So you think you can see it all

**Skyryder** · 14th November 2006, 19:56

Ever since I was a kid I've always been facinated by opticall illusions. Given the poor response of our optical senses I have on occasions wondered if the reason we are not so easily seen is that our eyesight is not designed for the modern methods of travel that we now enjoy.

Now don't get me wrong. I'm in no way making excuses for those that can not be bothered to look out for us. But take a look at this. It demonstrates just how poor our eyesight can be under some conditions. It's called motion induced blindness and it's more than a little scary. You can change the settings but with little difference.

http://www.michaelbach.de/ot/mot_mib/index.html

Skyryder

**Maha** · 14th November 2006, 20:05

Thats great, i have had two eye ops in the last few years and some illusions i just dont get, but that one i did, and you are possibly right in your assumption Skyryder......

**Blueskies** · 14th November 2006, 20:22

Now that is what I call really scary.

**Clivoris** · 14th November 2006, 20:26

I never trust my senses. I look wicked fast in big shop windows when riding past.

**marty** · 14th November 2006, 20:34

spin it up real fast, make the dots real big.

**ninjac** · 14th November 2006, 20:47

Thats awsome.

**Shadows** · 15th November 2006, 00:35

On the brighter side, this illusion only seems to affect a person's recognition of stationary objects. So really it would only would come into play if you were parked up in the middle of the road. Like waiting at traffic lights....

**Disco Dan** · 15th November 2006, 00:59

if you liked that... try these...

**Marita** · 15th November 2006, 01:15

Hey there. New to the forum. On a night shift so easing my way into this. Interesting chatting to those who appreciate the "motorbike world". I have a Hyosung 250 and my partner has a Suzuki750 sport. Off on a trip shortly.

**NighthawkNZ:Me** · 15th November 2006, 05:46

I use tohave a whole website full of optical illusions. I may start it back up again...hmmmm

**Pex Adams** · 15th November 2006, 06:06

Originally Posted by Marita

Hey there. New to the forum. On a night shift so easing my way into this. Interesting chatting to those who appreciate the "motorbike world". I have a Hyosung 250 and my partner has a Suzuki750 sport. Off on a trip shortly.

Welcome Marita,

Enjoy the ride on KB...

**skelstar** · 15th November 2006, 07:54

Welcome Marita, you should start a thread in the New Members Speak forum. Be a good chance for people to get to know you.

**Pixie** · 15th November 2006, 09:25

Motion camouflage: used by dragonflies,among many predators,as an attack strategy.
Has been put forward as an explanation for the inability of some motorists to see oncoming traffic

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Motion_camouflage

Our visual centre has evolved to detect movement by tracking the edges of objects in our visual feild.An object heading directly towards us,therefore,is difficult to detect and in some circumstances may not be seen at all.

In the case of a bike rider, if he moves from one side of the lane to the other,thereby moving laterally in an observer's ( a driver at an intersection,for example ) visual feild,he may make himself more visible to the observer

**Roj** · 15th November 2006, 09:35

Originally Posted by Skyryder

Ever since I was a kid I've always been facinated by opticall illusions. Given the poor response of our optical senses I have on occasions wondered if the reason we are not so easily seen is that our eyesight is not designed for the modern methods of travel that we now enjoy.

There are a few reasons why bikes get missed,

one of them is they are less common so car drivers don't look for them,

another is about the way the brain perceives things, when some one is driving the brain is processing a hell of a lot of images, the assumption becomes that all objects are cars, as they are the most common, so trucks appear to be closer and bikes being smaller must be further away it happens that car drivers "don't see" the bike because the perspective that gets worked out puts it far enough away that it is safe to turn or whatever, this is what you are thinking about with the optical illusion idea, the eyse see things well enough, it is the way the brain interprets that info that is part of the problem combined with a bias towards cars

Hopefully you get my meaning in this

**Roj** · 15th November 2006, 09:38

Originally Posted by Marita

Hey there. New to the forum. On a night shift so easing my way into this. Interesting chatting to those who appreciate the "motorbike world". I have a Hyosung 250 and my partner has a Suzuki750 sport. Off on a trip shortly.

welcome, hopefully you will be enjoying the KB world