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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: 2) by Dr Spin on Saturday January 06 2018, @09:07PM
Or do you never overtake unless there are multiple lanes?
No, I don't normally overtake unless there are multiple lanes, but I live in London, and on most roads around here, there is always traffic going both ways - even at 3AM. If you live somewhere where there is only one car an hour, that is not the situation I was thinking about. Here bikers pop out from behind cars to overtake a car on their side because it is obeying the speed limits (cameras every few hundred yards), forcing you to brake or hit them - this can happen almost continuously if you travel in the opposite direction to rush hour traffic. The bikers presumably think a car is as manoeuvrable as they are, and are playing chicken, or are not thinking at all.
Warning: Opening your mouth may invalidate your brain!