Reaction Time

[pdub]

Sue Unit just turned me on to a little game on the computer - reaction time. You start driving down the road, deer grazing, trees, traffic signs going by. And at some point soon there's a huge red hand that fills the screen - STOP!!!!!! based upon your reaction time, they guess how old you are. And on the first try, they are pretty darned close, amazingly close. Which is a bit unnerving but keep trying, over and over since now you know what's about to happen and be ready for it.

I did it about 8 times and I got myself down to 23 years old, from practice and being ready for it.

But that's just not real. I could definitely lee see an application for that in drag racing. You know what the tree is going to do, be readier than the other driver when it does it.

But for going down the highway, you've been at it for about 5 hours already, it's boring, you're thinking about where you're trying to get to....and something crazy or quick happens in front of you. I don't think so. First your eyes have to see it. That takes some time. And then your brain has to process what your eyes are seeing. And then your brain, based upon the now-processed eye data, has to develop a sense of realization and then a plan of evasive action. The clock is running on all of that the whole time.

Which I think causes the huge pileups on the highway, everybody just dogpiles into it. When there was actually some time to react if you knew that was going to happen, but nobody is ready for it.

[pdub]

I don't suppose I should have made such a big deal about the little game without posting a link to it.

I'm 60 years old. The first time I tried it, it told me I was 58.

https://www.justpark.com/creative/reaction-time-test/

[ericfallon]

Maybe I need to put hand controls in my car, As I never do that good at the track.

[AndyB]

I'm apparently too young to drink.

Which is funny, being a few months from 40 and having entirely more beer than I should....

[stroker al]

[QUOTE=pdub;n1191560]I don't suppose I should have made such a big deal about the little game without posting a link to it.

I'm 60 years old. The first time I tried it, it told me I was 58.

PD ...I'm 70 and have done this before and on the first try I was 51. I've been real active with racketball,baseball,softball so using my reflexes a bunch may have helped. Don't know what my time would be now played the game when I was 62.

[pdub]

[QUOTE=stroker al;n1191822]

I don't suppose I should have made such a big deal about the little game without posting a link to it.

I'm 60 years old. The first time I tried it, it told me I was 58.

PD ...I'm 70 and have done this before and on the first try I was 51. I've been real active with racketball,baseball,softball so using my reflexes a bunch may have helped. Don't know what my time would be now played the game when I was 62.

I don't feel like I'm slowing down but I know I am. If we look at the name of the site that game is on - "Just Park," I haven't done any looking into it, that site, other than that little game. But the site title alone would suggest that maybe at some point you should just quit. We've all seen elders that actually should not still be driving. I'm not saying and I for sure don't know, but maybe that's intended to be a wake up call. Hey Grandma, this thing says you are 195 years old, we're taking your keys away. It might be a diagnostic tool of some sort for that.

[pdub]

And an off the wall thought and observation - drag racing for one thing proves that you can continue in that sport well beyond your prime. And I don't want to fool or lie to anybody here, we have some new members on the board, I don't drag race. I've done nearly everything other than that on pavement with 4 wheels.

That wreck John Force had in Arizona, that was none of his doing. Life was grand, he won the heat and then the car blew up. And the media noise in the background saying he should quit, etc. Like him or not, he's taking life out a whole lot farther than most of us ever will, as far as how old you are and what you are still doing.

[pdub]

And there is a point in time, whatever you're able to do, it's going to go away. You don't know when that'll happen until you get there.

I won't ever play guitar again, both of my hands are so messed up, I can't do it. It's been months and months, that's not gonna get better.

In my case, that's not such a loss. Not to humanity, but it was sure fun to do. Just can't do it, that's over.

But I can still hold the steering wheel and drive the car. Most days, it depends upon which day.