While driving if confronted with an emergency scenario, ambush or accident, the driver’s reaction time can be the difference between success and failure. All driving emergencies are a time distance relationship. Anything that delays perception will shorten the amount of time and distance available and lengthen the reaction time which can cause a disaster.
Vehicle emergencies are measured in tenths of seconds. Anything the driver can do to give them more time; hence more distance can be a life saver. If the driver where moving at 40 MPH a tenth of a second is around 6 feet, two tenths of a second, which by the way is literally a blink of the eye, is around 12 feet. If you where moving at 60 MPH a tenth of a second is around 9 feet, two tenths of a second, a blink of the eye, is around 18 feet. Anything that can give the driver as little a two tenths of a second additional time to react can be a lifesaver. There is a piece of equipment, one that most won’t think of, that can help with reaction time – Sunglasses.
If you are not wearing the appropriate sun protection it can interfere with and lengthen your reaction time. Our instructors wear Gargoyle sunglasses. They were surprised at the clarity the sunglasses provided. During the obstacle course where cars are coming at them from all directions the difference was noticeable. In typical Tony Scotti VDI fashion we had to find out why? What makes these sunglasses different than other sunglasses we have worn?
We talked with Gargoyle and the answer was, because the lens is Green. The Gargoyle Green Field of Play lens is specifically designed to track objects; it’s called the G-15 Lens. The technology for the G – 15 Lens was developed by the Navy in 50’s. The Gargoyle sunglasses have formulated a green lens utilizing that technology. The explanation we got was that the green lens provides the wearer with a more enhanced natural vision. By controlling low-level blue light while the middle range of light is selectively manipulated, the green lens provides optimum visual stimulation and distinctive object illumination.
This is from the Gargoyle web site - Human eyes do not respond equally to all colors in the visual spectrum. The eyes are more sensitive to green and yellow wavelengths and are less sensitive to red and blue. Based on this knowledge, the G-15 lens was formulated to emphasize the colors that our eyes see most easily and de-emphasize less useful colors. The military was so impressed that they wrote a complete set of specifications around the characteristics of the G-15 lenses.
What I get out of the explanation is the Gargoyles allow you to track movement. In turn you identify problems quicker. Let’s get to it – In our world, “problem” is defined as the Kill Zone. ANYTHING that gives more time and distance, will aid in staying out of the Kill Zone. If you do allot of day light driving, especially in a security environment where every tenth of a second counts, take a close look at Gargoyles – their web site.
[...] Sunglasses – Help With Reaction Time [...]