Where's Wally

**p.dath** · 13th February 2010, 11:38

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** · 13th February 2010, 11:46

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** · 13th February 2010, 11:47

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** · 13th February 2010, 11:49

Originally Posted by 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..........

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** · 13th February 2010, 11:53

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

it definitely improves hand/eye coordination

**crazyhorse** · 13th February 2010, 11:55

Originally Posted by p.dath

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** · 13th February 2010, 11:56

Originally Posted by theblackstig

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

it definitely improves hand/eye coordination

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

**Ixion** · 13th February 2010, 11:57

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** · 13th February 2010, 12:02

Originally Posted by theblackstig

i find reading penthouse might help observational skills,

Nah. I get target fixation.

**MSTRS:Me** · 13th February 2010, 12:14

Originally Posted by 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..........

Originally Posted by 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

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** · 13th February 2010, 12:51

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** · 13th February 2010, 13:49

Originally Posted by 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.

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