Originally Posted by deputyjones
1.5 seconds is the standard used by accident investigators, and based on studies is pretty accurate for most drivers. I think the definition used in the wikipedia article you posted would be more like a 3rd baseman reacting to a line drive hit at him, but he is expecting it. Whereas when cycling we have to recognize that some intervention is needed and then decide on a course of action based on the situation.
I don't doubt that if you truly have built that specific response into our "instincts" that it can and will be faster. Cops refer to that as "muscle memory". Like when drawing our guns in response to a threat.
I was expecting it of course, because the SUV had been slowing prior to stopping. Now that I think about it even more, my initial expectation was that it was going to just turn right. This was one of those cases where they misjudged the timing in the other direction. She had time to turn right without conflict, but chose to wait.
Now, if she was turning right, she would not have come to a complete stop. So the stop was probably the point at which something triggered inside of me.
I really wish it was on video so I could time how long it was from the moment the SUV stopped to the moment I began the process (starting with glancing back over my shoulder). Would be interesting to know.