Misdirection

[rtotten]

Very interesting and thought provoking.

https://www.ted.com/talks/apollo_robbins_the_art_of_misdirection

[rtotten]

Notice I put in the OFF TOPIC SECTION.

[UtahPete]

Notice I put in the OFF TOPIC SECTION.

Yeah, I get it. I'm trying to avoid addressing the political implications of it. ;)

[vided]

155271

[UtahPete]

Okay, I'll jump in the deep end here.

A current example of deliberate misdirection at work in the US is the inordinate amount of attention paid, and resources directed, to radical muslim terrorists. But the number of Americans harmed by imported terrorists pales in comparison to the number harmed by domestic crazies with semi-automatic weapons and we do NOTHING about that.

NOTHING.

NOTHING.

Even though THAT is more within our control than preventing attacks by ISIS-inspired terrorism on our soil. Trillions of dollars spent on middle east wars, border patrol, TSA defenses, with NO discernible effect. NOTHING spent on mental health outreach and treatment, sensible gun control, etc.

That's classic misdirection. And, it's killing us. Literally.

[Peter Aawen]

Distraction and manipulation of attention. As you say, very interesting and thought provoking. In the context of this forum, what are the implications for safe riding?

HOW & WHERE you are directing your attention has MASSIVE implications for your safe ryding. Also, the HOW & WHERE the road users around you are directing their attention has equally if not even more MASSIVE implications for your saftey while ryding (or driving, or walking...) - and is one of the reasons why adding lights down low/below headlight level on your Spyder is nowhere near as attention grabbing as you might think!! :sour:

The reality is that very few drivers/ryders are paying attention to ANYTHING below headlight level once your vehicle (any vehicle) gets within about 30 metres; so while all those extra lights that you added 'for safety' might help them see you when you are at a distance where they generally will see anything moving relative to them anyway, once you get within striking range & where it's most critical to your safety, all those extra lights are doing absolutely NOTHING AT ALL to help you be seen/retain attention.... and the motor vehicle/safety industry is very aware of this, even if most drivers/riders/road users aren't!! Why do you think HIGH MOUNT Brake Lights are often a mandated safety addition instead of extra LOW mount brake lights?? Cos NO ONE looks/pays attention to anything down low or sees anything that low once it gets close enough to them, they are concentrating on the most common 'danger height', which is generally about headlight level! They've been trained & conditioned to look at headlight/driver's eye/head height since before they got a licence & very few will ever break that conditioning! So strobing high mount lights, a fluro vest, a hi-vis 'mobility scooter' flag, even just a bright coloured attention grabbing helmet are all going to be doing MUCH MORE in the way of grabbing close-in attention than pretty much any number or colour of lights you might add down low on your Spyder (or car, truck, bicycle, or kids stroller!!) :shocked:

All of which means that once you understand that getting & holding the attention of other road users is extremely important to your ryding safety, then while you might try to kid yourself that all those low mount lights might help others see you & pay attention in a manner to reduce the chances of you being hit cos they will see you all lit up, the reality (& the accident statistics) reveal otherwise!! You need to catch & hold other road user's attention by the means of attention grabbers mounted/worn between your headlights & your head! Anything lower might help them see you a mile away, but once you get close enough to hit them or be hit by them, you need something that demands & holds their attention, & that means it's gotta be worn/mounted at a 'headlights to head' level! :lecturef_smilie:




Sooo, how's that gonna work for 'distraction & manipulation of attention' - or at least changing direction & attracting attention... other attention?? :popcorn:

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

That talk, and my experience, demonstrate the extreme fallibility of eye witness testimony. Years ago I attended a workshop on oil spill control at the Coast Guard Office in New Orleans. After the first session a Guardsman said he wanted to talk to me about the spill control plan for the oil storage site I worked at. So we agreed to get together at the end of the session but I failed to get his name.

At the end of the training session I went to the receptionist desk to ask to see the person who wanted to talk to me.
"Was he wearing a white or blue uniform?"
"White."
"Was he tall or short?"
"Tall."
Was he black or white?"
"White."

They finally found him, a short, black Guardsman, wearing a blue uniform! Don't ever expect me to give eye witness testimony of any kind of activity!

So if you are ever in an accident riding your Spyder don't plan on anyone being trusted to provide corroboration of your version of events!

[2dogs]

That's a good reason for dash cams. I wish Sena would hurry up and make one. Not another action cam, a dash cam. :yes::yes:

[UtahPete]

That talk, and my experience, demonstrate the extreme fallibility of eye witness testimony. Don't ever expect me to give eye witness testimony of any kind of activity! So if you are ever in an accident riding your Spyder don't plan on anyone being trusted to provide corroboration of your version of events!

Great example. The mind only 'sees' what it is focused on, which is not necessarily the information coming in through the eyes.

[IdahoMtnSpyder]

Great example. The mind only 'sees' what it is focused on, which is not necessarily the information coming in through the eyes.

Which is one of the reasons why drivers pull out in front of motorcycles.

[UtahPete]

Which is one of the reasons why drivers pull out in front of motorcycles.

Exactly

[2dogs]

Quite a few years ago AAA released a study they conducted regarding traffic safety. In that study they concluded that drivers possessed a subconscious awareness that AAA called "blind sight." This blind sight that AAA described was a driver's inherent recognition of danger. That subconscious recognition of danger was present in all drivers however it was not the same for all drivers. Some drivers recognize some things as a danger where other drivers didn't. Generally large trucks and other cars alerted most all driver's subconscious blind sight to recognize large objects as a danger. Smaller objects like animals bicyclists pedestrians and motorcycles failed to alert some driver's subconscious blind sight to a potential danger. Many things were involved in distinguishing why some drivers did not subconsciously view danger where other drivers did. Experiences from early childhood through early adulthood for the most part determined how people viewed some things as a danger, and for others not a danger. That AAA study may give some insight as to why someone in a car at a stop sign will make eye contact with an approaching motorcyclist and then pull right out in front of them. Go figure? I look at the driver and also pay close attention to their vehicle's front tire. That front tire is going to tell what that driver is going to do. If that front starts moving, look out because that driver doesn't register you as a danger. Be safe out there.