Why London's Cab Drivers Have Different Brains

‘Wayfinding’ systems are the smart design tools that help people navigate from place to place. It’s a universal language that exists everywhere - from the roads we drive, the paths we walk and the airports and malls we traverse. There's also a natural version in our brains. Without it, we’d be getting lost a whole lot more.

#London #BehindtheDesign #BloombergQuicktake
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[business]

What's an example of when you've used 'wayfinding'?

[freddoflintstono]

London could start with a few more streetname signs. I know of one road in North London that appears to have exactly ONE sign over a length of about a mile. I like the legible London signs, though, it encourages walking around and wider interest. It beats the old system of having to know all the pubs :)

[LGLFanTeam]

This somehow encourages me to drive normally (a bit slower) in games, such as GTA or DRIVER, just to learn every single roads included in those.

[cmw]

I do this all the time around London when cycling so getting my phone out means stopping or finding a clear stretch to go non-handed (or yeah, get a holder but that is distracting and I prefer to use my wayfinding until I get lost). I've lived here 16 years and still get confused by similar places and the subtle but near 90 degree bend of the Thames still throws me off at times. The canals and cycle superhighways have made it a lot easier.

[arnabmusouwir]

While Dhaka is a smaller city than London, I think the complexity of the road network is somewhat similar. Here most of us do not depend on the map while planning routes. But we do use those for getting updates on the traffic. I think a study on the people of Dhaka would be interesting.

[marco.nascimento]

Quite interesting, design and neuroscience working together!

[kellychase]

EXCELLENT CONTENT!!!
Really liked this Video. Also have a NEW RESPECT for London Cabbies-:))) I had no idea they had that rigorous of an Employment Exam.

[Estarkb]

It would be interesting to check if retired London taxi drivers with alzheimer are still able to know where they stand

[petaronachev]

Do a video on the lack of truck drivers in the UK and the fuel crisis of 2021

[charlesxavier]

0:58 lol any reason you choose that clip for that sentence?

[brianfong]

0:43 City planners and Transportation Planners have failed
if the few people successfully navigating the city streets are studied by scientists.

[hhydar]

I think in today's world of GPS, live mapping, it is very unnecessary to expect cabbies to know every single street, nook and corner of a messed up grid of the city.

[mcr]

Its sad they need to pay license fees but Uber not.

[somethingsomething]

Seems they should be paid much better, but then there’s Uber

[Scholsey]

Similar to real Truckers whongo everywhere and anywhere I was fortunate to have an employer 18 years ago who paid for all my maps of the UK I never get lost I just take the wrong turn sometimes but I get to feel the area i know if a low bridge is nearby without warning most the times also my anti spatial awareness is greatly increased I believe.

[andrewkiminhwan]

i enjoy going through golf courses mentally

[SAGAWISIW]

I went to london last year for the first time 3daysI roam around central London and never got lost, easy pizzy .... how much more to them born and bred there 😃😃😃😃😃😃

[adnankaisarkhan]

These maps are just to calibrate our inbuilt compasses.

[Aymiikeeganmelb]

I think half of the people in London are a bit lost even with GPS and a map.

[EpicHardware]

they lose 4.5 years for not to use a navigation app. what a waste of time and effort