Advocacy & Safety - Are drivers blind?

Seriously, the more I watch clips online, the more I wonder if people are passing liscense tests...somehow BLIND!

This clip is not cycling related, except for the fact that it scares me how this man "didn't see it"

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/03/15/von.tn.rock.slide.wbir?hpt=T2

I am convinced that the great majority of Americans suffer from self-induced 'tunnel vision'; I see it daily, both on foot, and in any car.

THIS guy could have benefited from tunnel vision, though; he was 'distracted by you guys' (the police) 'along the road'.

Doofus.

What the hell? I can imagine being distracted by flashy lights but for ****s sake, the road disappears into a huge pile of rocks... Even your peripheral vision should see that.

Yeah. I think they are. Of the three times I've almost been hit, I'm convinced that the drivers never realized I was there. In the first case, I actually saw her face, when she finally noticed me. I was almost past her, by that point.

One of the other clips in the link in the first post shows a woman in a crosswalk getting run into by an SUV. It didn't look like that driver saw her, until after they heard/felt the thump on the front of their car. I used to think that drivers got so focused on looking for cars and trucks, that they simply looked through anything that didn't match what they were expecting. Now, I think they're just not paying any attention at all.

they don't see what they don't expect. That is a real problem for motorcyclists and cyclists. That's why the guy runs into the rocks.

See drivers everyday on their cell phones, they aint driving, dont think they even relize their not on the living room couch in front of the tv.

they don't see what they don't expect. That is a real problem for motorcyclists and cyclists. That's why the guy runs into the rocks.
+1
They don't see what they aren't looking for. Most drivers are only looking for other 4 wheeled motor vehicles. Then add in the distaractions of cell phones, stereos, etc. Scary when you see semis and school bus drivers on the phone while driving.

Notice something else:

The driver is quicker to put the vehicle into reverse then he is to hit the brakes hard.

-Kurt

Blind and/or stupid. My brother carries a permanent scar on his face not because the driver did not see him, but they didn't want to wait for another opening to make a left turn. She though she could beat him, turns out she was wrong.

Of course I also know someone ( formerly ) who backed into a parked *semi-truck*. She didn't see it either.

Yes, drivers don't see what they don't expect to see. This is why the safest thing for cyclists is to have lots of cyclists out there because drivers get used to seeing them.

In a way, yes. Ironically if you don't expect something you probably aren't going to see it until it is too late.



hmm, looks like i am repeating others :p

p.s. OP, you are blind also.

All the drivers are blind, most of the time. Some of them can even see and notice theirs surroundings, rarely. But those are an exception to the rule.

p.s. OP, you are blind also.

Okay, checked for repost...nope.
Checked for obvious spelling mistakes...nope.

Could you fill me in on what I'm missing?

Seriously, the more I watch clips online, the more I wonder if people are passing liscense tests...somehow BLIND!

This clip is not cycling related, except for the fact that it scares me how this man "didn't see it"

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/03/15/von.tn.rock.slide.wbir?hpt=T2

Some things to point out...

Raw video shouldn't be edited.
The length of the clip is so short you can't really tell if it's real or staged.

If real, what was the guy on or doing at the time? Texting? Impaired otherwise?

No, this is a message video, not a real accident.

It may not be as obvious as it looks on video, grey rock on gray pavement. I didn't see any flashing lights or barriers. There were likely vehicle parked on side of road, driver was probably also focusing mainly on them to see what was up. Not excusing driver.

As to the reverse lights going on, could have been the jostling causing driver arms to hit shifter.

Seriously, the more I watch clips online, the more I wonder if people are passing liscense tests...somehow BLIND!

This clip is not cycling related, except for the fact that it scares me how this man "didn't see it"

http://www.cnn.com/video/#/video/us/2010/03/15/von.tn.rock.slide.wbir?hpt=T2

His "I didn't even see it" should grounds to administer a field sobriety test, as well as having his blood drawn to see what his BAC is/was. How does one NOT see that the road in front of them is impassable do to a rock slide? What was he doing that he "didn't see it???"

Okay, checked for repost...nope.
Checked for obvious spelling mistakes...nope.

Could you fill me in on what I'm missing?

What, you think you see everything?

Some things to point out...

Raw video shouldn't be edited.
The length of the clip is so short you can't really tell if it's real or staged.

If real, what was the guy on or doing at the time? Texting? Impaired otherwise?

No, this is a message video, not a real accident.

There's a news story (http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.aspx?storyid=115853) that accompanies the video.