The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1910-04-03
AUTO DRIVING AS A SCIENCE
PERSONAL EQUATION ~
DOMINANT FEATURE.

uAarIes sherWood nIeaeP. Harvard Pro-
feuS@r % Psychology. DeclRFeS Many
PeFssas Are Phywaeelly Incapable
Sf Handing q Gar In Emergencies.
Ever since automobiles came into uss 40
this country numerous and diverse plAns
have been preached for the Regulates
OF these modern road vehicles and the men
and women who drive them. but the moat
original suggestion made 30 TAR h un-
doubtsdly that advanced recently by
member % tho Harvard faculty. Charles
Shsrw God Kicker. professor In the Harvard
department Of Psychology. 10 Of the opinion
! that great many persons-msn and women
-ars ply sically nd TEN p0ramontaliy unn
to operate motor vehicles. except psrhap~
at Low rates Of speed on open country high
Ways.
He contends that q great many persons
nos permitted TO drive high powered. fast
automobiles escape accidents more through
! good fortune than ability 10 cone with
emergencies md predicts disaster unless
some mss Ia " found to keep sucn drivers
: OF city streets lie declares that operating
4 an automobile - not solely . matter Of skIlt
aud experience. but ~ to a certain sNienl
one Of consiituti Onal limitations. lie hHs
made number Of experiemt- which he
declares prove his theory To he correct.
! In discussing the matter he SAYS
ANY sane indiy ldusl can handle car
aIOnR the country road with comps rativs
safety tn himself md the few Who may he
/ near him The greater number Of auiomo-
! bales however are to be found In our con-
gcsled civ streets ~ - positively fatiRu-
, ing tn the average automobiles To drive HIS
! machine throuRh the streets OF large CIV
I for any length of time People are no
longer frightened nv his raucous Or cav
! piercing horns q nd often gits him just caUss
. for anger by then behavior. The younRster,
| too. can never he counted on, and the green
est chauffeur soon lelrns sitter h,h dozen
arrow escapes thai ten miles an hour 70
fast enough when little tots are to be seen
/ In the street, or even on he cuTbstone
within twenty yards
3 The chauffeur must he able - react
/ quickly to these objects about him. and
/ this reaction often involves tao or more
distinct movements II - we'll known
/ fact IN psychology that certain individuals
will show n remarkably quick reaction
time when only one movement IL demanded.
1 but that when tao more movements are
I necessary some individuals are - helpless
| az a paralytc 10 make the second ana tharu
II seems thai in such cases all the sur
plus nervous energy - directed along the
mons remains for the subsequent ones
4 such individuals are obviously not COM
pesent to drive motor vehicles where
ihoushtiess yOungster may try 10 run scro.s
the stree, in front Of a pa..lns autog.obil.
s1d sSddsnly r:siiSinS me s,,r ,,Pc sr
The natural movement OF the chauneur
would be 20 turn in and pass behind The
younRster places him directIy in front %
the machine and quick work must follos
s s Sr X. rsv.r % pc;
xether with a skilful handling OF the steer-
ins wheel, and All thcss sst,y1sies sppSI -
rea ctionist he in such predicamsntP Tue
muscular resction times OF many are cosn-
bs alert HCcurscy and speed Of move
ment may mean AZ such time ne loss OF
not eonsidered by any highway commission
/, in the country.
with the idea Of a practical application
have prepared a simple. piece 81 apparatus
for the measurement Of tho reaction time
chauiieurs and other. motor car driver.
The apparatus may Be connected 20 te,
Tram" OF an Sot s no. cs;nvsnt,o ~ airs
foot clutch release, an snlsrGenoy bTahs
and = dummy throttle. or V may Dc attaonS,i
70 any standard machine for actual rOad
In either case the " heel b 80 arrange
tact. completes an electric circuit. AM
drops an arm or POINTER UPON a rsvOlyinE
, 0Sye 1so TsS 'T9 SS Ssessr r.
controlled by the foot also completes . Gu
cult after a movement 81 One-stxteenth %
an inch. dropping another arm upon tn
CYLINDER, As does the emergency brake anb
operator faces an opaque scresn 9Th three
openings an inch and a half In dfemete-
Behind the openings are dinersnt ooloret
they may Re rrSdiiy hanged The colorS
are white. green and red and are manipu-
Connect With the evolving time recordsr
and drop additional arms upon the smoked
P~ETh. op.ra,ion il exceedInrly sirnpls
! Zach color or combination calls Tor certain
definite Responses on the part Of The orera-
ping. reversing. 1c Pushing OF q bptten
by the examiner throws a certain light
the time on The smoked psper. The rssr.
ton Of the driver IL alsO recorded on the
Of he button S an and The turning o. the Wheel
or lever = the reaction time for tho IN
The sight and hearing Of an SpptcArt
4 should likewise 30 sNAmined There af@
hundreds Of persons Who should be wearinE
sSaTi r tn y ~ iSe-S desiring a iiCsnsr
might very easily. through Ignorance 81
70 I've ordinary examiners The nesI
sighted individual might get along well
"A the dsytlTn. and a. duss m,ssas .S spssed 80,
might hear he tool oi a horn in front or .:
his side and yet owing 20 . slight deafness
he Oblivious 70 a warning hOnk' ON dan
ReTous curve
Inc ialgue senruI anotnet ~
noTf aUt tactoT Wuicn OuEnt 70 - !ehsa
b into consideration should boys and Cer-
tam women % a nsuro'ic type b. allowed
10 drive cars within the densely populaa ed
and greatly trAversed city dtstrictsp Drtv-
ing IN these districts produces the gFeateS.
strain outside marrow escape which can
/ vol h. imagined ought the chauffeur
who has driven his car all day through the
crowded streets ~ allowed, faftgted A. h~
must i've. 10 handle his car hail the nigbi
through bright lights and deep shadowg
Tlle-s conditions are especially severe in
the demand on atisntion. reaction time.
the eve and the cav.