This road safety report couldn’t have got a better (or worse) timed background incident

Oonagh Keating. Updated November 30th, 2022

ITN has shared a clip from its archives, in which a councillor discussing local road safety gets the worst background action possible – and the news team gets the best.

Watch how it plays out.

It's Monday again, so here's something funny.

March 1988: ITN reports on the notoriously hazardous A19 road in Teeside. Local councillor Mr Davidson – doing his best impression of the Mayor from Jaws – insists the road is as safe as any other. Guess what happens next… 🚙 ⛔️❗️ pic.twitter.com/ri74eB3mWx

— ITN Archive (@ITNArchive) November 28, 2022

“I will not accept that it’s a highly dangerous road.”

Thankfully, a serious collision was avoided, but the timing couldn’t have been better – or, in fact, worse – if they’d choreographed it.

Tweeters enjoyed the irony.

This is so brilliant. https://t.co/a1YiotDAyW

— Daniel Sandford (@BBCDanielS) November 29, 2022

The eye roll pic.twitter.com/2BMjc89XKW

— Kateafan (@Kateafan) November 28, 2022

Shouldn't laugh 😃 https://t.co/Ne2tIoGH8h

— Fanny Is Bored With Being Gaslighted (@Angel41527796) November 28, 2022

Oops! https://t.co/zsPmSCzJZf pic.twitter.com/M3VyiAiXtp

— Pål, son of Bengt (@SonOfBengt) November 28, 2022

The cameraman was mentally high fiving at this stroke of luck. https://t.co/PuryPE2TXh

— Iain Thomson (@iainthomson) November 28, 2022

It would have been a shame to waste a good analogy.

A bit like the Tories and DUP trying to explain the benefits of brexit 🥺 https://t.co/6j1mzMwlGn

— pinkmiss (@LynneCampbell5) November 29, 2022

Source ITN Archive Image Screengrab