The most common and most likely answer to this crossword clue is the 8 letter word BLINKERS
I've seen this crossword clue in The Daily Telegraph
B
L
I
N
K
E
R
S
Buddy explains!
The straight part
We know that "Would these be worn by distracted Arabs?" is the straight/definition part of the clue. The straight part is often a synonym or definition, in this case would these be worn by distracted arabs? = blinkers.The cryptic/wordplay part
In cryptic crossword there's often an wordplay/cryptic part as well.This part involves a more complex hint, such as an anagram, homophone, hidden word, etc.
Sadly, We don't have an explanation for this specific crossword clue yet.
What does BLINKERS mean?
BLINKERS noun- Anything that blinks, such as the turn signal of an automobile.
- Eye shields attached to a hood for horses, to prevent them from seeing backwards and partially sideways.
- Whatever obstructs sight or discernment.
- The eyelid.
- A black eye.
- In Conway's Game of Life, an arrangement of three cells in a row that switches between horizontal and vertical orientations in each generation.
- To put blinkers on.
- A pair of leather or rubber eye cups attached to a horse hood in order to impede the rear vision of racehorses and harness horses; blinders in (USA).
- A kind of goggles, used to protect the eyes from glare, dust, etc.
- Spectacles.