approach to parenting but there is an obvious danger to telling a four year that she or he has a choice and that is that they will choose the option you did not want them to choose (most likely when it is most inconvenient).

    2. Anton Ivanov
      Grenade

      hehe

      I guess I am not the only one to use that method.

      Though in my case it was taking _BOTH_ junior and the inlaw out of the car. Never had a problem since.

  2. Richard 120

    Reality

    Please let people who have children know it is their job to teach children about fiction, otherwise the children will end up as Avatards.

  3. TheRobster
    FAIL

    Seriously

    When your child pays more attention to a 5 year old cartoon pig than they do to you, their parent, that's not the cartoons fault.

  4. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    So...

    ...they're doing all this work because one idiot parent doesn't have the nouse to tell their offspring (a) Peppa Pig is a pig and pigs can't actually drive cars and (b) shut up and do as you're told.

    It's a cartoon of a family of talking pigs who live in a house, wear clothes, drive cars, etc. it isn't supposed to be realistic.

  5. P.Nutt

    Aww C'mon!

    My girl is totally addicted to Peppa (could call her a toddler uber fan and it it soooooooooo annoying) and has not once commented on the fact the pink piggy one doesn't wear a seat belt. I suspect this kids mother who complain has nothing better to do with her time other than complain about a kids tv program.

    Hell in my day Fred Flintstone was driving a car with no floor let alone seatbelts and I managed to survive.

    1. The Indomitable Gall

      Parents, eh?

      See, normally parents are all proud and stuff cos their particular little brat is "special". But whenever it suits you, you're willing to take the opposite view -- that your child is 100% identical to every other child, so if anyone claims a child is different from yours it's clearly their fault.

  6. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    Peaaaapaa PIG!

    I love Peppa, shes so cute

  7. Paul_Murphy

    Wow - what excellent parenting

    'She's a cartoon piggie - you're not, so you will wear a seatbelt'.

    Stop using a TV to raise your children!

    What happens when Tom and Jerry comes on?

    ttfn

    1. Chris Thomas Alpha
      Thumb Up

      what happens?

      we thin out the population of retarded people! I like your thinking!!!!

    2. Anton Ivanov
      Grenade

      Depends whom you ask

      There is a significant number of people out there who are of the opinion that children cannot distinguish reality from fiction. That is why not surprisingly Tom and Jerry does not tend to come on very often on the TV nowdays. It is "politically incorrect" and "violent".

  8. Floormeister
    Pint

    Forget Me Not?

    Isn't Fifi ForgetMeNot seen driving AND waving without a seat belt in the opening sequence of every show? Fifi ForgetMeNot forgot?

  9. dreadful scathe
    Stop

    cartoon

    its a cartoon - there are no roads in it and they live on top of a hill with an impossible to drive up incline, but they do anyway - if you can't convince a child they do not necessarily do what a cartoon talking pig does - you have serious parenting issues.

  10. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Vet who can have kids

    "one parent "complained that her daughter had refused to wear a seatbelt because Peppa did not"

    That is one useless mother.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Coat

      Invoking Samuel L. Jackson

      ...fucker?

  11. Richard 39
    FAIL

    Parenting FAIL

    one parent "complained that her daughter had refused to wear a seatbelt because Peppa did not."

    OMG epic parenting fail!

    For starters - ONE parent... One out of how ever many million parents there are in this world... talk about catering to the pathetic minority!

    she should have said "I'm telling you to put it on and i'm your mother, now shut up and put your seat belt on before I belt you one myself you spoilt little brat!"

    It's a F'cking cartoon character FFS - Fic-tion-al Char-ac-ter, when the hell did fictional crap outweigh a parents ruling??? I bet she voted Labour.

    seriously, it's dumbass parents like this who make me think back to the days when my Biology teacher ranted that everyone should have to pass a common sense, competency test and get a certificate in order to have kids

    1. Stratman
      FAIL

      "....I bet she voted Labour"

      You must be over 18 to vote.

      Hallmark's latest :-

      "Happy 13th Birthday Mum!!"

      "Congratulations on your first ASBO"

      1. I didn't do IT.
        Unhappy

        I would have upvoted "Hallmark"

        ... except that it brought such a cold chill of reality.

        I am saddened, and feel so glad my parents taught me personal responsibility.

        Now, if only we can get the government to understand that concept, instead of being filled with Piggy Porkers, eh?

