YouTube Video Increases Motorist Awareness of Cyclists.

'Invisible Bear' video makes viewers aware of how easy it can be to not notice cyclists on the road.

On November 16th, The Guardian published a story ‘Invisible bear makes cyclists safer’. The video discussed in the news article shows a video of people playing basketball and asks viewers to count how many times the ball is passed from person to person. What viewers miss while counting passes is that a giant bear appears roughly half-way through the video and moon-walks on the basketball court! The video is an attempt to teach people about the dangers of road awareness, showing how easy it is to lose focus while driving.
In the article, a TfL spokesman says “it makes them think how easy it can be to miss a cyclist on the road when you’re watching for other things like cars or road signs”. The distraction is explained by Psychologist Professor Cary Cooper as saying “If you are encouraged to concentrate on detail you tend to miss the periphery.”
According to the article, Boris Johnson, Mayor of London and avid cyclist supported the campaign and said “London is a terrific city for cycling and is generally safe, but the greatest danger to cyclists is complacency and that is why such safety campaigns are so important.”

To watch the YouTube video, click here. To read the full article, click here.
 

inholborn is concerned for the welfare of cyclists and drivers, and has several initiatives to promote the safety of everyone on Holborn's streets.