# Does anybody remember these PSAs? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [November 5, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007 "2012-11-05T22:00:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 7\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![jrbor76](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9e8a1a/32.png) [@jrbor76](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jrbor76)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/1 "2012-11-05T22:00:01Z")
There was a set of public service announcements that were regularly on TV when I was a kid in the mid-late 80s warning viewers (mostly younger ones, I guess) about electrocution. I assume the local utility company aired them (Wisconsin Public Service in my case, but it seemed like they could be used nationwide). A set of three really ominous synth tones would be playing nonstop during the ads, as the characters would be going about their business until their hand happened to touch the powered-up part - you’d see a really quick flash and then their friends or family or whoever looking on in horror, then the screen cut to black and text would pop up in white, letter by letter, with typewritten font and typewriter noise describing their fate. (Hint: it wasn’t good.) There was one where a high school kid tries to climb up on his grandpa’s tractor _just_as some type of extension arm hits the power line. There was one where a kid is trying to grab a soccer ball from a transformer (and I know there’s what’s apparently a really memorable UK version widely available online, but I’m not looking for that one). There were at least 3 or 4 more of these spots IIRC. Is this ringing a bell? Would this have been a national thing? Thanks in advance, this has really been driving me crazy lately for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Amateur\_Barbarian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/59ef9b/32.png) [@Amateur\_Barbarian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Amateur_Barbarian)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/2 "2012-11-05T22:49:40Z")
You should have asked if any of these lit a light bulb for someone. ---
**Author:** ![picker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/picker/32/13969_2.png) [@picker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/picker)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2012, 11:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/3 "2012-11-05T23:14:34Z")
I find it rather shocking that he didn’t! ---
**Author:** ![Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/278dde/32.png) [@Runs\_With\_Scissors](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Runs_With_Scissors)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 4:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/4 "2012-11-09T04:04:06Z")
Oregonians in their 40s might remember [Kite Man](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZwO2DfS01rM). Perhaps this was used in other states, too. The end, where he says Pacific Power, could be re-cut for any locality. ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 4:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/5 "2012-11-09T04:21:03Z")
I don’t know of the ones the OP asked about. Does anyone remember that the coolest thing about being a teenager is climbing electrical towers? (radio PSA in California). ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 4:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/6 "2012-11-09T16:56:04Z")
> [@jrbor76](#): > > There was a set of public service announcements that were regularly on TV when I was a kid in the mid-late 80s warning viewers (mostly younger ones, I guess) about electrocution. I assume the local utility company aired them (Wisconsin Public Service in my case, but it seemed like they could be used nationwide). These might be hard to find. They’re not exactly current. ---
**Author:** ![Doug\_K](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b5ac83/32.png) [@Doug\_K](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doug_K)\ **Post date:** [November 9, 2012, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anybody-remember-these-psas/640007/7 "2012-11-09T18:08:13Z")
> [@Bryan\_Ekers](#): > > These might be hard to find. They’re not exactly current. Heh-heh! He said “current”.