Why drivers may fail to see motorcycles in plain sight

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HanShan
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Why drivers may fail to see motorcycles in plain sight

Post by HanShan »

I say it's just cause cagers are idiots, but science...

https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2 ... 082243.htm

"Motorcycles appear to be very low on the priority list for the brain when it is filtering information," Pammer adds. "By putting motorcyclists higher on the brain 'radar' of the driver, hopefully drivers will be more likely to see them. In the meantime, we need to be more vigilant, more active, and more conscious when driving."

Here is the full study (PDF)
https://sci-hub.la/10.1177/0018720817733901
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EricV
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Post by EricV »

There are a lot of basic reasons drivers "don't see" motorcycles and scooters. The biggest ones are that we do not present a threat to their safety, as their subconscious mind knows that our much smaller vehicle can't hurt them inside their larger vehicle.

One of the others is that they simply are not looking for us.

You will read a lot about conspicuity in this topic. It will sound pretty reasonable. The thing to remember is that the most dangerous people that are most likely to cut us off or run into us will never see us, regardless of how many lights we have, how much color not found in nature we are wearing, how loud our horns or exhaust are. These people pull out in front of fire engines with lights/strobes/horns going and still claim "I didn't see you!" I've personally seen it happen multiple times. Talk to any EMS, Fire or Police person and they have countless stories about this.

Our safety is up to us. Forget about getting people to see you. You need to see them. You need to spot and predict the behavior of poor drivers and those in position to do harm to you and have a plan to escape and avoid them. This is part of safe travel on a motorcycle or scooter every single time you ride.

That car weaving around in the lane? Drunk? Texting? Simply too old to drive safely? Doesn't matter why, but it sure is a hazard to you.

That car with the sun visors down, yet the sun is high in the sky or in the opposite direction? Yep, that's a poor driver and you had better be prepared to avoid them.

That car poised to pull out into traffic? They don't see you. You can do a little weave to attempt to catch their eye, but you still need to be prepared to avoid them if they pull out at the worst possible time too.

See a playground/park ahead? Be prepared for kids/dogs to come running out into the street or other loose items that you will need to avoid.

Parked cars on the side of the street? Be looking for heads in those cars. Doors can open, cars can pull out into traffic, etc. The cars with people in them are the hazards. People walking out from between parked cars are a hazard. Keep scanning for heads in cars and pedestrians moving from the sidewalk to the street.

Riding safely is about constantly being aware of our surroundings and being prepared to deal with hazards that present themselves. That includes, but is not limited, to pavement conditions, other traffic, weather conditions, sight lines, our vehicle, animals both wild and domestic, pedestrians, other road users of all kinds, (bikes and odd vehicles that don't always obey traffic laws), and ourselves.

Understanding why other drives don't see us is useful info, but realizing it doesn't matter if they see us or not, that seeing us doesn't preclude them doing something stupid that might hurt or kill us is more important.
Last edited by EricV on Sun Jan 07, 2018 4:05 pm, edited 1 time in total.
ucandoit
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Post by ucandoit »

EricV summed it up very well.
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Post by HanShan »

Yes, our safety is up to us, but the study is about inattentional blindness. Understanding why drivers suffer from this might make us even safer.

Page 12 in the study is interesting since it reveals that the perceived threat the motorcycle has on the driver makes it more visible (in experiment #2).
The results from Experiments 2 and 3 develop the perceptual cycle model in the context of motorcycle detection by investigating the hypothesis that the expectation of objects in the driving scene have orders of priority, with motorcycles being lowest down on the priority list, but their detection may be moderated by their relative importance to the driving situation. Thus, participants should explicitly prioritize information either toward or away from motorcycles as the situation demands. Experiment 2 demonstrated that when a motorcycle is positioned as moving toward the path of the driver, it is more likely to be detected compared to when it is positioned away; however, when a car is positioned as the critical element in the driving scene, motorcycles have the lowest level of attentional priority.
It might mean that being more cautious might increase the chance that you are not seen.
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Post by sc00ter »

Being seen is one of reasons I think all Buddy's should have their dead lights activated with the brightest lights you can find. I recently read, in a very well respected motorcycle publication, that bright neon type colored gear does NOT increase our presence and makes us ride under a false level of security. I still wear a safety yellow full face and a bright white turtle with some reflective strips added to both. But EricV did state it best, we need to be aware of our surroundings.
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Post by BuddyRaton »

WHY RED IS RED!
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Cagers

Post by Clydeo »

I just assume that everyone out there is intentionally trying to run me over. A bit of paranoia goes a long way towards keeping you safe on the road.
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EricV
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Post by EricV »

HanShan wrote:Yes, our safety is up to us, but the study is about inattentional blindness. Understanding why drivers suffer from this might make us even safer.

