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Stop = thinking + braking

Poster
1950s (made)
Artist/Maker
Place of origin

'Stop = thinking + braking' (stop equals thinking plus braking) road safety poster for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Depicts a foot hovering over a brake pedal, with a line of yellow (to the left of the foot) and red (right) dots passing through it towards a distant red disc. The dots appear to refer to the breaking time with yellow for the time it takes to press the brake pedal and red standing for the 'danger-time' afterwards. Together with white dashes, representing the white lines on a road, they suggest a perspectival view. The background is black towards the upper left, while the rest is lime-green, highlighting the foot, which is depicted in black shoes with green stitching. Towards the top of the image are the words, 'STOP = thinking + braking' (the first and last words are red, the middle yellow, and the symbols, white), and below the main image, at the right-hand side, 'Both take time and distance', printed in black, except for the last word which is white.


Object details

Categories
Object type
TitleStop = thinking + braking (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Colour lithograph
Brief description
'Stop = thinking + braking', road safety poster, designed by Abram Games for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents, 1950s
Physical description
'Stop = thinking + braking' (stop equals thinking plus braking) road safety poster for the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents. Depicts a foot hovering over a brake pedal, with a line of yellow (to the left of the foot) and red (right) dots passing through it towards a distant red disc. The dots appear to refer to the breaking time with yellow for the time it takes to press the brake pedal and red standing for the 'danger-time' afterwards. Together with white dashes, representing the white lines on a road, they suggest a perspectival view. The background is black towards the upper left, while the rest is lime-green, highlighting the foot, which is depicted in black shoes with green stitching. Towards the top of the image are the words, 'STOP = thinking + braking' (the first and last words are red, the middle yellow, and the symbols, white), and below the main image, at the right-hand side, 'Both take time and distance', printed in black, except for the last word which is white.
Dimensions
  • Height: 74.5cm
  • Width: 49.2cm
Marks and inscriptions
  • 'STOP = thinking + breaking (Towards the top of the poster, the first and last words are red, the middle yellow, and the symbols are white)
  • 'BOTH TAKE TIME AND DISTANCE' (below the main image, at the right-hand side, printed in black, except for the last word which is white)
  • 'A. GAMES' (Artist's name, printed in white letters, upper right corner)
  • RS/P/C . 12 - 1 Issued by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents Printed by LOXLEY BROS. LTD.' (Print and publishing information, lower edge of poster, and next to the Society's logo (in the left corner), a triangle in a circle)
  • 'PRINTED FOR H.M. STATIONERY OFFICE BY LOWE & BRYDONE PRINTERS LTD. LONDON N.W.10. 51-9046' (Printing details, lower edge of poster, from lower left corner)
  • 'P.R.2. 41.' (Lower right corner, edge of printed area)
Credit line
Gift of the American Friends of the V&A; Gift to the American Friends by Leslie, Judith and Gabri Schreyer and Alice Schreyer Batko
Subjects depicted
Other number
LS.2057 - Leslie Schreyer Loan Number
Collection
Accession number
E.885-2004

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Record createdJuly 13, 2006
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