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The Very Short List: Cycling Safety

One of the lists that I subscribed to recently is called the Very Short List.

Very Short List (VSL) is a free, daily e-mail that points to excellent new (and sometimes vintage) entertainment and media that haven’t been hyped to within an inch of their lives. Each weekday, we tell our subscribers about a single recommended gem from among the vast pile of feature films and documentaries (in theatres and on DVD), television shows, novels, nonfiction books, magazine articles, Websites and services, CDs, radio programs, and more. The focus is on products that really deserve attention but haven’t already been subject to giant media pile-ons.

The topic today was Cycling Awareness, called Seeing is Believing. For those that cycle and have had run-ins with motor vehicles, you have a probably appreciate this PSA. Andy and IV, this one’s for you.

It’s easy to miss what’s right in front of you if you’re paying attention to something else. This is usually funny when it comes to slapstick comedy (we’re looking at you, banana peel) but can be seriously tragic when the person who’s distracted is driving. “Test Your Awareness,” a new PSA from Transport for London’s campaign for cycling safety, turns the fact that we can all miss seeing the obvious into a clever perception test that could double as an absurdist comedy–art happening.

The spot asks you to count the number of passes a group of basketball players makes to one another, but pay close attention: It’s harder than it sounds. We can’t tell you any more, but if you’re like us, you’ll probably have to watch it twice.

Technorati Tags: Very Short List, VSL, cycling, awareness, safety, PSA