Page 12 in the study is interesting since it reveals that the perceived threat the motorcycle has on the driver makes it more visible (in experiment #2).
Experiment 2 demonstrated that when a motorcycle is positioned as moving toward the path of the driver, it is more likely to be detected compared to when it is positioned away; however, when a car is positioned as the critical element in the driving scene, motorcycles have the lowest level of attentional priority.
It might mean that being more cautious might increase the chance that you are not seen.
Interesting thoughts. At some point, anything that helps, helps, but it is also a matter of is it impacting people that would otherwise not see you? Or people that will see you anyway to see you sooner? And that value is subjective.

I do believe the study's perceived threat analysis is valid. In the mid '80's California did a study where they hypnotized 10 drivers that had been in car/motorcycle accidents. Before hypnosis, all of the drivers said the same thing, "I didn't see the motorcycle". Under hypnosis, all of the drivers recognized that they saw the motorcycle, then ignored it, because they did not feel threatened by it. The study felt that the driver's conscious minds never became aware of the motorcycle because their subconscious minds had seen and dismissed it before it could rise to the conscious awareness.

As an odd awareness test of my own at that time while I lived in Southern CA, I did dozens of rides with both an orange reflective safety vest and in black leather, all on my Harley chopper that I owned at the time.

With the vest - I was crowded, tailgated and cut off just as often as often as when riding 'non-threatening' bikes.

W/O the vest, wearing black leather and riding the same Harley chopper, I was given much greater distance, never cut off and had a large buffer in even dense traffic. I was able to speak to several drivers under different conditions and what I was told by them was that they perceived me in black leather as a 'biker' and a threat to their safety. In the orange vest, I was a 'motorcyclist' and not a threat.

Because this was a commute path, it was interesting that the same drivers would react differently to me depending on the orange vest or no orange vest, even AFTER I spoke to them.

This was during a time where Southern California had several very active 'biker gangs' and the average citizen couldn't tell the difference between a 1%er and an independent.

As a separate issue of how to get driver's attention there is what's known as "the weave" or "SMIDZSY weave". (Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You)

Simply put, it offers that we humans recognize change better than constant. When approaching a vehicle at a side street waiting to pull out, if we do a light weave back and forth across our lane, it registers as a change to the driver waiting and there is a significantly greater chance they will see us and/or recognize a change in their surroundings great enough to make them hesitate and look again. It's been documented in several countries to make an impact on drivers and reduce collisions of this type.
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Post by exmayor »

To add to what EricV posted. When approaching an intersection where cross traffic has to stop along with the weave be sure to pay attention to the front wheel of the car. You can detect any forward motion there first. That was part of our road survival training when I joined a bicycle club in SoCal in the early 80’s. It gives you an early warning 100% of the time. Also be certain that you have your hands lightly covering thr brake levers to help reduce reaction time.
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Post by PhillyKick »

EricV wrote: we do not present a threat to their safety, as their subconscious mind knows that our much smaller vehicle can't hurt them inside their larger vehicle.
That's why they make front racks.
To hold claymore mines.
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Post by ucandoit »

I wear a bright orange hunting vest and feel most drivers seem to respect me for that, though of course I could be imagining it. It would be kind of hard to look "biker" gang-like on a scooter even if you wore only black.
The weave makes sense as it is not a constant. I ride with my thumb on the horn. I like those bumper stickers that read, "Start Seeing Motorcyles".
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Post by cummingsjc »

My wife's Piaggio MP3 scooter is bright pink and plenty of folks still look right through her as they drive their cars out in front of her. I have seen it way to many times to believe that bright "safety" colors do any good. I even knew someone that had an orange MP3, wore an orange vest and orange helmet, and still got hit by someone that "didn't see him".
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Post by Dooglas »

cummingsjc wrote:My wife's Piaggio MP3 scooter is bright pink and plenty of folks still look right through her as they drive their cars out in front of her. I have seen it way to many times to believe that bright "safety" colors do any good. I even knew someone that had an orange MP3, wore an orange vest and orange helmet, and still got hit by someone that "didn't see him".
I would never claim that "Hi-Viz" colors were the total solution to being seen and respected while riding. On the other hand, I also don't buy the idea that it doesn't ever make any difference. How often do you see road workers when they wear "Hi-Viz" clothing? How often do you see people at the side of the road wearing dark clothing? I'll gladly accept all the help I can get. :wink:
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Post by HanShan »

EricV wrote:
HanShan wrote:Yes, our safety is up to us, but the study is about inattentional blindness. Understanding why drivers suffer from this might make us even safer.

