Rider Improvement - TOPIC 1: Target Fixation

misti · 05-05-2010, 06:11 PM

There has been mention of taking one item at a time, such as target fixation and discussing it (with other riders or on a forum). This is a good idea. Why don't we do that here? I'll start the discussion.....

What exactly is target fixation? Why does it happen and what are some ways that you can prevent it from happening?

Misti

Lee1200r · 05-06-2010, 11:05 PM

When I ride on the street I keep a scan going of what's in front of me, to my sides and rear. When you see something that grabs your attention for more then a few seconds that is target fixation, to me. Such as gravel in a corner, or a rock in the road or just about anything you concentrate on too long. I have seen riders come into a corner and see gravel and grab a bunch of brake and lowside the bike. I have also seen a rider run over a dead animal in the road without even trying to avoid it?

I've caught myself staring at something and had to force my eyes to look away, most of the time when I'm tired. At the track I have found myself looking at a rider that just passed me instead of looking at the corner I'm coming up on. Whenever I do that I totally blow my line into that corner. These are just some of the things I've noticed in my riding that target fixation played a role in.

Joker · 05-07-2010, 12:19 AM

Keith Code taught me about target fixation and I used it my first track day after I took the two day level 1-2. I was riding Streets of Willow turn 8 when a rider low sided right in front of me in turn 8, first thing I fixated on was the rider, then the bike, then I heard Keith in my head saying look where you want to go....I did that and went right between the rider and the bike. The first video is this. YouTube - 11 9 09 Ausen Streets of Willow

LOOK WHERE YOU WANT TO GO! When things go bad, look at the exit!

So easy to focus all attention on the distraction and ride right into it. The second video is the best example of target fixation that I have seen....check it out: YouTube - Bex's Willow Incident

So I guess the bottom line to me is not to "stare" at any particular item, realize it is there, then move on to where you want to go. And I use this every time I ride.

TDA · 05-07-2010, 09:26 AM

I experienced target fixation first hand at the track this weekend. There was a tight sweeper that led to the straight and right in the middle of the turn there was a patch of tar that ran for about 20-30 yards. There was plenty of room to the inside of it which was the preferred line. I couldn't get my eyes off of it and repeatedly went right to it. It was so annoying because I was improving on every part of the track but that turn. How do you remedy it?

Thugsfatboy · 05-07-2010, 09:36 AM

During trackdays they have always taught where you look is where you go,i lent a hd camera to a mate who had a convex mirror on his dash,you could see straight ahead and also showed his upper body etc in frame as he was coming round for his second lap through turn 1 he was looking where he should have,halfway through the corner his gaze changed and thats where he ended up laying down in the gravel,brushed himself off and went back out next session

dc92974 · 05-10-2010, 02:34 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Joker

The second video is the best example of target fixation that I have seen....check it out: YouTube - Bex's Willow Incident

Wow, so obvious in hindsight. It looks like he just didn't like the guy and saw an opportunity to run over his bike. At speed though its it feels like your paralyzed.

Here in Northern Idaho we get lots of opportunities to practice with deer on the road. When you see a deer its natural to stare at it. Even if you do manage to keep from driving off the road and hitting it, if your starting at it you still won't see the next deer (danger) thats crossing the road in front of you.

I try to teach myself to keep the deer in my peripheral vision just in case it decides to bolt across the road but immediately start looking around for other deer. About the only + I've found from deer crossing the road

Paul Y · 05-10-2010, 02:59 PM

I might beg to slightly differ, though I get the idea.

Classic example of TF is the dive bomber pilot. Less that he fliesin to the soon-to-be-smoking-hole in the ground. Rather, he excludes other peripheral information like altitude, airspeed, rate of descent...while he attempts to put bombs on target, and then it is too late to pull out.

More of a go-where-you-look sort of a thing I figure.

There's not much ingnoring of cues on the bike (steepening dive angle for example). Coming in hot to a corner, while looking at the topless pitgirl...now THAT might be target fixation...

Something more akin to watching the hips of a runningback to see where he's going. Something has to lead, on a bike, the eyes/head it seems.

py

crgrbrts · 05-10-2010, 03:58 PM

Even the pros aren't immune to the hypnotic, injurious effects of target fixation.

Observe :15 - :20 seconds in:

YouTube - european superstock crash

deef · 05-10-2010, 04:04 PM

I did the CSS ere in Ireland, Both step 1&2 and have to say it was great... 2 step.... Well its pritty simple really, "Look where to go and ya`ll go where ya look" simple really and in the 2nd Video that man shouldnt of been looking at the rider goin off the track...Good vid, Shows Target Fixation exactly.. Im really liking this section of the Forum,Really handy.Keep up the good work.

misti · 05-10-2010, 05:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by TDA

I experienced target fixation first hand at the track this weekend. There was a tight sweeper that led to the straight and right in the middle of the turn there was a patch of tar that ran for about 20-30 yards. There was plenty of room to the inside of it which was the preferred line. I couldn't get my eyes off of it and repeatedly went right to it. It was so annoying because I was improving on every part of the track but that turn. How do you remedy it?

I think we have all experienced target fixation at some point. I was downhill mountain biking this weekend and took a nice wipeout because I was staring at the big rock I didn't want to hit

You would think I would know not to do this but it can be difficult to break the habit, especially when I'm fairly new to the sport. I'm pretty good at NOT target fixating when roadracing but put me on a dirtbike or mountain bike (where I'm not as comfortable or experienced) and I have to work extra hard on my visual skills.

You mention that you were having the problem of target fixation in the same corner and that you kept staring at the tar strip. You also mention that there was room on the inside of it which is really where you would want the bike to go. So what about replacing the tar strip (where you DON'T want to go) with something else you could look at (where you DO want to go?)

This leads into the idea of reference points...what are reference points and how can they help you when riding?

Misti