I read this article on Hacker News a while back and it seems on target to give pause for thought. I recommend reading it to understand more about saccades. This phenomenon may also help explain some accidents.
Cheers, link next
https://www.portsmouthctc.org.uk/a-fighter-pilots-guide-to-s...
How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
311–320 of 321 posts
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#312[deleted]
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#313Earlier quoted context omitted.
Turning your head means not looking forward. You might think it is safe to operate a multi-ton death machine at death speeds while closing your eyes or looking backwards or whatever you're doing except looking forward. But it is not. Learn to use mirrors, so your peripheral vision remains on the most important thing: where you are going. "Turning your head" is an unsafe way to avoid having properly set mirrors. With…
What you're suggesting directly contradicts the recommendations given in Roadcraft , the official police driver's handbook in the UK. Use all your mirrors, and consider a shoulder check when it’s not safe to rely on your mirrors alone – for example, to check any blind spot when reversing, moving off from the kerb, joining a motorway or leaving a roundabout. It is physically impossible to achieve all-round visibility…
It's shocking that you have never learned to adjust your mirrors properly. It sounds like this article was made for you!
In my car, I have properly set my mirrors and there is no functional blind spot. When a vehicle is leaving my rear view, it is entering the side view. There is no gap between these two events.
I'm always gobsmacked that the vast majority of drivers are literally incompetent at mirror use.
It's shocking that you would claim that it's impossible to not have a blind spot when this article and simple testing would prove you wrong.
I would urge you to try your OWN experiment AFTER reading this article, digesting it, and practicing it.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#314Earlier quoted context omitted.
Turning your head means not looking forward. You might think it is safe to operate a multi-ton death machine at death speeds while closing your eyes or looking backwards or whatever you're doing except looking forward. But it is not. Learn to use mirrors, so your peripheral vision remains on the most important thing: where you are going. "Turning your head" is an unsafe way to avoid having properly set mirrors. With…
Not turning your head means not seeing the bike next to you.
Turning your head means not seeing the pedestrian in the street in front of you.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#315Earlier quoted context omitted.
Turning your head means not looking forward. You might think it is safe to operate a multi-ton death machine at death speeds while closing your eyes or looking backwards or whatever you're doing except looking forward. But it is not. Learn to use mirrors, so your peripheral vision remains on the most important thing: where you are going. "Turning your head" is an unsafe way to avoid having properly set mirrors. With…
Turning your head is completely safe, with one caveat: Proper Following Distance. A quick, over-the-shoulder check is not dangerous at all if a driver gives the car in front proper following distance. Too many people follow WAY too closely, especially at highway speeds. Lastly, safe driving includes both actions. Step 1 is to check your mirrors (first rear, the side views). Step 2 is to quickly check over the shoulde…
As a driver, my primary focus MUST be in the direction I travel. I am simply not responsible for what is occuring behind me or in lanes adjacent to me.
When moving between lanes it's important to have no blind spots and to ensure safety before moving: which is what this article and anyone basically competent with mirrors does.
It's rank irresponsibility for me to stop focusing on the direction in which I am operating a multi-ton death machine simply because I am afraid of trusting the equipment I have.
As a motorcyclist, you should also know that being rear-ended by inattentive drivers is a huge and dangerous risk that is nearly impossible for you to prevent. While you can see and move out of the way of a bad lane change, it's vastly more difficult for you to see and move out of the way of a car that isn't stopping.
This, and so many other reasons, are why it is so important for car drivers to NEVER LOSE ATTENTION TO THE FRONT. Ever, for any reason.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#316Earlier quoted context omitted.
A pillars can hide cyclists https://singletrackworld.com/2018/01/collision-course-why-th...
thanks for the link, I was only thinking about vehicles moving parallel to one's direction of travel (ie a lane change situation). I have to say though, the design of that intersection seems crazy. do I understand correctly that vehicles traveling on either road can just go straight across without stopping if they don't see anyone? where I live, at least one of those roads would need a stop sign. I can't think of a s…
The road has a two way stop sign but it isn't enforced properly.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#317Earlier quoted context omitted.
