Blindfold Drive Idea

Recently, I watched some video footage of a mentalist performing the venerable "blindfold drive" effect. This was done in the typical way, as a demonstration of "sightless vision", and used as a publicity stunt.

I don't know if this has ever been considered, but I was thinking of how something like this could be updated for modern audiences. While I personally would never perform this effect (I'm a close-up performer), I have an idea that might appeal to those who do.

Imagine that a participant is selected at random from the audience. This person is asked if they're from the local area, or whether they are familiar with the neighborhood where the performance is taking place. Suppose that he is.

The performer asks this person to think of some local destination, such as a nearby shop, restaurant, or prominent business establishment. He is asked whether or not he would know how to drive to this location, to which is answers in the affirmative.

The participant is asked to write down the name of the location, and to seal it in an envelope (keeping the destination a secret from the performer, of course), and to keep the sealed envelope on his person.

Next, for the blindfold drive, the performer and the participant get into the car (with the performer in the driver's seat, obviously). The performer puts on the blindfold, and asks the participant, who is seated beside him, to place his or her hand into his shoulder. He is to maintain this physical contact throughout the drive.

Thus the drive begins, with the performer apparently detecting microscopic sensory input from the physical contact being made by the participant. The whole thing would take on more of a "muscle reading" frame, rather than a "sightless vision" one. Not only does the performer appear to be able to navigate the roads while driving blindfolded, ostensibly by sensing the subtle cues from the participant's hand, but also arrives at the correct destination. Upon arriving, the performer asks the participant to open the envelope to reveal his selected destination, and it is shown to match the exact location where the drive ended. This is captured on camera as a publicity stunt.

If I were going to perform a blindfold drive, I think this is how I would do it.

OK

Thanks for sharing that Ben. Banachek as far as I know used that premise in his drive. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uTciFCMQ8Jo

Yep. It takes the suspicion out of the blindfold and really makes people believe that it must be some form of muscle reading because of the hidden destination. Simple, but very convincing.

Ah, I was not aware of the fact that Banachek used that premise. I'm glad to hear that someone has. It seems more plausible to me, and as Jared pointed out, shifts the focus off of the blindfold.

I'm not sure if that's been presented that way before but I think it's a great idea. If it's all right with you, I'd like to put this in my idea notebook just in case the opportunity comes up.

Would you really even need the blindfold if you're driving to an unknown location, though? In my opinion, that's overkill. Especially since it really is dangerous to do the BD because there are wreckless idiots everywhere.

Sure thing. I'm just passing along a random thought I had on the matter.

-Ben

Personally, I would never do a blindfolded drive. But the original statement was that if he HAD to do a blindfolded drive, this is how he would do it. And because the secret location takes the focus off the blindfold, it is a better effect in context of the blindfolded drive. Even though at that point the blindfold would be unnecessary, if you were to take it away, it would no longer be a blindfolded drive.

Great idea about hidden destination. Thanks

Pavel

How about this: "I need the blindfold to block out distractions so I can pick up on your thoughts. I'll enter your mind and see through your eyes."

Not only has it been done before but it is how it all started (see Banacheck's psychophysiological though reading for some historical references)

You're right, my bad. I've read that book and completely forgot apparently. I seem to remember Banachek even saying somewhere he did a similar thing. Thanks for the reminder.

Wow, that's great! I never thought about blindfold under that angle. I'll test it asap, thank you for great idea

I mean this concept, but not for driving blindfolded. I would like to ask spectator to write something, and then I wear blindfold and read it "looking through his eyes" while he's looking at his own writings

Pavel

Everything old just seems new again...

Nothing is really old only people are old. When you get to a certain age you have seen everything. But those coming up haven't.

I like blindfolded drives, and have performed a number of them. Like others, when I first read the OP idea I thought of Banachek's drive to find the hidden key, which was also subsequently bent when it was found. Of course this was done many, many years ago.

It would be extremely difficult to play this to a live audience, but not impossible. I see it as best performed for a TV special perhaps or a video of some kind. Last year I had a similar experience where I was brought in by a client of mine to perform a private show at a resort for some of his friends, and afterwards I was to drive one of his guests around blindfolded. That guest happened to be the Indy 500 legend Bobby Unser. It was a small party of 20-30 people, who came outside to witness the event immediately following the show, though most of the drive was out of their view. The only video I was able to get of this was at the end when I was removing the duct tape, but no video of the drive itself. It was a surprise to Bobby Unser, but he very willingly played along, put the duct-tape blindfold on me, etc. If you care to see pictures, a brief video, and some of the stories, you can find it on my website by clicking here.

I was able to make this work because of the nature of the event. However, selecting someone out of an "audience" and proceeding to do a drive like suggested I can only really see being done within the confines of a televised special of some kind, perhaps with a well-known host, etc. It's a great concept, just difficult to make it play except under limited circumstances.

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