Optical illusion: why drivers actually kill motorcyclists
- September 14, 2023
- 0
In autumn the roads become busy. The thickening night gives rise to dangerous illusions that cause accidents. For some they cost their health or life, but for others
In autumn the roads become busy. The thickening night gives rise to dangerous illusions that cause accidents. For some they cost their health or life, but for others they turn into a nightmare. For more details, see the material on the AvtoVzglyad portal.
A friend of mine named Mikhail found himself in an unpleasant situation. He and his girlfriend hit a motorcyclist at night and ended up in a criminal investigation. Fortunately, the victims survived, although they were injured, meaning Mikhail now faces major costs. At the same time, the circumstances of the accident cause bewilderment and are even imbued with a kind of mysticism. An experienced driver with 15 years of experience did not see a motorcycle with high beams coming towards him at night on a straight and level road. How is this even possible?
And it was so. Mikhail drove his car from the adjacent exit onto the highway, which was clearly visible in both directions. The straight road has no folds, hills or bends and the nearest exit is about a kilometer away. It seems that it is impossible not to see an approaching motorcycle 50 meters away. However, Mikhail started to roll onto the road right in front of him and was hit tangentially to the side. People flew headlong through the hood, the motorcycle, throwing sparks, left a trail on the asphalt, and the hero of this story later swore that he did not notice the approaching bicycle at close range.
But he hardly lies. The illusion lies in the design feature of motorcycles, which makes them ‘invisible’ in certain circumstances and leads to such mystical collisions. These are two headlights in the middle of the bicycle, 20 cm apart. Of course, it is impossible not to notice the lights, but it is quite possible to ignore them. Especially if there are two and the driver is thinking of something of his own.
The fact is that experienced drivers intuitively determine the distance to approaching vehicles at night based on their illuminated headlights. If two bright lights are far apart, the car is already close and you should be careful. And if the lights merge into one point, the approaching object is still a safe distance away.
The eyes see two bright points on the horizon, the subconscious identifies them as a car in the distance, and this is an excellent reason to ignore them. But in fact it is not a car on the horizon, but a motorcycle 50 meters away.
Habit and stereotypical thinking in such situations, in addition to the driver’s will, govern his actions. Of course, a thinking person often does not realize the illusion and then honestly does not understand how he missed the approaching bicycle. But in fact, it was not he who did not see it, but the subconscious mind saw it, but reacted incorrectly.
The optical illusion with two motorcycle headlights has been known for a long time. In Soviet times it was forbidden to duplicate them on motorcycles. Now, however, manufacturers and regulators are not taking it into account for some reason. Design experimentation and flirting with main optic placement turns into a magnet for accidents.
Motorcyclists themselves sometimes do not understand why motorists run into the headlights. At the same time, with the spread of double headlights for motorcycles, such accidents are becoming more and more common, and no one is safe from being “blinded” at the most inopportune moment. A reckless driver, accustomed to aggressive driving, does not distinguish a car from a bicycle under his nose, and dangerous situations arise on the roads, which sometimes lead drivers to the embankment.
Therefore, before you start overtaking, take the time to take a closer look at the object moving in front of you. You just have to take your eyes off the road a few times and look at the lights again. If you see anything abnormal in it, refuse the maneuver.
Photo: globallookpress.com
Photo: globallookpress.com
A friend of mine named Mikhail found himself in an unpleasant situation. He and his girlfriend hit a motorcyclist at night and ended up in a criminal investigation. Fortunately, the victims survived, although they were injured, meaning Mikhail now faces major costs. At the same time, the circumstances of the accident cause bewilderment and are even imbued with a kind of mysticism. An experienced driver with 15 years of experience did not see a motorcycle with high beams coming towards him at night on a straight and level road. How is this even possible?
And it was so. Mikhail drove his car from the adjacent exit onto the highway, which was clearly visible in both directions. The straight road has no folds, hills or bends and the nearest exit is about a kilometer away. It seems that it is impossible not to see an approaching motorcycle 50 meters away. However, Mikhail started to roll onto the road right in front of him and was hit tangentially to the side. People flew headlong through the hood, the motorcycle, throwing sparks, left a trail on the asphalt, and the hero of this story later swore that he did not notice the approaching bicycle at close range.
But he hardly lies. The illusion lies in the design feature of motorcycles, which makes them ‘invisible’ in certain circumstances and leads to such mystical collisions. These are two headlights in the middle of the bicycle, 20 cm apart. Of course, it is impossible not to notice the lights, but it is quite possible to ignore them. Especially if there are two and the driver is thinking of something of his own.
The fact is that experienced drivers intuitively determine the distance to approaching vehicles at night based on their illuminated headlights. If two bright lights are far apart, the car is already close and you should be careful. And if the lights merge into one point, the approaching object is still a safe distance away.
The eyes see two bright points on the horizon, the subconscious identifies them as a car in the distance, and this is an excellent reason to ignore them. But in fact it is not a car on the horizon, but a motorcycle 50 meters away.
Habit and stereotypical thinking in such situations, in addition to the driver’s will, govern his actions. Of course, a thinking person often does not realize the illusion and then honestly does not understand how he missed the approaching bicycle. But in fact, it was not he who did not see it, but the subconscious mind saw it, but reacted incorrectly.
The optical illusion with two motorcycle headlights has been known for a long time. In Soviet times it was forbidden to duplicate them on motorcycles. Now, however, manufacturers and regulators aren’t taking it into account for some reason. Design experimentation and flirting with main optic placement turns into a magnet for accidents.
Motorcyclists themselves sometimes do not understand why motorists run into the headlights. At the same time, with the spread of double headlights for motorcycles, such accidents are becoming more and more common, and no one is safe from being “blinded” at the most inopportune moment. A reckless driver, accustomed to aggressive driving, does not distinguish a car from a bicycle under his nose, and dangerous situations arise on the roads, which sometimes lead drivers to the embankment.
Therefore, before you start overtaking, take the time to take a closer look at the object moving in front of you. You just have to take your eyes off the road a few times and look at the lights again. If you see anything abnormal in it, refuse the maneuver.
Source: Avto Vzglyad
Donald Salinas is an experienced automobile journalist and writer for Div Bracket. He brings his readers the latest news and developments from the world of automobiles, offering a unique and knowledgeable perspective on the latest trends and innovations in the automotive industry.
