It doesn’t matter how many cell phones you’re using. If this guy comes flying by you won’t forget.If the sight of a grown man riding a unicycle dressed as a clown is the kind of nightmare scenario that makes you dive for the Paxil, then it’s best to avoid Bellingham for a while. As The New York Times health blog Well explains, Dr. Ira E. Hyman Jr., a professor in Western Washington’s psychology department, has a theory. Dr. Hyman thinks talking on cell phones promotes “inattentional blindness,” defined as looking at surroundings but not having them register. To test his theory, Dr. Hyman did what anyone with a Ph. D. would do: He found a student who had access to both a clown suit and a unicycle (and a dank basement with the decomposing corpses of a dozen co-eds, we’re guessing) and set him loose upon the quad. The results:”Among pedestrians who were listening to music or walking alone, one in three mentioned that they had just seen a clown on a unicycle. Nearly 60 percent of people who were walking with a friend mentioned the clown. But among people who had been talking on the cellphone, only 8 percent spontaneously remembered the clown.”So talking on a cellphone is a distraction. Who woulda thunk? Dr. Hyman’s next theory: Reading promotes literacy. For this he’ll need two lengths of rope, a Jason mask and a butane torch. Any volunteers?
More Stories From This Author
Transit riders will be able to pay fares with credit, debit cards
A new Tap to Pay feature by One Regional Card for All (ORCA) will allow transit riders to use credit…
By
Steve Hunter • February 19, 2026 1:57 pm
King County reports fewest shootings since before the pandemic
The county saw a decrease in shootings and a change in the demographics.
By
Joshua Solorzano • February 19, 2026 9:00 am
Study shows top crash-prone intersections in King County
King County is home to 11 of the 30 most crash-prone intersections in the state, according to a study by…
By
Drew Dotson • February 18, 2026 2:52 pm
