What was i thinking about

[time2react]

A relation asked me the other day, why sometimes when driving they just don't see things, even though they are really concentrating. Almost as if there brain has just stopped working.
I tried to explain it to him in a manner in which it was once explained to me, which I found really useful.

It's all about what might be termed as random access memory. (Similar to a computer) The ability of the human mind only to assimilated a certain amount of information before it has to start throwing a bit out or disregarding it. (say a bit like a 64 megabyte ram memory in a computer once you get to the 64 megabytes the computer slow downs).

Well the brain works in a similar manner.
If you start your drive with an empty mind concentrating fully on it, you now have the ability to take in 100% of the information your brain can receive. So now you travel into a residential area with all the signs, traffic lights, pedestrians, cars and other visual stimuli. This is now stretching the ram to its 100% limit.

Now say your driving down the road and your thinking of what the wife has put on for dinner. (yumm steak and chips). Well there's 5% gone. Now you have only 95% ram left to assimilate what is happening in front of you.


What does the brain do now? It can no longer take in anymore information, it starts to slow down and even reject bits.
You start to miss things, such as the cyclist up ahead.

You see that 5% of brain power you’re using to think of the steak and chips is already used up. No more room to assimilate the poor little cyclist.


This is why some drivers really struggle to drive quickly and complete a commentary. 25% brain power being used to talk only leaves 75% left to assimilate the visual information. Therefore, there speed slows down and they start to miss things.

It's why on many an advanced driving course, you'll make a hash up of one thing, and the instructor will say sternly, "put it out of your mind". It's because he wants that extra 5% brain power your using to think "shite i really screwed that up" to be put to better use, like noting the 44 tonner coming round the corner.

As long as you’re aware that your brain can only deal with so much information, you can try to empty it of the clutter. Therefore giving you a much better chance to see the really important things. Or if you note your starting to miss things, slow down give your brain the chance to take in as much as it can.

[MilnerR]

I think you're right. Driving isn't something our brains have been evolved to cope with. Our brains are "designed" to cope with speeds and distances that are within a pretty narrow frame of reference (i.e. as fast as we or our prey can run basically). The speeds and distances involved in driving are very different and we need to train our brains to cope. On foot, a cyclist 300 feet away is something that can be safely ignored. In a car at 70mph that same cyclist is within your stopping distance, sometimes the brain resets to its default setting when behind the wheel and the brain ignores the hazard because it is outside the hazard frame of reference. This is why when something does go wrong everything seems to happen very quickly. You're trundling along the motorway at 70mph (102 feet per second) and it feels like you're hardly moving. Suddenly someone anchors up in front of you and your brain begins to process all the information and 102 feet per second really feels like it. Your brain has gone from its pedestrian default setting to its trained driver setting. The better drivers maintain this level of information processing without having to think about it.

[potatoboy666]

Very useful info thanks, will put to use in my test, I find I make more mistakes after thinking about the previous clanger.

[R_U_LOCAL]

A couple of my previous articles deal with the matters raised in this post.

Familiarity breeds complacency...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

And forgive yourself...

http://www.pistonheads.com/gassing/topic.asp?h=0&a...

[7db]

time2react said:

This is why some drivers really struggle to drive quickly and complete a commentary. 25% brain power being used to talk only leaves 75% left to assimilate the visual information. Therefore, there speed slows down and they start to miss things.

...which is of course one of the two main points of commentary driving.

Driver work rate is an interesting factor when you are co-driving with someone - it is noticeable when someone is trying very hard, and when they have bags of concentration in reserve. And this isn't necessarily related to the speed of travel on the ground, but how absorbed the driver is. It's considerably more comfortable as a passenger when it's clear that they have a consistent low work rate.

[vonhosen]

http://www.policedriving.com/article160.htm

[7db]

That article didn't quite get to the point, disappointingly, but interesting as far as it goes.

There's a research paper on what pursuit drivers look at compared with other drivers -- in essence scanning many objects and not fixating on just one or two -- I can't find the link right now...

[vonhosen]

7db said:

That article didn't quite get to the point, disappointingly, but interesting as far as it goes.

There's a research paper on what pursuit drivers look at compared with other drivers -- in essence scanning many objects and not fixating on just one or two -- I can't find the link right now...

The article only briefly touched on the work that has been done in respect of looking at the differing amounts of information that can be taken on (& remembered) by drivers trained to different levels whilst multi tasking.

[R_U_LOCAL]

Dr Gordon Sharp is an ex-RAF doctor who has carried out considerable research on this subject in conjunction with the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan. He has written a book called "Human Aspects of Police Driving" which is an interesting accompaniment to Roadcraft...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Aspects-Police-Drivi...

[vonhosen]

R_U_LOCAL said:

Dr Gordon Sharp is an ex-RAF doctor who has carried out considerable research on this subject in conjunction with the Scottish Police College at Tulliallan. He has written a book called "Human Aspects of Police Driving" which is an interesting accompaniment to Roadcraft...

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Human-Aspects-Police-Drivi...

I've got a copy on the desk in front of me

This new research is specifically looking at (measuring) the effects/results of training.

[7db]

If you've got any more on the research (perhaps as and when it is published if it's still underway) that would be interesting reading, Von.

