Target Fixation – To Look or Not Look?

In this month’s article we will examine the phenomenon known as “target fixation”.

Target fixation is a process by which the brain is focused so intently on an object that awareness of other obstacles or hazards can diminish. In an avoidance scenario (where you really need to miss something in or on the road) the rider can become so fixated on the target that the observer will end up colliding with the object. The term target fixation may have been borrowed from World War II fighter pilots that spoke of a tendency to want to fly into targets during a strafing run. It also has caused skydiving deaths in which the skydiver will focus on the target or the ground so intently that they forget to pull the cord to open the parachute.

This fixation tendency is a major issue for motorcyclists, because as we should all know by this time, a motorcycle will tend to go where the rider is looking. And, if the rider is overly focused on an obstacle (puddle of oil, tree branch, patch of sand, piece of lumber, or a curb), the motorcycle can collide with that object simply because of the rider’s focus on it, even though the rider is desperately trying to avoid it.

Why is that? Can you remember a situation where early in your riding career you saw a deep pothole in the road surface ahead and thought, “Gee, I don’t want to hit that”, fixed your eyes on the pothole – and promptly ran into it? Another classic illustration lies in the high number of rider’s who run into lampposts, usually when the rider’s motorcycle fails to get around a corner. Think about how narrow a lamppost is, and how narrow a motorcycle is, and yet the motorcycle impacts the lamppost with deadly accuracy. The reason is that the rider looks (fixedly) at the lamppost, thinks “Gee I don’t want to hit that”, clamps his eyes on the threatening object, and then promptly runs right into it.

Why is this? It isn’t magic; it is purely a product of physics. When a motorcycle rider looks at an object in his direction of travel, he also (subconsciously or instinctively) pushes the handlebars in the same direction and leans in that direction. The motorcycle then simply obeys the laws of physics to respond. In other words, the motorcycle goes where it’s rider looks! It has a tendency to follow your head and eyes – an equilibrium thing. It isn’t just your eyes, it’s your head; it’s the way you look, it’s everything. If you focus on a target -- you will head right to the target.

Why then is it so hard to look away? Why when we are trying to make a U-turn on a 24’- wide road do so many of us have to stop to avoid hitting the curb? Answer: because we were looking where? At the Curb! Look where you want to go… and never ever look down.

From personal experience, on a recent team ride I found myself in the left track as bike #5, and found myself drifting into the center track. I would correct and fairly soon I would find myself drifting to the right again. Initially I thought something was wrong, but then I realized that I was looking right at the #4 bike in the right track to make sure I was maintaining a proper one-second spacing between us. Looking right while counting “one, one thousand” was causing me to go right. It doesn’t take much. Also, while attempting to park in a fast-food restaurant recently, I (stupidly) focused on the curb I was trying to miss (instead of the spot I wanted to park in) and just did miss that pesky curb but only by some radical last-minute leaning and braking. Even Rider Educators have to look where they want to go.

At first, the practice of looking away from the danger will feel unnatural; it is not an instinctive thing. However, you can train yourself to do it. You can practice on almost any ride by picking out any random object you see ahead (a leaf, stain, piece of trash) and classifying it as a danger item. Then, practice “looking away” and “looking through” your planned escape route – AND DON’T PEEK! Another neat way to practice is to weave through the centerline reflectors separating two lanes (both on your side of course) but only when safe to do so and traffic conditions permit. Try weaving through them while you stare at one. You will hit most of them. Then try it by staring at the space between them. With a little practice, I predict you will miss them all if you continue to look between them and don’t peek at one.

In summary, remember that the bike will go where you look. So, if you (Scan) see danger ahead, (Identify) the danger, (Predict) what your options are, (Decide) the course of action you will take, and finally (Execute) by looking through your escape route rather than staring fixedly at the danger, you should be fine.

Borrowed from
O. Lee Fortier
NC-E2

Submitted by Tom Scully
Chapter Educator NC-E