Where's Wally

[p.dath]

For those without children, "Where's Wally" is a series of books where each spread of pages contains lots and lots of tiny characters, and amongst them all is a character called Wally with a red and white striped shirt and blue jeans. Wally has a couple of mates as well. And you have to use your observational skills to find Wally (and his mates if you like).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where%27s_Wally

I've done a lot more riding this year than in other years (riding 3 or 4 days a week). I was playing Where's Wally with my daughter the other day for the first time in ages, and I have to say I have drastically improved! I was amazed how fast I could find Wally now.

I think all the road riding I've been doing has improved my observational skills a lot. I'm not a physiologist or anything, but I think what is happening is I can take whole sections of the page at a time and Wally just appears to me (best I can describe), rather than what I used to do which was systematically search for Wally on the page.

It got me wondering. I wonder if there are simple cheap exercises like this (maybe not designed for young children! ) that could be used to help riders.

[crazyhorse]

You have got to be joking!

How does finding "where's wally" have to do with observational skills whilst riding. Hardly likely to have to look for Wally when you are riding along on the road..........

[crazyhorse]

I feel you either are observational all the time whilst riding, or not. I doubt it is something you can learn as you go

[p.dath]

You have got to be joking!

How does finding "where's wally" have to do with observational skills whilst riding. Hardly likely to have to look for Wally when you are riding along on the road..........

What I can say is since I've been doing a lot more road riding, my time to find Wally has drastically reduced, and the way I look for Wally has also changed.

Finding Wally is all about using your observational skills. Riding on a road safely involves a lot of situational awareness. And what do you need to have situational awareness? Observational skills.

[blackdog]

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

it definitely improves hand/eye coordination :tugger:

[crazyhorse]

What I can say is since I've been doing a lot more road riding, my time to find Wally has drastically reduced, and the way I look for Wally has also changed.

Finding Wally is all about using your observational skills. Riding on a road safely involves a lot of situational awareness. And what do you need to have situational awareness? Observational skills.
When I learnt to ride, I was taught to "expect the unexpected" I like Wheres wally and those kind of things, but I do not see any connection between the two. good for you if you believe it worked for you :)

[mashman]

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

it definitely improves hand/eye coordination :lol:

if it's getting too easy and you need more of a challenge, try Penthouse 3D...

[Ixion]

An interesting insight. Certainly one of the keys to two wheeled survival is a well developed ability to do exactly what you describe - to view a general environment and extract quickly and reliably the one critical element ( the Wally in both cases ) out of the mass of irrelevant ( ie non threatening) clutter.

I do not know whether it is practical to train people in this other than by experience, but people certainly do become more adept at it over time. Motorcyclists are better than the average Joe because for us a failure probably means great pain.

Perhaps something like the Wally picture could be introduced into the driving test. It would IMHO be more meaningful than the present hazard identification testing.

[pzkpfw]

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

Nah. I get target fixation.

[MSTRS]

You have got to be joking!

How does finding "where's wally" have to do with observational skills whilst riding. Hardly likely to have to look for Wally when you are riding along on the road..........


I feel you either are observational all the time whilst riding, or not. I doubt it is something you can learn as you go

He's saying he's got better at finding Wally, because riding has honed his observational skills. Obviously, the more we do something (practice it, if you will) the better/faster we get at it.

[golfmade]

I grew up reading all those Wheres Wally books. Also ate a lot of carrots. I've got great eye vision. But I don't like seafood all that much and as a result hardly ever eat any, as a result my memory sucks.

[crazyhorse]

I grew up reading all those Wheres Wally books. Also ate a lot of carrots. I've got great eye vision. But I don't like seafood all that much and as a result hardly ever eat any, as a result my memory sucks.

ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha

[ukusa]

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

it definitely improves hand/eye coordination :tugger:

I can't read so I just look at the pictures.

[fliplid]

Also ate a lot of carrots. I've got great eye vision.
The whole carrot thing is a myth. :wacko:

[Str8 Jacket]

I like the one with Wally driving his ice cream truck.

[MSTRS]

The whole carrot thing is a myth. :wacko:

Rubbish. They're real, all right. I know - I've seen them. In fact, I've even eaten them on occasion...

[fliplid]

Rubbish. They're real, all right. I know - I've seen them. In fact, I've even eaten them on occasion...

And I suppose your going to tell me that they make you see in the dark? ;)

[MSTRS]

Wotchoo torkin bout, Willis?


































































Don't need carrots for that...I got NV goggles.

[fliplid]

Don't need carrots for that...I got NV goggles.
Going to work better than carrots.

[Ronin]

I like the one with Wally driving his ice cream truck.

That sounds dangerous.

[MSTRS]

That sounds dangerous.

Bastard! You beat me to it. I was too busy whipping round the other threads...

[fliplid]

I like the one with Wally driving his ice cream truck.

DB in a former incarnation?:whistle:

PS, see above...

[Str8 Jacket]

Bastard! You beat me to it. I was too busy whipping round the other threads...

I just came swinging into to see these respsonses!

