14 ms·
I learned to drive from GTA III (before I had my license). I'm convinced the reflexes developed playing that game saved me from what could have been a bad acci
by phaedrus 4y ago
I learned to drive from GTA III (before I had my license). I'm convinced the reflexes developed playing that game saved me from what could have been a bad accident in real life.
I was driving on an interstate and traffic went from wide open (70 mph) to stopped. The end of the line of stopped cars was just over the crest of an overpass (so I couldn't see), and I was in a compact car (lower to the ground, and I'm short, so doubly couldn't see the stopped vehicles over the crest of the overpass).
With no time to stop, and almost no time to react, I instinctively avoided the stopped car and S-turned onto the shoulder, which gave me stopping distance. I don't think I could have reacted this quickly without video game-reflexes. The pickup truck that had been behind me locked up his brakes and screeched to a halt occupying the space my car would have been, if I had even been able to stop.
Side note, this is also why it REALLY annoys me to see impatient drivers in traffic jams dipping out onto the shoulder to "have a look." In fact in the event I described I only barely stopped behind someone else who had gone onto the shoulder. In that case I don't know whether that person went onto the shoulder after traffic slowed, or if like me they'd barely avoided hitting the line of stopped cars.