Vision Blockers

[The Spin Doctor]

During my practical training, I spend a lot of time and effort getting riders searching for 'Vision Blockers'. If you head to my YouTube channel www.youtube.com/survivalskillsuk I've recently put up a couple of videos on the concept - one of them is below.

Essentially a Vision Blocker does what it says on the tin. It blocks our view... and as soon as we realise that, we should start asked "what's behind it?"

CBT covers the basics of lines-of-sight and that we should position to 'see and be seen' but tends to step sideways around the need to anticipate what we can't see. Roadcraft talks about "what you can see, what you can't see" but also leaves it all a bit nebulous what you do with the 'can't see' information - there's masses we 'can't see' as we ride and we can't worry about everything that's out of sight and in any case most of it is totally irrelevant. So riders tend to focus on 'what they can see' - it's not unreasonable, if there's a visible threat we need to do something about it. But that doesn't mean that something out of sight NOW won't be a real threat to our health in a moment's time.

And that's where Vision Blockers come in. And that's because we CAN see the Vision Blocker.

Once we realise we have spotted a Vision Blocker, that actually helps us refocus [sic] on the Roadcraft advice to consider 'what you can't see'. If there's a vision-blocking hedge, is there a gap in it? If there's a vision-blocking house, where's the drive? If there's a vision-blocking HGV coming the other way, what's behind it?

Identifying the Vision Blocker is easy, and trips the thought process that leads us down the 'what if...?' 'then this...!' train of thought.

I picked the term up yonks ago from a US trainer - his page has long since vanished, unfortunately.

[slowsider]

During my practical training, I spend a lot of time and effort getting riders searching for 'Vision Blockers'.
...
I picked the term up yonks ago from a US trainer - his page has long since vanished, unfortunately.

it might still be there, but obscured by something else.

[Horse]

I don't have a copy of that site's content, only the list:
- Space grabbers
- Surprises
- Vision blockers
- Poor road conditions

Sadly, if you Google those it points at TRC

[Horse]

This reminded me of something that came up on First Aid training a 3-year 'FAW' - first aid at work' requalification course.

The idea of 'blind hazards' was introduced. The particular situation was a 'work' accident where there were three casualties - but one was ignored by most people as it wasn't so 'obvious' as the other two. In this scenario it was actually the most 'important', or highest priority, of the three as he was the unconcscious one. However, as he was partially hidden, and not moving, we weren't immediately aware of him.

The motorcycling parallel, of course, is the rider approaching a 'busy' junction, where drivers will have more important (ie bigger, heavier, more threatening) things to take their attention. The rider is there, in clear view, but is a 'blind hazard'. The well-known SMIDSY crash, or LBFTS - 'looked, but failed to see' crash.

No, I'm not suggestion you become threatening! But, as Spin says, remember that you need to be somewhere in clear view of drivers to stand a chance of being seen, and by moving across the lane width you make yourself more obvious and attract attention.

[chutzpah]

I know I've said it elsewhere in the past in response to @The Spin Doctor posting about Vision Blockers but it's worth saying again - it's such a beautifully simple concept to explain and then USE that even my seven year old uses the concept whilst cycling. She can tell me what 'vision blockers' she sees and what it's making her think about.

The simplest concepts truly can be the best IMO.