Page 12 in the study is interesting since it reveals that the perceived threat the motorcycle has on the driver makes it more visible (in experiment #2).
Experiment 2 demonstrated that when a motorcycle is positioned as moving toward the path of the driver, it is more likely to be detected compared to when it is positioned away; however, when a car is positioned as the critical element in the driving scene, motorcycles have the lowest level of attentional priority.
It might mean that being more cautious might increase the chance that you are not seen.
Interesting thoughts. At some point, anything that helps, helps, but it is also a matter of is it impacting people that would otherwise not see you? Or people that will see you anyway to see you sooner? And that value is subjective.

I do believe the study's perceived threat analysis is valid. In the mid '80's California did a study where they hypnotized 10 drivers that had been in car/motorcycle accidents. Before hypnosis, all of the drivers said the same thing, "I didn't see the motorcycle". Under hypnosis, all of the drivers recognized that they saw the motorcycle, then ignored it, because they did not feel threatened by it. The study felt that the driver's conscious minds never became aware of the motorcycle because their subconscious minds had seen and dismissed it before it could rise to the conscious awareness.

As an odd awareness test of my own at that time while I lived in Southern CA, I did dozens of rides with both an orange reflective safety vest and in black leather, all on my Harley chopper that I owned at the time.

With the vest - I was crowded, tailgated and cut off just as often as often as when riding 'non-threatening' bikes.

W/O the vest, wearing black leather and riding the same Harley chopper, I was given much greater distance, never cut off and had a large buffer in even dense traffic. I was able to speak to several drivers under different conditions and what I was told by them was that they perceived me in black leather as a 'biker' and a threat to their safety. In the orange vest, I was a 'motorcyclist' and not a threat.

Because this was a commute path, it was interesting that the same drivers would react differently to me depending on the orange vest or no orange vest, even AFTER I spoke to them.

This was during a time where Southern California had several very active 'biker gangs' and the average citizen couldn't tell the difference between a 1%er and an independent.

As a separate issue of how to get driver's attention there is what's known as "the weave" or "SMIDZSY weave". (Sorry Mate, I Didn't See You)

Simply put, it offers that we humans recognize change better than constant. When approaching a vehicle at a side street waiting to pull out, if we do a light weave back and forth across our lane, it registers as a change to the driver waiting and there is a significantly greater chance they will see us and/or recognize a change in their surroundings great enough to make them hesitate and look again. It's been documented in several countries to make an impact on drivers and reduce collisions of this type.
The weave, the change, that is great. The threat registers in the drivers mind as something variable, unpredictable.

On you noticing that people avoided you when you were not wearing protective gear, this effect is well known:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... -cyclists/
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Post by EricV »

HanShan wrote: On you noticing that people avoided you when you were not wearing protective gear, this effect is well known:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... -cyclists/
I didn't say I wasn't wearing protective gear. The only difference was orange reflective safety vest or no orange reflective safety vest. I was wearing full leathers and helmet in both cases, just the orange vest over the leather jacket. Still wearing the chaps/boots/gloves/helmet too.

That study, about bicycle helmeted riders Vs un-helmeted riders, relies on one single person's testing and displays, by their own admission, an insignificant difference of 3.35 inches more space by 23% more vehicles than when riding sans helmet. And another 2" if he posed as a woman.

Even as a former bicycle commuter in a major city, (Portland, OR), I find that humorous. It's routine for slow moving bicycle traffic to have cars a couple inches off your elbow. You deal with it.
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LIghts! ANSI 2 reflective gear! And more...

Post by MikeR »

At the moment, on my Buddy 50, I've three usb rechargeable strobe lights, two battery-powered strobe lights and four running lights (two of which are LEDs). So with the headlight and tail light, when I drive, my bike is lit up with a total of ELEVEN lights.

I wear long sleeve hi-vis shirts the opposite color of my ANSI 2 safety vest, and reflective stripes on my helmet.

NOBODY can say "I didn't see you!".
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Post by HanShan »

EricV wrote:
HanShan wrote: On you noticing that people avoided you when you were not wearing protective gear, this effect is well known:

https://www.scientificamerican.com/arti ... -cyclists/
I didn't say I wasn't wearing protective gear. The only difference was orange reflective safety vest or no orange reflective safety vest.
That is what I meant by protective gear. Maybe I should have said safety gear.
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Post by wheelbender6 »

"When approaching an intersection where cross traffic has to stop along with the weave be sure to pay attention to the front wheel of the car."

