Horse-Boy: Scotland's Google Street-View Phenomenon

Mysterious 'Horse-Boy' Captures Imagination with Equine Mask

Photos

Horse-Boy Chilling in Aberdeen

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uploaded by Jordan Yerman

Google Street View, useful and intrusive, provides all manner of unintentional humor. For example, "Horse-Boy", who is neither horse nor boy, but a man standing against a wall wearing a horse mask. He was photographed as the Google Street View vehicle photographed Hardgate in Aberdeen, Scotland.

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Horse-Boy Coordinates

You can spot Horse-Boy on Hardgate near Riverside Terrace. He isn't there right now, in real life; just captured on camera for your viewing pleasure.

There are all kinds of Street View anomalies, usually from people who see the camera-laden car coming and just want to have a laugh.

Horse-Boy Unmasked

Horse-Boy is a cartographic photobomb, for example. If you move the Street-View in the direction of traffic and "look" back, you'll see Horse-Boy take off the mask. Only the back of his head is visible: he has white or light-blond hair.

If you move the Street View onto Riverside Terrace just as it hits Hardgate, you'll see Horse-Boy moving into position. One of many questions: was this the only mask he had on hand when he found out the Street View car was on the way, or did he select the horse mask over other choices?