Thursday 8 May 2008

Movement attracts attention

One of the most likely ways the average motorcyclist will get clobbered is when an average driver either turns out of a side junction, or turns right, across the rider's path, in to a side turning - the well-known 'SMIDSY' ("Sorry, Mate, I didn't see you") or LBFTS (looked, but failed to see) crash.

Usually the onus is on the rider to make themselves more conspicuous - the usual 'remedies' involve lights & dayglo.

However, moving about on the lane width - I call it the 'Z Line' - can be used to gain a useful safety margin and also attract attention by 'breaking away' from the background, and by moving through the driver's field of view.

A couple of interesting things have been found by nature researchers recently. One is that 'hunting' insects like dragonflies will move to maintain a constant position against the background, so aiding their camouflage. The other is that flowers wave at passing insects to attract their attention!

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/7388689.stm

"Yoo-Hoo! Bee-eee! Over here !" . . .

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