Distracted by a sexy billboard

Nivea takes care of your body

We've seen them everywhere in Nairobi - scantily clad women on huge roadside billboards. Last month, I almost caused an accident while driving because I was distracted by this Nivea billboard.

I know those ads are put up to get attention, but if there would have been a major road accident, who should be held responsible? Me for being distracted, Nivea for creating a disturbing ad, or Nairobi City Council for not banning such ads? In South Africa for example, Cape Town authorities for example have refused to allow sexy billboards.

Distracted driving is dangerous. Is it fair to ask men not to look? Apparently, they can't help themselves - it's how they're wired. If we can have laws against driving while using a cellphone (and even have fines for pedestrians crossing the road while talking on their mobile phones), why can't we also ban these billboards? Maybe because these advertisers are a good source of income for Nairobi City Council?

We already have too many traffic jams in Nairobi, don't we? These billboards are not good for a smooth flow of traffic. In Metro Manila in the Philippines, the sexy billboards allegedly slow down traffic.

Angel Locsin welcomes traffic to Manila (Picture by Allan Tomimbang)

This blog by Allan Tomimbang - a billboard salesman - is dedicated to sexy billboards in Metro Manila, the Billboard Capital of South East Asia. There are loads and loads of big billboards in Metro Manila. They are not only big, they also have a lot of provocative images. Allan does not advocate sexy billboards. His blog simply chronicles all the sexy billboards in Metro Manila (and the rest of the Philippines) so that readers can take the necessary action to cause the advertisers to exercise propriety and exhibit prudence in deciding what to put up on a billboard.

British motorists have admitted that they have been so distracted by sexy billboards that they have dangerously veered from their lane. One in five men have said that they have diverted their eyes to look at scantily clad women on a billboard. However, only one in 10 women were affected by the sight of a scantily clad man on a billboard.

And you, what do you think? Have you ever been distracted by those billboards? Are they a road hazard? Or are they a nice way to keep you entertained while waiting in the Nairobi traffic jams? Oh yes, and if you happen to know the model on the Nivea billboard, please let me have her contacts.