In article >,
Arif Khokar > wrote:
>Timothy J. Lee wrote:
>> Arif Khokar > wrote:
>
>>>You ought to read how they determine reaction times in the AASHTO "Green
>>>Book." They say the average reaction time for a driver is around *2*
>>>seconds, which is total bull**** IMO.
>
>> Given how a large percentage of the driving public is either distracted
>> (by cell phones or other things) or just not paying that much attention
>> to driving, it would not be surprising that many of them have a reaction
>> time of 2 or more seconds. Especially when they have to see that the brake
>> lamps on the car ahead mean "stopping quickly" rather than the more common
>> "slowing down gradually".
>
>Stopping is rarely the only option to avoid an obstacle.

Most minimally skilled drivers of the type described above are unlikely
to consider other options like changing lanes, or be aware whether the
lane(s) next to them are clear at the time they see an obstacle. Plus,
some of them may not be skilled enough to do an emergency lane change
without spinning out (I have seen that happen -- the spinning car then
hit another car, causing that other car to spin, resulting in a third car
hitting the spinning second car). And if the unskilled driver is in a
top heavy SUV with underinflated poor quality tires, the result can be
worse.

>>>Even the Bosch Automotive handbook states
>>>that the average reaction time is around 0.8 to 1.2 seconds, IIRC.
>
>> Isn't Bosch based in a country where driver's licensing standards are
>> stricter than in the US?
>
>Well, I'm pretty sure that stricter licensing standards would not
>decrease one's reaction time by 50%.

Given the other threads about how some drivers take up to 5 seconds to
notice that their traffic light just changed from red to green, is it
hard to believe that some drivers on the roads have reaction times that
are much longer than what a skilled attentive driver should have?

--
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Timothy J. Lee
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