Animated Traffic Law

Driving is an illusion of simplicity. It is shrouded in many untruths – one of which
is that what the eyes focus on the mind perceives. This myth assumes the mind is some kind of
video machine recording everything passing in front of the eyes. The truth is, it’s
what the mind focuses on that the eyes see, or don’t see. The mind has a limited
ability to pay attention. So when driving, minimize those distractions in your mind by paying
attention to what really matters – that which is going on outside of your head, on the
other side of the windshield.

Every thoughtful motorist’s greatest fear is hitting and hurting another human being.
Least of which are children. According to AASHTO, children to:
*have a relatively narrow field of vision.
*have difficulties accurately judging the speed and distance of an approaching vehicle.
*assume a vehicle can see them if they can see the vehicle.
*have difficulty understanding danger.
*have difficulty determining the direction of auditory input.
*have little experience with the rules of the road because they do not drive motor vehicles.
They above information is a direct quote from AASHTO’s 2010 Guide for the Planning, Design, and Operation of Bicycle Facilities

When a motorist passes a bicyclist mid-block and intends to make a right turn two things
need to happen inside that head of his: 1) realization that he is slowing his motor vehicle down to make the turn;
2) awareness of the strong possibility that that bicyclist he just passed is speeding up to catch the
light. The law in every state is the same when it comes to turning a vehicle. It may only be done when it is
reasonable and prudent to do so.

When passing a bicyclist, whether or not h/she is in a bike lane, ensure there’s enough
space between you and the cyclist to avoid hitting them were the bicyclist to
fall down. Bike lanes give drivers a false sense of what is a safe distance between them
and cyclists. It doesn’t take much to bring down a bike, a small rock or crack in the
pavement can easily do. The true measure of safety in these cases is distance.

We often see or don’t see what we expect to see. The result can be damaging.
For example, if we come to an intersection every day and have never seen a pedestrian crossing there,
we begin to form an unconscious expectation of what we will find there tomorrow, and the day
after that and the day after that. What’s happening here is that as drivers we inhibit or
suppress attention to areas in our visual field where we’re not expecting to see something appear. In this case, it’s a pedestrian crossing at a particular intersection.

The playing field on which we drive is not equal. Drivers are of all ages.
Experience, skill level and physical and mental conditions are just as varied.
It is all too easy to assume just the opposite – that we all share similar vision,
hearing, reflexes, ability to process information, etc. We can’t. To assume otherwise
is dangerous. Older drivers – those 65 and older, are characterized by the following:
(courtesy of Geometric Design of Highways and Streets – AASHTO)
*slower information processing
*slower reaction times
*slower decision making
*visual deterioration
*hearing deterioration
*decline in ability to judge time, speed and distance
*limited depth perception
*limited physical mobility
*side effects from prescription drugs

Visibility – ’tis a big dot deal, especially when you’re in that mosh pit called intersection.
General rule to live by: you’re twice as visible to others during the daylight if your
headlights are on. Make sure they see you – that’s how they avoid hitting you.

Consider the rearview mirror. The next time you’re on a freeway when a semi’s behind you
the time it will take the driver of that truck to stop. Most of us take for
granted there’s enough room between his grill and our back bumper to stop safely.
Not always the case. Rule of thumb: it will take the driver of a semi
twice the distance to stop as it will the driver of a passenger vehicle.

ATLC is currently contributing a bi-weekly bike law article to Bike Portland’s blog.
They are under the heading, “Bike Law 101.” Check ‘em out.

To stop a motor vehicle is a train of three consecutive events:
1) perceiving the need to stop
2) reacting to that need (taking foot off gas and onto brake)
3) stopping (pushing down on brake and slowing the vehicle)
Depending on the speed your vehicle is traveling, the condition of the road and
how quickly you are to perceive and react, the time and distance to stop a
vehicle is what I call the brake delay. As a general rule stick the following in
your pocket: it will take you 3/4 of a second to perceive the need to stop;
3/4 of a second to react to that perception. If paying attention
while driving it will take a total of about 1 1/2 seconds to engage the brake –
hence, 1 1/2 second brake delay. Now consider this. Most motorists
traveling on a freeway follow at a distance of less than 2 seconds from the vehicle
in front of them.
If the motorist ahead perceives and/or reacts faster than you – then what?