On 17 Aug 2017 4:41 PM, "Matthew Geiermatthew@...
[TramsDownUnder]" TramsDownUnder@...> wrote:

On 17/08/17 13:48, Robbie Smithzoqaeski@... [TramsDownUnder] wrote:
>

>

> I don't quite understand how people don't see trams. They are, after

> all, a lot bigger than rhinos. Do these drivers also do U turns in front

> of trucks?


Some do - just ask any heavy vehicle driver.
But there is also a 'perception' issue. People don't see something if
they don't expect it to be there. Most roads do not have large trams on
them - therefore none do.

There is a psych experiment where they show a group of students (or any
group of people, but it's usually use as a 1st year student group
experiment), a basket ball game video and ask the students to 'keep an
eye on the ball'.
At the end they ask who saw the guy in the gorilla suit come into the
game. You would be lucky to get 1 or two out of a class of 30.
The video is then replayed and now that people are expecting it, they
see the gorilla guy.

>

> There must be some kind of railed-vehicle blindness that affects a

> significant proportion of motorists. I see it at level crossings with

> integrated pedestrian signals: motorists stop when it's just the red

> traffic signal, but if the crossing lights are flashing as well,

> they'll drive right through, even when the booms are descending.


Well conditioned that red means stop. However flashing red isn't common
and they have to think about what it means.
I think then 'flashing isn't quite as red as red on all the time so I
must be able to go. They then get wiped out by the train.

I believe this is why Germany has largely replaced their traditional level
crossing signs with standard traffic lights topped by a St Andrew's cross.
Apparently motorists obey traffic lights, but ignore level crossings.
Interestingly enough, the bells usually stop ringing once the gates have
descended, and German trains don't feel the need to blast the whistle as
they approach the crossing. I don't know whether Germany has fewer
collisions caused by idiot drivers than here though.

Robbie

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