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“The driver just didn’t see him”


Dirtyhip

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5 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

The cyclist is ok

That's good news...   generally that is not the case. 

6 minutes ago, Dirtyhip said:

not sure where Scott free came from, strange term 

I had to use Google...  I learned something today.  I can stop now...

The expression 'Scot-free' originates from the Scandanavian word, 'Skat,' which means “tax” or “payment.” The word mutated into 'scot' as the name of redistributive taxation meant to provide relief to the poor during the 10th century. Someone who did not have to pay the tax for some reason was referred to as 'scot-free.'

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I've posted this often in many places and most, including science agree.  Drivers of cars, if they are watching at all, are looking for dangerous things.  A cyclist, like a mailbox or a sign on a telephone pole registers on the optic nerve but is filtered out by a brain busy looking for dangerous things.  They see you, but they don't really see you.

This is why it pays to be a vibrant as possible with loud colors and lights.  You are trying to burn through that cloak of invisibility and not be filtered out.

That said, it's not really a good excuse for hitting a cyclist.  It's a pale excuse.

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Just now, maddmaxx said:

I've posted this often in many places and most, including science agree.  Drivers of cars, if they are watching at all, are looking for dangerous things.  A cyclist, like a mailbox or a sign on a telephone pole registers on the optic nerve but is filtered out by a brain busy looking for dangerous things.  They see you, but they don't really see you.

This is why it pays to be a vibrant as possible with loud colors and lights.  You are trying to burn through that cloak of invisibility and not be filtered out.

That said, it's not really a good excuse for hitting a cyclist.  It's a pale excuse.

Of course the first thing the police should do is to query the drivers phone to see if it was in use at the time of the accident.  Not letting them look at your phone is a lot like refusing to take a breath test.

 

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42 minutes ago, maddmaxx said:

I've posted this often in many places and most, including science agree.  Drivers of cars, if they are watching at all, are looking for dangerous things.  A cyclist, like a mailbox or a sign on a telephone pole registers on the optic nerve but is filtered out by a brain busy looking for dangerous things.  They see you, but they don't really see you.

This is why it pays to be a vibrant as possible with loud colors and lights.  You are trying to burn through that cloak of invisibility and not be filtered out.

That said, it's not really a good excuse for hitting a cyclist.  It's a pale excuse.

It's not really an excuse, it's a reason, they really don't see them.

When approaching a situation that looks like a car may not be looking for a bike, I've learned to do something that makes me look like I need to be watched.  Drift into the lane, wobble.  I never heard the "looks like danger" theory, but I suppose I've been using it.  Still trying to convince my wife that when we take a lane we need to be side by side to look like traffic.

There will be no naked bike ride this year, thanks COVID.  Those riders get seen!  And over the years it's had a cumulative effect as motorists have learned to be more aware of bikes and look for them.

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3 minutes ago, 12string said:

It's not really an excuse, it's a reason, they really don't see them.

When approaching a situation that looks like a car may not be looking for a bike, I've learned to do something that makes me look like I need to be watched.  Drift into the lane, wobble.  I never heard the "looks like danger" theory, but I suppose I've been using it.  Still trying to convince my wife that when we take a lane we need to be side by side to look like traffic.

There will be no naked bike ride this year, thanks COVID.  Those riders get seen!  And over the years it's had a cumulative effect as motorists have learned to be more aware of bikes and look for them.

I watch a lot of motorists both from my bike and from my car.  It's scary how many of them appear to be incompetent 2 ton guided missile herders.

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1 hour ago, maddmaxx said:

I've posted this often in many places and most, including science agree.  Drivers of cars, if they are watching at all, are looking for dangerous things.  A cyclist, like a mailbox or a sign on a telephone pole registers on the optic nerve but is filtered out by a brain busy looking for dangerous things.  They see you, but they don't really see you.

This is why it pays to be a vibrant as possible with loud colors and lights.  You are trying to burn through that cloak of invisibility and not be filtered out.

That said, it's not really a good excuse for hitting a cyclist.  It's a pale excuse.

Inattentional Blindness

People don't see what they don't expect to see.

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