Motion Induced Blindness

[29pgc10]

I have found this on a motorbike forum. It might have been mentioned here before, but searching the hub fond nothing. So here it is, as scary as it sounds:

• 
  Motion Induced Blindness
  It works exactly like it says, and is one major reason people in cars can look right at you (when you're on a motorcycle or bicycle)---AND NOT SEE YOU.
  From a former Naval Aviator. This is a great illustration of what we were taught about scanning outside the cockpit when I went through training back in the '50s. We were told to scan the horizon for a short distance, stop momentarily, and repeat the process. I can remember being told why this was the most effective technique to locate other aircraft. It was emphasized (repeatedly) to NOT fix your gaze for more than a couple of seconds on any single object. The instructors, some of whom were WWII veterans with years of experience, instructed us to continually "keep our eyes moving and our head on a swivel" because this was the best way to survive, not only in combat, but from peacetime hazards (like a midair collision) as well. We basically had to take the advice on faith (until we could experience for ourselves) because the technology to demonstrate it didn't exist at that time.
  Click on the link below for a demonstration ...
   
   
  http://www.msf-usa.org/motion.html
  
• and the following:
  
• 
  http://www.londoncyclist.co.uk/raf-pilot-teach-cyclists/
  

[V12man]

I also suspect that cyclist clothing often contributes to their not being seen, especially with multi coloured designs that break up the recognisable outline of a cyclist, basically applying inadvertantly camouflage theory to themselves.

 

http://www.biketas.org.au/promote-safety/tipe-for-cyclists/where-s-wally-or-how-to-stand-out-in-a-crowd

 

There is a large body of work on the processes of vision that exists, but there is a very funny video which to my mind proves you don't easily see some things if you don't recognise what they are, or are focussed on something else.

 

 

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-1378228/Didnt-spot-dancing-gorilla-famous-YouTube-video.html

 

And if you are interested in the subject.

 

http://www.simonslab.com

[Longbarn Killer]

This would explain my "near death" experience yesterday. i was commuting home on my bike, I was three quarters of the way through a traffic circle interesection and this stupid woman approaching from a side street rode straight towards me without stopping or even yielding to me. if it wasn't for her son shouting at her to stop she would have hit me.

 

She just didn't see me although I was close enough to see the whites of her eyes

[MTBc]

very informative, good info to know.