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The disproportionately high number of motorcycle-related traffic accidents may be linked to the way the human brain processes—or fails to process—information, according to new research published in Human Factors, "Allocating Attention to Detect Motorcycles: The Role of Inattentional Blindness." The study examines how the phenomenon of inattentional blindness, or a person's failure to notice an unexpected object located in plain sight, might explain the prevalence of looked-but-failed-to-see (LBFTS) crashes, the most common type of collision involving motorcycles.
According to human factors/ergonomics researchers Kristen Pammer, Stephanie Sabadas, and Stephanie Lentern, LBFTS crashes are particularly troublesome because, despite clear conditions and the lack of other hazards or distractions, drivers will look in the direction of the oncoming motorcycle - and in some cases appear to look directly at the motorcycle - but still pull out into its path.
The study authors suggest training drivers to be more alert for motorcycles.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by choose another one on Saturday January 06 2018, @09:46AM (1 child)
Pretty sure this is the same effect as covered here, years ago:
http://www.theinvisiblegorilla.com/gorilla_experiment.html [theinvisiblegorilla.com]
Just give the gorilla a bike.
Bottom line, for motorcyclists and cyclists, is that in areas where bikes are a normal part (and significant percentage) of the traffic, you will be seen. If not, you won't be, by a significant percentage of the drivers, because drivers are looking for traffic and you are not traffic (in that area). I've ridden tens of thousands of miles in my life, and it is consistent experience that if there are lots of bikes, you get seen, or if there are very few cars, but if you are one bike per 500 cars, expect trouble.
(Score: 1) by tbuskey on Sunday January 07 2018, @11:30PM
This is the most insightful post I've seen.
I've ridden motorcycles since I was 9, with motocross and other offroad riding. When I got my driver's license, I got the motorcycle license. I'm definitely looking for motorcycles.
In college, I had my 1st incident of almost pulling out for a motorcycle I didn't see and it surprised me.
We drive our cars all the time & come to expect cars on the road. Like the gorilla study, people routinely block out anything that's not a car. So accidents happen with motorcycles, bicycles and pedestrians all the time.
Some situations make us more sensitive to non cars, like driving in a residential area where you can expect to see kids in the street. I'm always more aware when I'm on the motorcycle. Bicyclists will sometime be more alert too.
The collision detection in newer cars can help. Volvo measured a 10% reduction in pedestrian accidents below 25 mph in their cars equipped with it. I'm looking forward to more of this semi-autonomous assistance.