Velocity and the human experience

[jeanpinto844]

TL;DR Summary: Velocity and the human experience

As I was walking into work this morning I looked up and noticed an airplane flying overhead. Airplanes travel at speeds of up to 550 miles per hour while in flight. This question is really less about physics and more about our everyday experience with speeds. We experience speeds of up to 70-80 miles per hour perhaps in a car, on a train, or on a roller coaster as well as seeing objects travel at these speeds and yet when we look at an airplane it sure doesn't seem like it's going 550 miles per hour.

Do you think that physiologically, there is an upper limit to how we perceive high speeds? In other words, once we reach say, 150 miles per hour, any speed beyond that doesn't seem any faster so 500 miles per hour is the same experience as 150 miles per hour.

My apologies if this question seems out of place but I thought it to be interesting. Thank you.

 

[Ibix]

We are very bad at judging speeds of distant objects. Particularly something like an aircraft on a featureless blue background, it's incredibly easy to see it as a small thing drifting along little more than just out of reach, and not a really large thing racing along several miles away. I guarantee that if it passes over you at 500mph you'll notice its speed is high! There are quite a few videos of low passes overhead by fighter aircraft on YouTube if you look. Or videos of carrier operations - the speed at which a large hunk of metal on the deck turns into a speck in the distance is quite remarkable.

 

[pinball1970]

TL;DR Summary: Velocity and the human experience

As I was walking into work this morning I looked up and noticed an airplane flying overhead. Airplanes travel at speeds of up to 550 miles per hour while in flight. This question is really less about physics and more about our everyday experience with speeds. We experience speeds of up to 70-80 miles per hour perhaps in a car, on a train, or on a roller coaster as well as seeing objects travel at these speeds and yet when we look at an airplane it sure doesn't seem like it's going 550 miles per hour.

Do you think that physiologically, there is an upper limit to how we perceive high speeds? In other words, once we reach say, 150 miles per hour, any speed beyond that doesn't seem any faster so 500 miles per hour is the same experience as 150 miles per hour.

My apologies if this question seems out of place but I thought it to be interesting. Thank you.

It is interesting and is a question of biology as much as physics.

We evolved to interact our visual environment at shorter distances that included lions, mates, rivals, prey and a nearby place to hide not high-speed planes.

It is difficult to judge velocities and sizes at that distance unless you are trained, so our brains are easily fooled as Ibix said.

A good example is a wind turbine, have you ever been up close to one? Shocked at the size? Speed of the blades?

They look a lot smaller and slower from a distance, smaller and slower than you guessed till you are close.

 

[PeroK]

Do you think that physiologically, there is an upper limit to how we perceive high speeds? In other words, once we reach say, 150 miles per hour, any speed beyond that doesn't seem any faster so 500 miles per hour is the same experience as 150 miles per hour.

No. There are often fighter jets practising in various mountain locations in the UK. I would estimate their ground speed at $500 m/s$ , which is over $1,000$ mph. They are definitely going faster than $150$ mph.

 

[ChemAir]

I've seen little evidence that humans are practically competent at evaluating risks/consequences of speed, and that includes myself, a former drag racer, except in retrospect, or after large amounts of experience.

Simplistically, if you hang over a ledge, 25 feet (7-8m) over the ground, you have a risk of a ~30mph collision with the ground. Many people are afraid, or at least wary, of heights, even 5-10' (1.5-4m) or so. We (humans) are pretty good at understanding this risk, and tend to avoid it, and most don't hang off ledges 25' above the ground.

Yet, people will drive down the interstate at 75mph...often while doing things that could cause them to crash.

Neglecting airbags, restraints, and modern vehicle controls, the risk for harm when at highway speeds can be a factor of 6 greater than hanging off a second story balcony. Yet, most, like me, fear the balcony.

 

[256bits]

et, people will drive down the interstate at 75mph...often while doing things that could cause them to crash.

Because the speed is not being experienced 'up close'.
Take the doors off and the floor board so people could see the ground up close move, and they would, perhaps, (not everyone would be as scared to poop), reduce the speed to a more 'comfortable' level.
Being enclosed within does not render how fast everything is moving by.

In a analogous situation, most people I presume, can walk on a chalk line on a floor with little apprehension.
Move the line up a bit, such as on a rail that a train follows, a mere distance of 5 or so inches, and the walk becomes less effortless - arms waving and feet feeling for support.
Or peer out full size window on a tall building - no problem. Remove the window glass and few would come up to inches of the ledge.

 

[ChemAir]

Because the speed is not being experienced 'up close'.

Or because it is not being felt/perceived.
The presence of safety equipment to moderate the perception of speed, reduce vibration, etc., definitely hides some of this.

May be part of why speed perception in a boat, or an open cart, seems so much greater than in an enclosed car, or why a rattle-trap vehicle at 30mph is far scarier than a silent car at 50.

Also, probably why wooden roller coasters can be as scary as they are.