Are the police starting to stumble in the right direction?

[madbikeboy]

The old "don't understand the point" problem so I'll attack the person. Yawn.

Pretty much we have two parts of the brain involved here, the top and the bottom. The top part (prefrontal cortex) is slow, and we use it for cognitive reasoning. The bottom part (cerebellum) is fast, but it can't reason - it only responds "instinctively" (mostly used for motor control).


So lets take your run of the mill lane change. More than likely, this process starts by being processed by the top of the brain - because you have to cognitiuvely evaluate the risks and the situation around you. Once you initiate the lane change the bottom of your brain can take over (it will turn the steering wheel for you, etc - general motor control).

Once you accept the process, you should notice the decision process can not be automatic (unless you make the change without regard for the situation around you - as in no thinking is required - then the bottom of the brain can take over straight away).

The top of the brain is always presented with more information than it can handle. Always. And as a result, it has to choose what to consider - what is important to the situation at hand. And I guess that is what you call your momentary lapse - the inability of the brain to recongise the situation around it and then to choose to respond by doing something simple like putting on your indicator. Instead the bottom of the brain kicks in, and simply attempts to do the automatic motor control bit.

Some people might be able to have the turning of the indicator on being controlled by the bottom of the brain as well - but it also means they will be stuck turning it on in the same situation without being able to think about it. So there are pros and cons.

This was so coherent, and so totally logical, that I can't reconcile the placement of said response within Kiddiebiker.co.nz...

Just a question, to lower the tone - when I'm rooting dumb chicks, is it the bottom or top brain doing the thinking? It always seems to get me in trouble, so I'm sure it can't be higher thinking?...

[reggie1198]

I was given a warning tonight, thankfully, was in an 80kph zone, saw the cop looked down at the speedo....ah shit, checked mirrors, her brake lights came on and she was turning, the disco lights came on and I pulled over and waited for her to arrive. She gets out and just says 110, I'm like " ah shit that's going to cost me." long weekend and all. She takes my license and goes to the car, checks a few things, and then instead of pulling out the ticket book she write in a diary, when she gets out again and says I'm NOT going to give you a ticket today, just a warning, I could have hugged her (she was easy on the eye as well)
Thank you to her for using some discretion, and it (probably) won't happen again.
I also got the "why you shouldn't speed speech" which is much easier to listen to when you know you're not getting a big fine and points.
Stay safe out there, and to the cops on this forum who are on duty over the next few days, I hope you have a boring and crash free weekend.

Cheers
Reggie