[swbarnett]

I feel you either are observational all the time whilst riding, or not. I doubt it is something you can learn as you go
Observation is a skill like any other. It can improve with use or attrify with disuse.

[Ronin]

Bastard! You beat me to it. I was too busy whipping round the other threads...

Or busy grooming?

[p.dath]

I grew up reading all those Wheres Wally books. Also ate a lot of carrots. I've got great eye vision. But I don't like seafood all that much and as a result hardly ever eat any, as a result my memory sucks.

Just for your interest, carrots have almost no effect on your eyesight (they do help a tiny bit, but only a tiny bit).

It was propoganda released by the British Government to cover up the invention of radar being used by the pilots (World War II I think). They wanted to fool the German's into why their pilots could suddenly "see" a lot further.

[golfmade]

Just for your interest, carrots have almost no effect on your eyesight (they do help a tiny bit, but only a tiny bit).

It was propoganda released by the British Government to cover up the invention of radar being used by the pilots (World War II I think). They wanted to fool the German's into why their pilots could suddenly "see" a lot further.


The whole carrot thing is a myth. :wacko:

Aye, I know. Just was trying to make a bit of a joke, at least crazyhorse got it :D

Although didn't know it was propaganda from the Brits, thanks.

[Pixie]

For those without children, "Where's Wally" is a series of books where each spread of pages contains lots and lots of tiny characters, and amongst them all is a character called Wally with a red and white striped shirt and blue jeans. Wally has a couple of mates as well. And you have to use your observational skills to find Wally (and his mates if you like).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where%27s_Wally

I've done a lot more riding this year than in other years (riding 3 or 4 days a week). I was playing Where's Wally with my daughter the other day for the first time in ages, and I have to say I have drastically improved! I was amazed how fast I could find Wally now.

I think all the road riding I've been doing has improved my observational skills a lot. I'm not a physiologist or anything, but I think what is happening is I can take whole sections of the page at a time and Wally just appears to me (best I can describe), rather than what I used to do which was systematically search for Wally on the page.



It got me wondering. I wonder if there are simple cheap exercises like this (maybe not designed for young children! ) that could be used to help riders.

Of course,any development of a skill,be it catching a ball or finding your Willy,is going to form new neural paths that will be used for any activity that requires them.Not just the originally Willy finding process that caused them to form originally.
The obverse is also true,in that you use it or lose it (the skills,not your Willy)

[Pixie]

Just for your interest, carrots have almost no effect on your eyesight (they do help a tiny bit, but only a tiny bit).

It was propoganda released by the British Government to cover up the invention of radar being used by the pilots (World War II I think). They wanted to fool the German's into why their pilots could suddenly "see" a lot further.

What carrots can do for eyesight is rectify Vitamin A deficiency,which causes all kinds of eye related problems.
The Beta-Carotene in orange/yellow vegetables is converted to Vitamin A in the body.

Another effect that has been noted,is that a large carrot,forcefully introduced into a bodily orifice will make the recipient's eye's widen.The beneficial effect of this on visual acuity has been discounted,but it is still fun.

[onearmedbandit]

To all those arguing that carrots don't help with your vision, when was the last time you saw a rabbit wearing glasses? I rest my case.

[The Pastor]

For those without children, "Where's Wally" is a series of books where each spread of pages contains lots and lots of tiny characters, and amongst them all is a character called Wally with a red and white striped shirt and blue jeans. Wally has a couple of mates as well. And you have to use your observational skills to find Wally (and his mates if you like).
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Where%27s_Wally

I've done a lot more riding this year than in other years (riding 3 or 4 days a week). I was playing Where's Wally with my daughter the other day for the first time in ages, and I have to say I have drastically improved! I was amazed how fast I could find Wally now.

I think all the road riding I've been doing has improved my observational skills a lot. I'm not a physiologist or anything, but I think what is happening is I can take whole sections of the page at a time and Wally just appears to me (best I can describe), rather than what I used to do which was systematically search for Wally on the page.

It got me wondering. I wonder if there are simple cheap exercises like this (maybe not designed for young children! ) that could be used to help riders.

i FOUND HIM HES RIGHT HERE ^^

[Pixie]

To all those arguing that carrots don't help with your vision, when was the last time you saw a rabbit wearing glasses? I rest my case.

Ehh,What's up optometrist

[cowboyz]

have you compared the ammount of time you have been spending looking in the mirror? Maybe it has more to do with it than riding?

[Miscreant]

I found Wally!



He started this thread.

[Stormer]

WHERE`S WALLY?????
FFS, what`s going on here?
I knew this place was getting lame, but this...

[vifferman]

I've had no problems at all finding Wallys on the roads around D'Auckland - they're everywhere.
The only way to not spot them would be to drive/ride with my eyes shut, and then who would be the real Wally? :confused:

[Big Dave]

196642

<tenchars> </tenchars>

[Miscreant]

WHERE`S WALLY?????
FFS, what`s going on here?
I knew this place was getting lame, but this...

Not sure which is worse this or the whaaaaa fest about cadbury making creme eggs in England now.