Reaction Time
May 4, 2020 08:52:44 #
I'm taking an online driver safety course to lower my insurance premiums. I do this every three years. Check with your insurance company to make sure the course you choose is approved.
In one lesson, I came across this statement, "As speed increases, so does reaction time." It seems to me that the time between seeing a problem and reacting to it would be the same, regardless of speed. The distance the vehicle travels during reaction time will be greater as speed increase, but the reaction time should be the same.
Am I missing something here?
In one lesson, I came across this statement, "As speed increases, so does reaction time." It seems to me that the time between seeing a problem and reacting to it would be the same, regardless of speed. The distance the vehicle travels during reaction time will be greater as speed increase, but the reaction time should be the same.
Am I missing something here?
May 4, 2020 09:00:01 #
I think it is kind of a play on words. You are right however, if driving faster if you want the same outcome, you would be required to react faster. The difference is your getting the same result.
May 4, 2020 09:00:13 #
Not that I know of.
The only thing that would increase with speed would be the distance covered while reacting.
I would imagine the reaction time itself would be the same at any speed.
The only thing that would increase with speed would be the distance covered while reacting.
I would imagine the reaction time itself would be the same at any speed.
May 4, 2020 09:08:09 #
May 4, 2020 09:10:53 #
ELNikkor wrote:
The reaction time usually increases with the age of the one reacting...
THAT is a truism.
May 4, 2020 09:13:44 #
StanMac
Loc: Tennessee
The phrase “As speed increases, so does reaction time” should read “As speed increases, reaction time must be faster” or “As speed increases, reaction time must be shorter”.
Stan
Stan
May 4, 2020 09:13:50 #
Reaction time to me is: can I still get a picture of a bat hitting the baseball, can I still get the soccer ball coming off of the foot, can I still get a racecar just crossing the finish line. If I can still do that then my driving skills should still be the same.
May 5, 2020 06:05:52 #
May 5, 2020 07:36:44 #
Good for taking the course, we do it every 3 years also, got to find a new one though, same instructor and same old stories, we want something better and to learn something new, AARP needs to improve their instructors, new book would help too!
May 5, 2020 07:49:14 #
I think reaction time is a highly over-rated component of driving skill. If you require fast reactions then you are not anticipating situations very well. Remember that Paul Newman drove as a member of a winning Daytona 500 team when he was 70 and they hit speeds close to 200 mph.
May 5, 2020 07:49:22 #
I think reaction time is a highly over-rated component of driving skill. If you require fast reactions then you are not anticipating situations very well. Remember that Paul Newman drove as a member of a winning Daytona 500 team when he was 70 and they hit speeds close to 200 mph.
May 5, 2020 07:54:46 #
I took our (U.K.) Institute of Advanced Motorists test. There's something similar in the U.S. I believe. I learned more from that than all the computer courses I had to do for work combined. Recommended.
May 5, 2020 07:57:56 #
Good morning jerry,
It is kind of confusing but in my 70+ year old gray matter I think the reaction time (from the time at which you notice the on-coming / imminent situation to applying the corrective action) remains, relatively, the same with the only important difference being the distance travelled during that time (notice / react). Speed is the factor here as one will have travelled significantly farther (with the higher speed) and will have become intimately involved with the "situation' sooner rather than later. A lower speed will have likely kept you at a safer distance. This thinking seems to work with me.
All the best to you and yours - and stay safe during these times,
Terry
It is kind of confusing but in my 70+ year old gray matter I think the reaction time (from the time at which you notice the on-coming / imminent situation to applying the corrective action) remains, relatively, the same with the only important difference being the distance travelled during that time (notice / react). Speed is the factor here as one will have travelled significantly farther (with the higher speed) and will have become intimately involved with the "situation' sooner rather than later. A lower speed will have likely kept you at a safer distance. This thinking seems to work with me.
All the best to you and yours - and stay safe during these times,
Terry
May 5, 2020 08:24:32 #
Here in Minnesota, the costs of the 55 alive classes are a break even on the 10% discount on my car insurance. So I don't bother to attend an all day class many miles away from our rural home.
May 5, 2020 08:32:47 #
PaulBrit
Loc: Merlin, Southern Oregon
John N wrote:
I took our (U.K.) Institute of Advanced Motorists test. There's something similar in the U.S. I believe. I learned more from that than all the computer courses I had to do for work combined. Recommended.
I don’t suppose you have more details of that U.S. organization? Would like to know more.
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