        Oddly, that works for both sides of the pond...

  12. Andrew Oakley
    IT Angle

    Pigs ... In ... SpaaaaAAAAaace!

    Strangely, the Peppa Pig space rocket toy *does* have seat belts, although the car toy does not.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      FAIL

      Coming soon...

      A Daily Fail petition to get compulsory seatbelts in toy cars added to BS EN71...?

  13. Eddie Edwards
    Grenade

    WTF?

    I would say that being unable to convince one's child of the need to wear a seatbelt is one's own failure. Instead of phoning up the BBC to complain about Peppa Pig maybe these parents should invest in one of the many excellent books available on how to get your kids to do as they're bloody well told.

    Hint: refusing to take them anywhere in the car unless they comply is a good start. If that means you don't get the weekly shop, so much the better. A couple of days of dry bread for dinner and any philosophical position they hold on seatbelts will be quickly amended.

    1. Andy Miller

      Not aunties fault

      It is totally inappropriate to complain to the BBC about Peppa Pig, as she airs on Channel 4 (do you guys not watch kids TV?)

      The one time have been tempted to complain to the BBC was about an episode of Bob the Builder in which sound travels faster than light (although there are clear health and safety and competitive tendering issues in Bobsville as well).

      1. Thomas Duffin 2

        (untitled)

        err, channel 5 and nick jr you mean.

        1. Andy Miller

          Bloody C programmers

          It's a fair cop. Out by one error there

  14. davefb
    WTF?

    for crying out loud...

    ITS A PIG!

  15. Jimmy Floyd
    Flame

    How many complained?

    "...one parent complained..."

    I'm willing to bet that parent is unable to control their child at the best of times, and was simply blaming someone else for those failings. Psychologists have a word for this subconscious transfer of responsibility but I forget what it's called.

    1. Ed Blackshaw Silver badge

      I believe the word you are looking for

      is 'projection'.

  16. Chris Collins

    Truth in animation

    That pig still seems to be walking on two legs, perhaps they should go back and amend that glaring error. Then show Peppa Pig covered in shit like a normal pig.

  17. Jerome 2
    WTF?

    Mmmmm, bacon

    I have a hideously disfigured nose because when my brother and I were young we used to pretend to be Tom and Jerry, and he would frequently smash me in the face with a frying pan. Some might argue that my parents should have just told him not to pound my face with iron mongery but I think it's quite obvious that children should be allowed to mindlessly emulate any behaviour they witness, regardless of whether the role model in question is a cartoon even-toed ungulate.

    I blame the animators.

    1. Chris Thomas Alpha
      Thumb Up

      winner!

      if there was a way to ever win this conversation, you've just done it, thats the most awesome thing I heard all day, not only did you guys get it on with heavy metal, but you actually lived to tell people who you are and how cool you can be!

      Such a cool kat!

  18. Ian Ferguson
    Thumb Down

    Car

    I also find it concerning that the 'Peppa Pig Push & Go Car' is open top, without a roll cage of any sort for safety. It also does not appear to have sufficient lighting to pass the MOT.

  19. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    fail parenting

    Agree with the fact that seatbelt should be drawn in cartoon but serious parenting fail!!!

    simple remove child from car

    smack on bum

    Reinsert child in Car

    Do up Belt

    Drive

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Stop

      Woah hold on there...

      Oh my god you can't do that...

      You have to check your mirrors and the surrounding environment before driving.

  20. TRT Silver badge
    FAIL

    Child rearing FAIL

    20 years pass...

    "Your honour, the defendant was only doing what she had seen on television when she smashed her husband's brains out with a heavy ashtray."

    For pities sake; child's TV privilege revoked FTW.

  21. fords
    FAIL

    It's not rocket science

    My daughter adores Peppa Pig but even at the age of (almost) three she knows it's not real. On the two occasions she did try to wriggle out of her car seat though, we just stoppd the car and told her we're going nowhere. Worked a treat.

  22. djones
    Stop

    Vision

    Forget the seatbelt issue - should a pig with both eyes on the same side of its nose be allowed to drive?

    1. Chika
      Alert

      You mean they don't already?

      Who knew?

  23. Anonymous Coward
    Troll

    What!

    "smack on bum"

    Isnt that abuse?

    1. Chika
      Go

      Only if...

      ...you enjoy it!

  24. Anonymous Coward
    Pint

    Real Ale anyone?

