Eye Contact?

[Boingo]

A little background. We had an unfortunate automobile accident here. A 16 year old struck two 13 yo while they were crossing the street. She was speeding, and the setting sun was directly in her path of travel (and no, she was not talking, or texting on her cell phone). The victims are expected to fully recover.

Okay, so the local school sent out email to the parents with some safety tips for crossing the road. Number one was "Make eye contact with drivers". As a MSF RiderCoach, I have heard and discounted this myth repeatedly in my classes. While on the bike, I've had too many people look me straight in the eye, and the pull out directly in front of me.

I search the web trying to come up with something that would back me up about this, but I can't find zip. Could it just be me? Or, maybe it works better as a pedestrian than a rider?

[amiles]

I remember years ago this technique being called "Putting the Burn" on someone. I used it and have had good luck with it. However if you watch the video with the Gorilla suited person walking through the group of ball passers you have got to wonder about predicting the workings of the human mind.

[dpryan]

I commute to work (by motorcycle and sometimes bicycle) and I have to say it's worked for me more than once, though more so on the bicycle. When I'm on the motorcycle and I see someone inching out and thinking about it, I do a 'no, don't do it' head shake and it seems to stop most of them.

Having said that, of course I'm prepared for EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM to pull out and do exactly what they shouldn't do......so I'm not counting on them.

[Boingo]

However if you watch the video with the Gorilla suited person walking through the group of ball passers you have got to wonder about predicting the workings of the human mind.

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Awesome video...

[Semper_Fi]

I commute to work (by motorcycle and sometimes bicycle) and I have to say it's worked for me more than once, though more so on the bicycle. When I'm on the motorcycle and I see someone inching out and thinking about it, I do a 'no, don't do it' head shake and it seems to stop most of them.

Having said that, of course I'm prepared for EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM to pull out and do exactly what they shouldn't do......so I'm not counting on them.

Excelent points Dennis - I do not commute on a bicycle but do ride a road bike on occasion and note that the eye contact works remarkably well.

On the bike and in the car - less effective but still of use


Having said that, of course I'm prepared for EVERY LAST ONE OF THEM to pull out and do exactly what they shouldn't do......so I'm not counting on them.

100% correct

[From MARS]

If I can't make eye contact, I assume they don't see me, look for "outs", and prepare to take evasive actions. If I do make eye contact, I still prepare for them to pull out just 'cause they can. If they don't pull in front of me, I give them a nice:wave and nod of the helmet for being considerate.


When riding, I think of myself and the bike as one fender of a car and position myself to best be seen, but that's another issue.

Tom

[cathdeac]

Wouldn't hurt to tell the "pedestrians"....Watch out for blind drivers.

[rspennachio]

I try to use eye contact when riding my bike and cycle. If you make eye contact does the other person know it? This is not really a hypothetical but how do you know if the other person is "seeing you?"

I believe that sometimes eye contact does make nonverbal comunication but I also think that if I can see what their eye is doing, it will tell me what they are about to do... keep their foot on the brake or suddenly turn left!

A slightly differnt situation is watching their eyes in the side mirror. I often can tell when they are about to take my lane.

[KGT1200]

Any time now, some expert will speak up here to tell us to watch the tires, and I bet they're right, the tires tell where a cage is about to go...

Personally, I'll keep my eyes gled to his orbs to figure out how to stay alive, by figuring hime out before he makes the move..

I can see the headlines now "Man dies while watching the tire; if he olny would of swerved in that tight space in between, he would be alive today"!!

[DarrylRi]

Hmph. I was looking directly at the woman in the Honda Accord, who appeared to also be looking directly at me, immediately before she drove out of her driveway on a quiet suburban sidestreet and T-boned me, thus chipping my ankle and bending my R65...

Needless to say, I look at other drivers, but don't take their return stare to mean anything at all.

[jamesdunn]

I always try to make eye contact at intersections when on a motorcycle. Or, as a pedestrian. Beware though, you cannot make eye contact when the driver you're trying to contact has darkened glass. I was crossing an intersection and had the walk light, a car pulled up quickly and I looked right at his darkened windshield, couldn't see his eyes, sure enough he made a quick right turn and hit me. Messed me up pretty good.

[jamesdunn]

Hmph. I was looking directly at the woman in the Honda Accord, who appeared to also be looking directly at me, immediately before she drove out of her driveway on a quiet suburban sidestreet and T-boned me, thus chipping my ankle and bending my R65...

Needless to say, I look at other drivers, but don't take their return stare to mean anything at all.

She probably had the 1,000 yard stare. Looking but not seeing. There is a difference. I remember it from my service time. I know it when I see it. I had a woman hit me once after coming to a complete stop she looked my way and right at me. I knew she didn't see me as she had that 1,000 yard stare. I speeded up as she pulled out and swerved, it was my only option. Yes, she hit me but not dead center as she would have had I not practiced an avoidance maneuver. I was driving a small car.