Lazy Eye?

Ex-RoNiN · 15 Dec 2006 at 11:51

Do you sometimes get that when driving? Happened to me yesterday, approached a right bend in the road, with a small road going off the left. As per usual, checked mirrors, slowed down a bit, entered the bend looking for cars coming from the left, checked mirrors again, looked ahead again. As I pass the road to the left and do another mirror check, instructor says "slow down, don't want to hit her". I take the foot off the gas immediately, and lo and behold, there was a woman hurrying across the road. There was plenty of space in the end, but what scared me was that in a not so bendy road (I could see well ahead), going at slow speed, being observant, I still managed to not see her, even though she was in front of my car for quite some time. Only after the instructor said something I started seeing her, it was as if she emerged from nowhere :eek:

Do you get this sometimes :confused:

Any idea what it is caused by, or what I can do to avoid it in the future?

basmic · 15 Dec 2006 at 11:54

Strengthen your eyesight.

One method given to me by my optician, was to hold a ballpoint pen about 12 inches from my face. Focus on the tip, and keep focus.

Slowly, bring the tip towards you, maintaining your focus. As soon as you start to lose focus, stop moving the pen and try hard to refocus on the point again.

Helped me a lot. :cool:

dirtydog · 15 Dec 2006 at 11:55

Ex-RoNiN said:
Do you get this sometimes

Nope

-westy- · 15 Dec 2006 at 12:08

pay more attention to the road ahead - look where you're going, not constantly in your mirrors

Stellios · 15 Dec 2006 at 12:15

Pay more attention to whats in front of you and coming round the roundabout rether than whats behind you. You have to watch your braking, but at the end of the day if the person behind you is too close then thats their fault and it better to be rear ended than drive into a car coming round the corner.

ruffneck · 15 Dec 2006 at 13:20

basmic said:
Strengthen your eyesight.

One method given to me by my optician, was to hold a ballpoint pen about 12 inches from my face. Focus on the tip, and keep focus.

Slowly, bring the tip towards you, maintaining your focus. As soon as you start to lose focus, stop moving the pen and try hard to refocus on the point again.

Helped me a lot.

THAT HURTS!!!

GlasgowTitan · 15 Dec 2006 at 13:52

Sounds like you are checking mirrors way too much. You need to know where you are going more than where you have been....

blairw · 15 Dec 2006 at 17:21

I done this when learning at one point, it seems you may have fell into the habit of looking for the sake of it, not actually looking.
Its like people who look AT their mirrors, not IN them

Mr Jack · 15 Dec 2006 at 18:14

This is a fairly well known psychological phenomena. You fail to notice even quite obvious stuff when you're trying to concentrate on lots of other things at the same time. As a learner you'll be thinking about lots of stuff that later on will be second nature to you. I wouldn't worry about it too much, but be aware of it and keep looking ahead. What's in front always matters more than what's behind.

scratch · 15 Dec 2006 at 18:26

Mr Jack said:
What's in front always matters more than what's behind.

Unless you're reversing

SB118 · 15 Dec 2006 at 18:34

Dear god man, the gatsos will be in front of you, pay attention!

JTrickle · 15 Dec 2006 at 20:22

-westy- said:
pay more attention to the road ahead - look where you're going, not constantly in your mirrors

Exactly what I thought when reading this. Iirc I spent too much time looking in my mirrors before I passed.

silversurfer · 15 Dec 2006 at 22:05

Thats exactly how they teach it though, constantly be aware of traffic in your mirrors. I know someone sitting the instructors test and the amount of nagging they gave him over that was extreme.

You only see what you think you see, your brain does actually have to process the visual information and it is an intelligent act to recognise anything. I think the A pillars on a car can introduce mistakes in your view without you realising.
Retinal disparity, optical illusions or whatever you like to call it is a mistake everyone makes

1st step is recognising the mistake and 2nd is finding a way to account for it. So you're allready improving imo

At junctions, I find taking two looks at slightly different angles helps to more quickly assess the information.

A funny vid on depth perception :
http://www.grand-illusions.com/opticalillusions/dragon_illusion/

JediFragger · 16 Dec 2006 at 01:09

20.20.

n3crius · 16 Dec 2006 at 19:13

i don't see what perfect eye-sight has got to do with this.

problems with vision obviously affect driving ability but your problem doesn't sound like it's got anything to do with a 'lazy eye', it's just your ability to collect and deal with information while you're driving as a beginner. you'll get better at it.

Pookie Bear · 17 Dec 2006 at 00:16

silversurfer said:
A funny vid on depth perception :
http://www.grand-illusions.com/opticalillusions/dragon_illusion/

I downloaded the design and have one sitting on my desk. Unfortunately, now and then, he kind of grabs my attention and I get nothing done for fifteen minutes while I sway from side to side, staring at little Mr Dragon's eyes. Freaky.

Iamzod · 17 Dec 2006 at 00:34

The mirrors thing in the driving test really ******* me off, i passed now so it does not really matter, but they go way OTT with it.

I got minors for stopping without looking in my mirror first, when i had no option but to stop or plow into oncoming traffic head on at some traffic calming measures.

Regardless of what is in my mirrors i'm gonna stop anyway. what do they expect? Mr jones is up my arse, lets slam into mr smith head on at 30, or just to be safe lets mount the pavement & mow down three steel bollards to avoid him.