    Is it too soon in Peppa's life for her teach our children about real ale and crap lager?

  25. hi_robb
    Happy

    Cartoons do not influence kids

    Lots of people played pacman as kids and didn't end up moving about in darkened rooms munching on pills.

    Err hang on...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      I didn't know...

      ...Marcus Brigstocke read El Reg

  26. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    I too enjoy Peppa Pig...

    .. which is why, like Daddy Pig, I never wear trousers in public.

  27. lukewarmdog
    Badgers

    wut

    The animators had "initially considered including seatbelts and child seats in the show but felt it might limit the characters' range of expressions"

    - why would the seatbelt cover their faces?

    Surely they would need an extra "ow this seatbelt is really pinching my massive pigbody" expression, not less.

    Anyway, let this be a lesson to them. ONE WHOLE MUM complained. Take that. Never do shoddy work again. Next time it might be TWO PARENTS.

    It doesn't say how old the mum is. She might actually not be much older than her kid. At least the mum didn't use the excuse herself to the cops as to why SHE wasn't wearing a belt.

  28. Juan Inamillion
    Black Helicopters

    Don't you know ...

    Some pigs are more equal than others...

    Two legs good, four legs bad.

  29. peyton?
    Happy

    Rather than all this re-animating stuff

    Wouldn't be easier just to do one episode where Peppa get's a good slap for not listening??

    Alright alright, violence is not the answer - but it does make for damn funny cartoons.

    1. Camilla Smythe

      Yes.. but...

      Do one episode where Peppa forgets to put her seatbelt on, crashes the car and ends up as lots of tasty pig product..

      Black Pudding. Yum!

  30. fifi
    Grenade

    ffs...

    Have NO parents got any backbone these days?

    If the little girl wants to act like a pig, then she should be treated like one till she sees sense.

  31. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    The creator says...

    "We were very naive when we started making Peppa"

    the rest of the sentence read "in believing that parents knew how to bring up their children and take repsonsibility for that upgringing. We know know this is not the case and we have to waste our time making up for the poor quality of parents today." Peppa pig is 6.

    Yes one complaint in 6 years. I pty the poor chinese factory that has to remake the moulds for the toys before they get banned as well for not having a seatbelt.

  32. Blitz
    Stop

    In other news....

    Wil-E-Coyote to get 're-education' and to learn to only use Acme safety products to show kids that rocket propelled coyotes and dropping boulders on roadrunners is not the way we operate in society.

    Or...the parent could actually be a parent to their child rather than expect: tv, the government, social services and the schools to raise their child.

  33. Anonymous Coward
    FAIL

    On an aside

    When my son was very young, I remember playing with him with a Tomas the Tank engine wooden train set.

    He was holding one of the wooden cut-out type characters and was walking him along the train track.

    I pointed it out that it was dangerous walking along the train tracks to which he responded in an almost teenager fashion:

    "Dad, its not a real person"

    So that was me told. Kids know the difference between reality and fantasy, not that they beyond using fantasy they seen to justify their actions, but then its the parents problem to how they deal with it. Kudos to any kid that rationalizes that way.

    Parenting is the problem. That program was probably fine as it was.

  34. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Come on...

    You don't see cartoon characters smoking any more do you? Why? because it would be inapropriate, so what's the big problem with a cartoon character wearing a seatbelt. It's not political correctness gone mad, it's just a little bit of common sense from a cartoon that, while it is entertaining, is also supposed to be educational. Children are quite capable of realising that elements of a cartoon are non-real world, but some are real world, they realise that you don't see pigs in skirts driving cars, but you do see people in cars wearing seatbelts.

  35. LinkOfHyrule
    Joke

    Bloody pigs...

    one rule for them and another rule for us! *boom boom*

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Flame

      @fraser

      Not doing something positive, like a pig wearing a seatbelt, is completely different to doing something negative like a pig smoking.

      Because its not reality, omitting something in cartoon is forgivable. Same reason a lot of cartoon characters dont wear clothes. BUT, if you make the character do something then its a different matter as it focuses on their action.

      So its a ridiculous comment Fraser.

      Of course we how Tom and Jerry fits into all this is anothe matter :)

      1. Captain TickTock
        Joke

        Smoked Bacon...

        Where does that come from then?

