Norman Verona Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 The yellow/black combination is accepted as natures warning colours. This is not my theory but was explained to me by an eminent psychologist who was, at the time, the only person to achieve over 70% success rate in curing tinnitus. It's a theory that has been proven beyond doubt. It does not apply to everyone, for example it wouldn't apply to any of us as we know the shape of a 7 type car is a car. THINK BIKE THINK 7 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 this thread is not going around in circles Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Welly Jen Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 My Westfield is my only car, so it can be weeks on end between me driving anything else. I get used to Mr Toad and it is quite a shock to be reminded just how much better the safe cornering speed and acceleration are compared with a typical tin top. I take the approach that GadgetMan and others here have described. On roundabouts and other potential danger spots, if there are other vehicles about I'll back off to something like the speed that other drivers expect a car to negotiate it. From push biking experience I'll try and make eye contact with drivers that may pull out. So far so good, but I am also very glad that a Westfield can brake in a much shorter distance than most tin tops as well . I think driving modern tin tops give you an illusion on invulnerability. They are so quiet inside that what is going on outside doesn't seem real. The unengaging drive means it is to easy for you mind to wander. In a Westfield you have to concentrate all the time. I know that if I am in a crash it is going to hurt. I save engaging warp drive for when there are no other vehicles around and it is safe. Jen 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Norman Verona Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Cleggy, what round in ever decreasing circles, like a drunk wasp? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cleggy the Spyder Man Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Cleggy, what round in ever decreasing circles, like a drunk wasp? and copy and paste Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rhett Turner - Black Country AO Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 I must admit that I have not really experienced invisibility directly but from the beginning I did feel and appreciate the possible problem with the small low slung car, even one in a bright colour. I therefore started to consider DRLs and looked at various offerings but could never quite work out how to make them work, eventually I found some of the flexible LED strips that fitted on the inner edge of the nose cone and I think they do make a difference to making me more visible to other road users. it does not eliminate all of the issues, eg closing or expected speed, but at least they can see me. piccy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ralphy Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 The yellow/black combination is accepted as natures warning colours. This is not my theory but was explained to me by an eminent psychologist who was, at the time, the only person to achieve over 70% success rate in curing tinnitus. It's a theory that has been proven beyond doubt. It does not apply to everyone, for example it wouldn't apply to any of us as we know the shape of a 7 type car is a car. THINK BIKE THINK 7 In nature, the studies of aposematism (warning colouration) show far more reliance on contrast than on the actual colour. If you want to single specific colours out then you should add red and white to yellow and black, but contrast, brightness and patterning are more relevant: as of course is the colour vision of the predator. In the underwater world there are numerous examples of how the loss of colour recognition (due to variation of light at depth) is overcome by contrast, as an example sharks are virtually colour blind (they only have single cone receptors at best). Above water, within mammals and specifically as primates, we benefit from trichromatic vision which allows us to differentiate between colours rather well, especially so those that have high contrast - so perhaps a different coloured nose-cone/body is more relevant than the actual colour of them? Anyway, everyone knows there is one faster colour for Westfields. ;-) R Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Darrell O'Neill Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Agree with everything that has been said. Drive defensively. One thing that sticks in my mind is a quote from a Police Traffic instructor. "Driving is not a means of transport to and from an event, IT IS AN EVENT" Personally, I never drive without headlights on and even on full beam in bright sunshine Stay safe everyone Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stu999 Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 The daily BMW on the other hand is 10 years old, has 220k on the clock and if someone's in the wrong I'm not afraid of a ding if it's going to be their insurance that pays for some new panels so I hold my line if people try and cut in or pull out on me. Hmmmm, not sure that is a good idea IMHO - that appraoch is assuming the driver cutting you up is insured in the first place - and if he/she is insured, doesnt then lie through their back teeth in an effort to extract money out of you instead Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dibby Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 Hmmmm, not sure that is a good idea IMHO - that appraoch is assuming the driver cutting you up is insured in the first place - and if he/she is insured, doesnt then lie through their back teeth in an effort to extract money out of you instead I've yet to put the theory into practise though, never had a ding in the 17 years I've been on the road. But the point is I wouldn't drive the Westie the way I drive the daily beater. ... and I wouldn't drive a car the way I ride my mountain bike either. Riding to the limit of yours and the machine's capability that you are disappointed if you don't have a crash at some point in the day! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
s2rrr Posted April 23, 2014 Share Posted April 23, 2014 The comment about a driving retest every so often is all well and good but after sitting with my son recently whilst he practised his driving pre test I fear that would not be the best action. I'm not saying that those of a certain age are better drivers than todays bunch but and a big but. Nowadays the trainees are taught to not stop at junctions but to glide around, ok if they are skilled enough to judge the closing speeds of other traffic if they can actually see them. I have lost count how many times people just cruise around a junction into the main drag with no concept of who is where, who has right of way and closing distances etc. So in my humble opinion the teaching methods of today seem to only favour passing the test and statistics. This is one of the contributory factors as to why we have become invisible, the drivers are not actually seeing what's in front of them, they may be looking but in my case with a bright red car and lights on they don't see you. Unfortunately unless the driving standards group get their act together the general standard will continue to fall. We are at the stage when the last thing a majority of people are actually doing is driving a deadly weapon. During a defensive driving course I did one of the little games was to throw a dummy into your path to simulate a kid running out and even when you know its going to happen its still a bit of a shock. Maybe if we were to loose Ipods, mobile phones, extra loud music, sun glasses on a dull day or night time, it may help but we would become the nanny state which folk think is unnecessary and it is provided proper training were given. How many times have you seen a couple in a car and the drivers head is fully turned left whilst they have a discussion or argument, patently not focussing but maybe multi tasking the famous get out clause which states that we can do all things at once but all not very well. I was led to believe that new drivers would be trained in basic car maintenance and theory but having done the theory tests online theirs not a lot of common sense just pre-described situations which are easy enough to memorise to spot the specific answer needed. Granted the theory test is useful but the rest is no where as tough as it was, sadly to say. So basically anyone who has passed there test needs driving hours under there belt to gain experience and better with someone who can coach them properly. When my lad finishes Uni I fully intend getting him on the drift courses at Oulton park or skid pan stuff if I can. As for the use of hand signals and those of horse and cart whips that's another issue gladly gone. Bob :d Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pingu Posted May 5, 2014 Share Posted May 5, 2014 I chose a chrome yellow car for exactly this reason and drive with the lights on dipped even in daylight (hoping to fit some LEDs soon). A lot of poor drivers use mirrors so infrequently that you can be there suddenly "if" they notice at all. Best to save your own life, assume they haven't seen you unless there is evidence that they have (dropped indicator for example). Stay safe Paul Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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