[vonhosen]

7db said:

If you've got any more on the research (perhaps as and when it is published if it's still underway) that would be interesting reading, Von.

Won't be published for quite a while yet, there's a lot of data to be worked through.

[time2react]

The book "Human aspects of police driving" is a mandatory read before the Advanced course in my force. It is one of those books which you look at and think "Do I really have to read that". It is very indepth and not the sort of book you take to bed to enjoy. However, totally invaluable as a learning aid. The Original post directly relates to this book and refers to it's content in a manner which could quickly and easily be understood. (I pass it on as it was explained to me. I think very well by my instructor).

[Bing o]

I always thought that driving was mainly a sub-concious task - you don't think how to change gear, you should just do it (unless you are a Maureen).

My belief based on my Psychology A level is that you take in a lot of information - too much to process in the conscious mind. Instead the skilled driver will scan the environment, and the attenuate their senses to potential hazards/useful information.

The attenuation level can be improved with experience/training, and will also be reduced by the effect of tiredness/drugs etc.

[MilnerR]

Bing o said:

I always thought that driving was mainly a sub-concious task - you don't think how to change gear, you should just do it (unless you are a Maureen).

My belief based on my Psychology A level is that you take in a lot of information - too much to process in the conscious mind. Instead the skilled driver will scan the environment, and the attenuate their senses to potential hazards/useful information.

The attenuation level can be improved with experience/training, and will also be reduced by the effect of tiredness/drugs etc.

I think this is true however I think the default setting of the brain is to disregard a huge amount of data as not useful within a normal frame of reference.. However speeds and distances whilst driving fall way outside what our brains have evolved to cope with. Good drivers I suspect don't take in more information, they merely are trained to ignore less, if you see what I mean.

[vonhosen]

MilnerR said:

Bing o said:

I always thought that driving was mainly a sub-concious task - you don't think how to change gear, you should just do it (unless you are a Maureen).

My belief based on my Psychology A level is that you take in a lot of information - too much to process in the conscious mind. Instead the skilled driver will scan the environment, and the attenuate their senses to potential hazards/useful information.

The attenuation level can be improved with experience/training, and will also be reduced by the effect of tiredness/drugs etc.

I think this is true however I think the default setting of the brain is to disregard a huge amount of data as not useful within a normal frame of reference.. However speeds and distances whilst driving fall way outside what our brains have evolved to cope with. Good drivers I suspect don't take in more information, they merely are trained to ignore less, if you see what I mean.

The research shows that the higher trained drivers take in & remember more information, as well as the activity being less stressful for them too.
What you want is the psychomotor (physical) skills in driving to be as instinctive as possible, in order to free up the brain to take in & prioritise information for driving plans.

[BOF]

I have a copy of the book, just got it back from a retired PC1 who is coaching me for the IAM Special Assessment...he had not read it, but found it interesting.

Most of it is well over my head as a civvy punter, but if anyone wants to read it I am happy to mail it...mods can put us in contact?

BOF.

[Bing o]

vonhosen said:

The research shows that the higher trained drivers take in & remember more information, as well as the activity being less stressful for them too.
What you want is the psychomotor (physical) skills in driving to be as instinctive as possible, in order to free up the brain to take in & prioritise information for driving plans.

I agree with both you and MilnerR, and that is the point I was trying to make - I think that that is the biggest fault with less well trained/experienced drivers - they don't have the attenuation ability to pick out the most salient details of the information that they are taking in subconciously.

They will see the bus at the bus stop, but this may not register as being a hazzard for pedestrians crossing in front of it, or people running across the road to get on it, whereas the advanced driver would probably focus on looking for feet under the bus.

At a very basic level, attenuation is like when you are in a noisy meeting room (morning briefing for example) - there is a lot of background noise, but if you hear your name being said, then you are able to filter out the extraneous information, and focus in on that conversation.

It's truly fascinating how the mind works sometimes!

[TripleS]

Bing o said:

vonhosen said:

The research shows that the higher trained drivers take in & remember more information, as well as the activity being less stressful for them too.
What you want is the psychomotor (physical) skills in driving to be as instinctive as possible, in order to free up the brain to take in & prioritise information for driving plans.

I agree with both you and MilnerR, and that is the point I was trying to make - I think that that is the biggest fault with less well trained/experienced drivers - they don't have the attenuation ability to pick out the most salient details of the information that they are taking in subconciously.

They will see the bus at the bus stop, but this may not register as being a hazzard for pedestrians crossing in front of it, or people running across the road to get on it, whereas the advanced driver would probably focus on looking for feet under the bus.

At a very basic level, attenuation is like when you are in a noisy meeting room (morning briefing for example) - there is a lot of background noise, but if you hear your name being said, then you are able to filter out the extraneous information, and focus in on that conversation.

It's truly fascinating how the mind works sometimes!

Aye, and it's a bit sobering to find that it sometimes doesn't!

Best wishes all,
Dave.

[MilnerR]

Bing o said:

It's truly fascinating how the mind works sometimes!

TripleS said:

Aye, and it's a bit sobering to find that it sometimes doesn't!

I'm constantly amazed at how few accidents there are when you consider the complexity of driving and the minuscule amount of training given. It's a testament to the adaptability of the human brain to complex tasks. It also highlights how important it is to raise the standard of driver training rather than simply minimising the effects of poor driver training.