    2. Chika
      Happy

      Thank you Basil

      All animals are equal but some are more equal than others

  36. Martin Glenn
    Unhappy

    For Christ Sake

    Havent seen my 3 year old rolling around in muddle puddles yet just because peppa does. Although she did go through a stage of running around say gggrrrrr Dinosaur.

    Maybe we should complain about In the Night Garden and the fact that Igglepiggle seems to like throwing himself backwards on the floor, I am sure that some kiddies will have tried that and realised that it hurt.

  37. Anonymous Coward
    WTF?

    A bit like how.....

    .... UK Christians are up in arms over Waybuloo......

    http://blog.echurchwebsites.org.uk/2009/05/19/cbeebies-waybuloo-christian-response/

    Obviously their non-monkey/cat/rabbit/bear god would disprove of them learning to stretch and play hide and seek.

    And thats not as shocking as being treated to an episode of Big Cook, Little Cook's sinful homoerotic skits.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G_4F3lJf8T0

  38. Anonymous Coward
    Paris Hilton

    Easy solution

    Teach kids the value of seatbelts. Do an episode entitled "Peppa through the windscreen" where Peppa, having failed to properly secure herself in the car, goes through the windscreen and ends up as bacon sandwiches and sausages. Problem solved and moral taught.

    Paris, 'cos she likes a nice pork sword.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Thumb Up

      Thanks

      for not reading like a parental discussion at the school gates.

  39. Anonymous Coward
    Anonymous Coward

    Is it just me?

    Or is it nice hearing other grown ups talking about peppa pig?

  40. pj3090

    Dora the Explorer

    Whenever Dora gets in a car, they all pull on seat belts and say "seat belts -- so we can be safe!" Same thing with life jackets when they get into boats. Consequently, my small children enthusiastically do the same thing, and they remember to be careful around water. Yes, parents should raise kids instead of cartoons, but it *really* makes things easier when Dora is on your side.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Joke

      Well

      I hope that you remember this comment when your kid takes a map, expects it to talk and wanders off in to the forest and expects their backpack to be magically filled with exactly the things they need to get where they are going. And for a wellie-boot wearing, talking, blue monkey to help them.

  41. Illsay
    Happy

    Rolling in mud is ok

    Rolling in a muddy puddle while hysterically laughing must be a concern too for some parents. Not to those that own a dry cleaner's obviously.

  42. Haku

    Hong Kong Phooey

    They've been promoting/doctoring buckling up in cartoons for years:

    I got a couple of Hong Kong Phooey VHS tapes a few years back just to relive some nostalic tv I used to watch as a kid, however one of the tapes I began to notice that they always showed the exact same scene of HKP buckling up whenever he got in his car, but not the other tape... the 'buckling up' tape was a newer bumper edition tape whilst the other tape was an original 80s one.

  43. Anonymous Coward
    Happy

    In other news

    cow to wear spacesuit for moon-jump, owl and pussycat criticised by Coastguard for putting to sea in unsafe craft, old woman rehoused from shoe, children fostered, Jack advised to wear head protection gear when ascending hill for water...

  44. AndrewH
    Megaphone

    You know what...

    There's a lot of "Parents should...." from a variety of posters on here, some of whom may even have kids. The reality of the situation is that if you believe that, as a parent, you'll have more influence on your kids than their peers and TV, then your views are outdated and wrong. This isn't me saying this, by the way - there's been plenty of research that's lead to this conclusion - hence, among other things, the tip that as far as a child is concerned, they'll be better off in a dysfunctional family living in a good community than in a good family that lives in a bad community.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Sorry

      Yes, I am one of those posters and, yes, I have kids. If any kid of mine tried this sort of crap they would have a simple choice: Wear the belt or walk. I think you'd find the belt went on pretty quickly the first time the kid had to walk a few miles. Often control of your kids boils down to giving them simple choices.

      If you allow TV to have more control over your children than you do then I am afraid you are a truly crap parent.

  45. SirTainleyBarking
    WTF?

    Its a cartoon pig

    whose head looks like the sort of thing that older boys chalk on the toilet wall.

    Chill out

  46. Kevin McMurtrie Silver badge
    Coat

    Splat!

    A few episodes of Happy Tree Friends should cure a child's sense of invincibility.

    1. Chika
      Happy

      Disney Time!

      Try this happy little number from the Amateur Transplants

      http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRkjcJ0pG20

  47. Steve Roper
    Big Brother

    What gets me...