I practice that weave too when approaching intersections. I feel like sudden movements are about the only thing that consistently catches the attention of cagers.
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Re: LIghts! ANSI 2 reflective gear! And more...

Post by HanShan »

MikeR wrote:At the moment, on my Buddy 50, I've three usb rechargeable strobe lights, two battery-powered strobe lights and four running lights (two of which are LEDs). So with the headlight and tail light, when I drive, my bike is lit up with a total of ELEVEN lights.
I take medication for that. :D
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Post by New2Scoots »

Close to where I live a motorcycle cop was nearly killed by someone who didn't see him. His flashing lights were on & his sirens were on because he was chasing someone. Older lady turns left in front of him, he hit & tumbled over the top. Almost died. She said "I didn't see him." SERIOUSLY? FLASHING LIGHTS? Spent months in the hospital & will spend the rest of his life in a wheelchair. A few years later, same road a guy pulls up to the road in a Chevy Silverado truck, looks left & right & pulls onto the road just before I pass by. I bounced off the front corner of his truck across the yellow line. Fortunately there was no oncoming traffic or I would be dead. The driver yells out "Are you ok?" & his passenger yells at him "GO GO GO!" & they sped away. I memorized the license plate # for maybe 3 minutes. Unfortunately the ride back home was 10. Bruised right shin, busted foot peg, bent brake pedal & turn signal light dangling. Since then I now wear a hi-vis helmet & jacket & my current motorcycle has 2 headlights instead of one.
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Post by Dooglas »

"I didn't see you" can simply mean "I didn't look". That is why it is important to try to figure out where other drivers are looking. If they are on a side street or intersection and aren't looking at you - they don't see you.
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Post by ucandoit »

The whole thing (trying to keep safe and truly be seen, respected) seems tiring and feels like roulette despite all our actions. We need something that causes a chill of fear and respect to run through a driver every time we approach. A tiny hornet/wasp can do that. A cobra can do it. Why can't we. Maybe we need "fake news". LOL.
No more Mr./Ms. nice guy stuff. Maybe the Harley gang members have it right. Look tough and have a tough reputation and people leave you alone. But how to do that without truly being criminal? It reminds me of the child's story The Gruffalo. About a mouse who had to think fast to avoid being eaten; and he succeeded by creating a false reputation that instilled fear in all the predators of the woods. He did it using only words. Perhaps a skull and crossbones on my helmet would be a start.
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Post by charlie55 »

All the analysis and studies in the world aren't going to change the fact that it's all still a crap shoot for the rider. Yeah, you can marginally minimize the risk, but there's no magic shield or procedure that will get you out of the soup in every situation. Yes, drivers "don't see" motorcycles. They also "don't see" pedestrians, telephone poles, other cars, buses, cement mixers, trains, and buildings. Distraction, and IMHO, incompetence are the two primary causative factors.

The requirements for obtaining a driver's license are for the most part laughable, placing more emphasis on the ability to parallel park without hitting the curb than on being able to recover from a skid. It's just too damned easy, period. And now we have a plethora of "safety enhancements" such as lane departure warnings, auto-braking, and collision avoidance that make it even easier for the distracted driver to remain distracted. (Perhaps we need something like "collision enhancement" - detects your use of a hand-held device while driving and immediately steers you into a bridge abutment. :wink: )

The only thing you can rely upon is your own ability to anticipate and avoid.
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Post by pcsguy88 »

EricV wrote:

W/O the vest, wearing black leather and riding the same Harley chopper, I was given much greater distance, never cut off and had a large buffer in even dense traffic. I was able to speak to several drivers under different conditions and what I was told by them was that they perceived me in black leather as a 'biker' and a threat to their safety. In the orange vest, I was a 'motorcyclist' and not a threat.
This.

Ever since I switched from a red scooter, colorful helmet and white jacket to an asphalt grey Blur, matte black helmet with dark tinted full face shield and a dark green jacket, not a single person has pulled out in front of me. It seems that them not being able to see my face along with the intimidating colors causes other drivers to perceive me as a threat just enough to remember their manners. They will even wait for me to go at 4 way stop signs. It just goes to show that looking like a bully who doesn't give a @#$ gets people's attention much better than being cutesie on your rainbow colored scooter.

It's funny because I really wanted the white Blur so that I would be visible against the background of the road.
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Post by vintagegarage »

charlie55 wrote: The only thing you can rely upon is your own ability to anticipate and avoid.
What charlie55 said.
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