Lights?

["Al Powell" <APOWELL@agcom.tamu.edu>]

"Greg Koehler (Volt Computer)" <a-gregk@microsoft.com>was kind enough 
to reply:

> But Al also said:
> 
> >The point: his lights fooled me. 
> 
> My point:  you fooled yourself.  Don't blame his lights.  Take
> responsibility for your error.

Right on.  I am responsible for my perceptions -  or the lack 
thereof!  How do I say this....I was attempting to point out that 
there is potential for distance perception to go awry.  My personal 
feeling is that on-coming lights which are other than "normal" 
(whatever "normal" is to the perceiver) may increase the chances for 
mis-perception.

Frankly, my biggest beef about lights is people who drive with only their 
parking lights on at dusk.  From a moderate distance, some parking 
lights **can, to my much-maligned and highly individual perception**, 
appear to be headlights which are a whole lot more distant.  In my 
personal opinion, this increases the potential for oncoming traffic 
in the opposing lane attempting to pass and creating a collision.

And in response to my somewhat snappish reply, thanks for being 
gracious, Greg!!
> >Aw, come on, Greg. You're in Kirkland - you know how long some of 
> >those straights around Ritzville are.  You could see a car that's 
> >five minutes away.  Not practical to wait. 
> 
> I've been in Ritzville and you're right, my suggestion to wait is
> impractical.

> Wong had a good suggestion -- to gauge distance by looking at the
> distance between headlights.  If both headlights appear very close
> together, the car is probably far away (unless it's a Saturn).  As the
> distance between the headlights widens, the car is getting closer.
> Either way, you are judging by looking at shift in position of the light
> source, not by looking at the luminosity.

I do like this idea a lot!  Hmmm..I suppose that someone could make 
a nice doctoral research project out of determining which perceptual 
factors influence ones' judgement as to how far away an approaching 
car might be.  (Oy!)

But not me, doods. I'm defending my dissertation Monday.  My best to 
Greg, Ernest and all of you!

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
Al Powell                        Voice:  409/845-2807
107 Reed McDonald Bldg.          Fax:    409/862-1202
College Station, TX 77843      
Http://agcomwww.tamu.edu/agcom/satellit/alpage.htm

"Some people can tell what time it is by looking at the
sun...but I have never been able to see the numbers."
             [From 5th/6th grade essays....]