    ...about things like this is that when 20 million people stand up and complain about something like Internet censorship in Australia or ID cards in Britain, they are completely ignored and ridden over. But when ONE person complains to get something banned or censored the powers-that-be fall over themselves backwards to comply.

    If ever you needed proof that the powers of today are determined to rob us all of the last vestige of freedom, it is in that fact right there.

  48. Evil Weevil
    Joke

    Can adults be affected by a cartoon pig ?

    Well some people might believe they should dress like Porky the Pig.

    NSFW video (Mature) -> http://www.atom.com/funny_videos/selwyn_porky_piggin_it

  49. John Irwin

    Won't somebody think of the children ...

    Oh wait, hmmmmm I'll get mi coat.

  50. The Metal Cod
    FAIL

    JHC!

    I wonder if this person has complained to the BBC about Ooglies and the fact that the driver of the sleigh pulled by the pyramid tea bags doesn't have a seat belt on? The crew who created Peppa Pig also make Ben & Holly's Little Kingdom. Will they have to change all of those to give Ben a helmet when he flies on Gaston the Ladybird?

    This has very serious repercussions. Recently I was watching Botham's Ashes where Sir Beefy smashed Aussie bowling all over the place without a helmet. My lad was sitting next to me signalling boundaries and enjoying it. Then he went over to my cricket crate, pulled out a helmet and asked me why I wear it when I'm playing. I told him and he said "But Sir Beefy didn't wear a helmet". Sir Viv Richards never wore one.

    So will all cricket footage sans helmets now be forbidden from broadcasting because of the remote possibility that one kid might say "If Viv Richards and Ian Botham didn't have to wear them then neither will I"?

    The one who needs to belt up (get a life and put their child in their place firmly and sensibly) is the person who complained.

  51. Craig 28

    re:seat belts in toy cars

    Until some kid manages to pull one of the belts loose and chokes on it, thus causing a sudden about turn with many of the same people demanding that the ruling should be removed immediately.

    Not just common sense for parents, it should be a requirement for anyone making any kind of formal complaint to pass such a test. Along with all politicians, journalists, news readers... Hang on, I think we've just ruled out the entire media.

  52. nsld
    WTF?

    another bloody liberal idiot

    "I am not wearing a seatbelt cos peppa doesnt" would lead to a ceremonial burning of all things Peppa in my house.

    If you cant control what falls out of your womb dont open your legs in the first place!

  53. Tkirk

    My solution for getting the kids to buckle up

    I would drive a few feet and brake hard - fast enough for them to fall out of their seat and scare the shit out of them, slow enough that there was no way they would be injured. Then they got the "Imagine if I had been driving fast" lecture. No problem. One demonstration each was enough that now if I start moving before they have their seatbelts on, they get upset.

    Really, I wish people would stop asking the television to do their parenting for them, and to AndrewH, studies can show as much as they like that telly has an influence over children, but we're talking about pre-school children here. The biggest influence on a pre-school child should be its parents and siblings. They don't do peer-pressure at that age, they barely notice each other. Television only has more influence if you as a parent allow the television to do the raising of your child. Notice that the parent still has the control here...

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Anonymous Coward

      Funny you should mention it, but...

      I was driving along yesterday when my son leant forward to fiddle with something. I told him to sit up straight. To do otherwise, I told him, is dangerous. Five minutes later a stupid bint in a BMW coming the other way decided it was a good idea to overtake a cyclist on a blind bend. Cue extremely hard braking. Son complains that the seatbelt hurt his shoulder. So I asked him what would have happened if he'd been leaning forwards at the time. "I'd have banged my head."

      "Dead right kid. You never know when you're going to need to brake hard so don't do it again." Lesson learned by the four year old.

      Unfortunately I suspect that the young woman in the BMW will not learn a lesson because she got away with it. And from her reaction it was clear that she didn't think the incident was her fault. Who'd like to bet that she grew up with similar parents to the woman who complained about Peppa Pig? The sort of people who teach their kids that they are not responsible for anything bad that happens to them.

  54. Sam Therapy
    WTF?

    I must have a warped mind

    The first thing I noticed was Peppa Pig's head looks worryingly like a schoolkid's drawing of a penis.

    1. Captain TickTock
      Troll

      Weird

      2 wee-holes. You into piercing or what?

    2. Anonymous Coward
      Alert

      p1n3s

      Actually, it kinda makes me think of a hair-drier. But whatever floats your boat I guess.

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