By The People: View From Behind The Wheel

Do hoardings distract you while driving? Is it a hindrance to commuters on the road? Outdoor Asia stepped out to find out the effect of outdoor advertising to the people behind the wheel.

MUMBAI

Shakeel Ahmed, Cab Driver

When I drive, my full concentration and focus is on the road. There’s no question of any distraction. I don’t look at any kind of hoardings. Its only when I am not driving that I see hoardings or read newspaper.

Prahlad Walam, Student, Biker

Oh yes, gigantic hoardings are a big distraction, especially on the highway. They distract me immensely and I slow down my bike. I find it difficult to ride.

Achinto Banerjee, Medical Representative

Hoardings can be a huge distraction if they are’appealing’ enough. For a split of a second, your attention gets divided and you either try to look at it or read out the wordings. Oh my, how distractive these hoardings can be!

KOLKATA

Shantu Haldar, taxi driver

I do not face any problem while driving because of the advertisements on the road. I see them like everyone but the concentration remains on driving the vehicle properly.  I am driving taxi since 1965 and always it is the condition of the road which I keep on mind while driving.

Surojit Dey, Photographer

It is true that the hoarding or the billboards do distract the attention sometimes because while driving we follow traffic signal colours and in that case if other elements are near to it then it is a problem. So I feel it should not be near the traffic signals because if it is, then it is a clutter.     

Gautam Sarkar, Private Car Driver

Attention gets little diverted while seeing the advertisements. I am driving since last eight years in metro cities like Kolkata and also were in Mumbai. In Kolkata areas like Chingrihata, Rashbehari Avenue etc. are too much cluttered with hoardings and thus in those places while driving it is a challenge not to pay attention towards such advertisements.