SMIDSY
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The acronym SMIDSY, short for "sorry mate, I didn't see you", is used by British and Australian motorcyclists and cyclists to describe collisions in which a car driver fails to perceive a two-wheel user (see motorcycle safety). It is estimated by the UK Department of Transport that SMIDSY incidents account for around 25% of all motorcycle accidents.[1]
There is good evidence that drivers may in fact see at the subconscious level, but that this is not translated to the conscious as the brain does not perceive the other as a threat, so a driver may be able to see a cyclist, but not transfer this information into an action of adjusting their automobile. Another theory is that drivers simply don't expect to see a two wheeled vehicle, so they are missed even when wearing high conspicuity clothing or using lights.[2]
These collisions may be recorded as failure to see, or as simply right-of-way violations.
"SMIDSY" was the title of a BBC TV series on road safety broadcast in the 1980s. S.M.I.D.S.Y. was also the name of a pioneering robot design which competed in the Series 3-7 of Robot Wars.
[edit] References
- ^ How many accidents and where. South Gloucestershire Council SMIDSY campaign. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
- ^ Why don't people see motorcyclists. South Gloucestershire Council SMIDSY campaign. Retrieved on 2007-09-01.
