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??

opcorn: