[overlordalex]

> I think it was because the brain involuntarily steers where people are looking, so those people trying too hard not to hit the tree might have involuntarily steered towards it, not sure, just my hypothesis because it made no sense.

This is actually called target fixation[1] and is part of why a helpful hint for a lot of new cyclists is to simply look where you want to go and don't overthink it.

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Target_fixation

[elliekelly]

Suddenly my inability to ride a bike in a city makes a lot more sense...

[jacquesm]

Another part is that when you're not a very experienced cyclist you tend to want to model everything around you to avoid hitting something or being hit, whereas you just have to trust people around you to (for the most part) being just as happy not to hit you. So focus on what's ahead of you and whose paths will intersect with yours as long as you are going in a straight line and really start to worry about the rest when you are sharply changing direction. Avoid others first and foremost by speeding up or slowing down rather than by changing direction, but do so gradually, not abruptly. Signal your intent.

This is how I teach my kids and they tend to do very well in traffic and on their traffic exams.

[sitkack]

https://theanthrotorian.com/travel/2012/10/20/how-to-cross-t...

[jacquesm]

Neat, yes, that's the exact same principle. Just be a predictable movable obstacle and you'll be fine.

[sitkack]

I drove a 107cc moped/motorbike in Vietnam for 3 weeks, something like 1500km. Driving was like dancing. Or, imagine what driving would be like if everyone knew that their own and everyone else's brakes didn't work. :)

Little old ladies would cross the highway, just moving at a predictable constant velocity and traffic would flow around them. Everything was laminar.