Lucy W wrote:
If we recognise the emergency of a scenario, a spontaneous reaction is most likely to take place – but that doesn’t mean that the spontaneous reaction is the correct one!
But is can be the correct one too, and many events have to have evolved before the 'emergency action is even required'. With proper training people do react better, and do not necessarily, 'go off' and use those skills recklessly. Training gives people more knowledge and better understand of all the dangers, which can often, enable people to use those skills productively rather than negatively. That leads to people's attitude and their approach to the training, whether it is 'forced', or done through desire to learn.
Many people learn more easily than, perhaps you might be giving them credit for, ask any Fleet Managers or Car Driver training schools ... their results are less accidents, which tell companies that a day training can make 'all' the difference.
No, it does not make them an expert, but that was not the goal. It can be just being more aware on the road, and prevent the situation all together, to doing the correct action, and being better off because of that action. It may prevent an accident, it may not, but perhaps just better off, or with less damage perhaps.
There is also the 'lizard brain' which involves the 'automatic reaction'. The instinctive (or well learned actions), becoming totally instinctive.
Lucy W wrote:
A spontaneous reaction can’t over ride a choice reaction or visa vera – we have no control over how we react. But an overall reaction may be a sequence of different types of reactions. [/quote]
If your spontaneous reaction, is an immediate one, and your 'choice reaction' is like a decision?, then what difference do you see in either?
We do have control over how we react for almost everything that we do in the car, we will do so to differing degrees. Many events can alter how we react, including, experience, training, education, awareness, skills and ability.
At what point do you see an action to positively correct a bad re-action, an action, as opposed to a re-action ?
Lucy W wrote:
The detailed reality of the scenario we are considering is that in emergency braking, the first reaction will be a spontaneous one (to move foot from throttle to brake). Then a choice reaction will have to be made to actually direct the foot to the pedal. Even if the foot stays above the pedal, ie the choice reaction takes place before significant muscular movement, or there is no spontaneous reaction, a choice reaction will be made.
Don't think that I agree.
If we look at the meaning of spontaneous : (Oxford Eng Dictionary) :
A adj. 1 Performed or occurring without external cause or stimulus; coming naturally or freely, unpremeditated; voluntary, done of one’s own accord; (of literary style etc.) gracefully natural and unconstrained. M17.b Of a person: acting voluntarily or without premeditation; tending to act in this way; unconstrained, uninhibited, natural. M18.2 (Of movement or activity in an organism) instinctive, prompted by no motive; (of sudden movement etc.) involuntary, not due to conscious volition. M17. This would therefore imply that you 'place the foot from the throttle to the brake, naturally from it's location in an unconstrained natural manner and instinctively. This therefor implies far less 'thought process' than you appear to be crediting it with. The aim of a driver is to 'hit the brake' the aim being to teach an instinctive, taught, immediate reaction, as fast as possible.
A 'choice re-action' or as I think you mean, a 'thought process', then no, the whole aim is that the hit the brake, is not 'thought out'. The danger is noticed, and an immediate instinctive action is involuntary, it is NOT thought out.
Lucy W wrote:
What we will never agree on is that in reality braking from a hovering foot is a choice reaction – not a spontaneous one.
Keeping foot remaining on throttle or hovering the brake is not a reaction
Perhaps not but debate is good.
I do not think that it is 'either' given a real emergency situation, BUT a thought process 'follows' and then any training, education, and one's own ability, start to come in to play, in a following instinctive manner, but if you have to 'stop to think' then one is likely to have 'no time to react' at all, as accidents happen 'so fast', usually.
I think it is more involved than you have given it credit for too.
The 'hoover over brake peddle' is often pre-emptive thoughts, as there is a strong likelihood of the desire to use, even if only momentary unless used deliberately for many driving purposes, and for specific precise needs. Many of those uses are 'thought processes' within standard driving (not ideal). To keep a foot on the throttle is standard driving, with many varieties of thought and non-thought process at 'play'.