Copied and brought over from another "Friendly" Forum. Ok, you know where but it was easier to copy it than link to it.
A great demonstration and things to think about. Make sure after you read, you click on the link at the bottom.
For evolutionary reasons, our brains remove stationary things from our
immediate field of vision. Moving things represent potential danger.
Stationary things do not. That's why the predators and prey alike have
learned how to freeze in place. Camouflage and motionless can actually
make both predator and prey invisible to one another.
All this becomes a severe liability when flying, driving, or boating
when there are moving objects in the field of view which are actually on
a collision course with your vehicle, but appear to remain stationary in
your field of view.
This is most commonly seen when you are on a highway and another vehicle
is coming down an on-ramp at a speed that paces yours. It remains in the
same place as viewed through the windshield or side windows.
Your brain will simply erase the other car's image from your view....
until you move your head. This can also occur in your mirrors when a
vehicle is overtaking you at a very slow rate. If you simply constantly
scan by moving your head or eyes, those important objects will remain
visible.
How many times have we heard "I never saw the other car before the
accident"? It's real.
Read the story below and then follow the link for an actual
demonstration of the effect. It's real, too. Deliberately develop
a habit of constant scanning when you drive and
even when you walk.
*Motion Induced Blindness*
It works exactly like it says and is one major reason people in cars can
look right at you when you're on a motorcycle or bicycle---AND NOT SEE YOU.
From a former Naval Aviator: "This is a great illustration of what we
were taught about scanning outside the cockpit when I went through
training back in the '50s. We were told to scan the horizon for a short
distance, stop momentarily, and repeat the process. I can remember being
told why this was the most effective technique to locate other aircraft.
It was emphasized (repeatedly) to NOT fix your gaze for more than a
couple of seconds on any single object. The instructors, some of whom
were WWII veterans with years of experience, instructed us to
continually "keep our eyes moving and our head on a swivel" because this
was the best way to survive, not only in combat, but from peacetime
hazards (like a midair collision) as well. We basically had to take the
advice on faith (until we could experience for ourselves) because the
technology to demonstrate it didn't exist at that time."
Click on the link below for a demonstration ...
http://www.msf-usa.org/motion.html 
Author
Topic: Motion Blindness (Read 1751 times)