Poor visibility is an ironic consequence of automakers responding to women's increasing role in vehicle purchase decisions. Automakers insist that women choose cars with poor visibility because they thereby feel less "exposed" to people in other cars. Is it true? It's true that automakers think so. They compete to make cars with bad visibility. It will probably take a lot of lawsuits to turn the trend around. We migh…
Come again? Isn’t the more reasonable explanation simply that cars have to meet much more stringent auto safety standards which required thicker, more obnoxious A pillars?
I can't say what would be a more reasonable explanation. I am reduced to relying on what the automakers actually say is their reason.
They could be lying, I suppose. I don't know why they would, but that doesn't mean they're not (after all their lips are moving), but I like to have some evidence.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#318Earlier quoted context omitted.
Yes you'll probably still want to turn your head somewhat. However, the way most people adjust side mirrors, so they can see the side of the car without moving their head, is unnecessary. The view out the rear window from the rear-view mirror angles outward. Therefore if your side mirrors give you a view straight back down the sides of the car, you have overlap beginning right at the corner of your car. By turning th…
If there is no overlap, you've created a blind spot large enough for a motor bike or regular cyclist, and it is one you cannot easily check. By adjusting your side mirrors so you see straight with the overlap, you have eliminated the blind spot and create another one that you can easily check by turning your head.
You don't need the mirror to point straight back to eliminate any overlap where something could actually exist though. Especially if you have some situational awareness—a thing can't just materialize right on your bumper; it would have to get there from somewhere, and you should certainly notice if a motorcycle approaches and begins tailgating a few inches off the rear corner of your car. (Any further than that, and you will see them in your mirrors if aligned properly.) For lower speeds where there might be something smaller like a pedestrian in that spot, you can still see straight back in the side mirror with a small movement of your head.
So basically, at high speed, when it's most critical, you get more visual coverage with less motion of your head. At low speed you still have full coverage, with some head motion.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#319Earlier quoted context omitted.
If there is no overlap, you've created a blind spot large enough for a motor bike or regular cyclist, and it is one you cannot easily check. By adjusting your side mirrors so you see straight with the overlap, you have eliminated the blind spot and create another one that you can easily check by turning your head.
You don't need the mirror to point straight back to eliminate any overlap where something could actually exist though. Especially if you have some situational awareness—a thing can't just materialize right on your bumper; it would have to get there from somewhere, and you should certainly notice if a motorcycle approaches and begins tailgating a few inches off the rear corner of your car. (Any further than that, and…
> Especially if you have some situational awareness—a thing can't just materialize right on your bumper; it would have to get there from somewhere, and you should certainly notice if a motorcycle approaches and begins tailgating a few inches off the rear corner of your car.
If you've ever driven in a city with many bicycles and mopeds that is simply impossible to keep track of. No matter how much situational awareness you have, they will seemingly materialize out of nowhere.
> So basically, at high speed, when it's most critical.
I disagree. The most critical is when there is greatest risk for someone to die. That is not if you collide with a car, but hit softer road users (I do not know if it's the proper English term).
City driving, there will be enough to keep track of that some times something will be unexpected. The key is to know your blind spot and check it. At highway speeds, you have plenty of time to orientate you properly with either configuration.
Re: How to Eliminate the Dreaded “Blind Spot”
#320Earlier quoted context omitted.
Physically turning your head in __not__ a risky operation if a driver has given proper following distance to the vehicle in front. Turning to look over your shoulder is only dangerous if you are driving dangerously by following too closely or at an excessive speed difference between your vehicle and surrounding traffic. My personal rule of thumb is at least 1 car length for every 10mph I'm traveling at, so at 70mph >…
The rule by the books is not car lengths, but two seconds. Easier to measure seconds, and cars are difference sizes so less arbitrary. 2 seconds tends to be just slightly longer than your rule. Those who study human reaction times figure that from the time something happens, you notice and you get your foot physically moved to the brake and push hard enough to make a difference 1.75 seconds have passed. Thus 2 second…
The way you phrased this stuck with me, reminding me that my own response time is not all the time I need.