Research
Interception
This study investigated how
bicyclists adjust their speed to pass through a moving gap crossing their
line of travel. Thirty five
participants rode a bicycling simulator through a virtual town.
On each cross street, a train of 14 blocks (each the size of typical
sedan) was positioned approximately 150 meters to the left of the
intersection in the near lane.
The blocks were triggered to move as the bicyclist approached the
intersection. Participants were
instructed to time their arrival so that they would safely pass through a
3.5 second target gap in the train of blocks.
The movement of the cross traffic was timed such that if participants
rode at constant speed they would either arrive at the intersection as the
gap was about to close (Speed Up trials), just after the gap opened
(Maintain trials), or just before the gap opened (Slow Down trials).
Results indicated that participants in the Speed Up conditions increased their speed to reach the gap before it closed. The reduction in speed in Maintain trials was unexpected and the amount of speed reduction in the Slow Down trials was higher than expected. In both cases, cyclists appear to have used a multi-staged strategy to put themselves in a position where they could accelerate into the gap in the last 4-7 seconds before they reached the intersection.
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