Why does everything slow down when you have a wreck?

Unfortunately, many of us have had this experience while under extreme duress such as during an accident. Here's a possible explanation that makes sense to me:

http://www.npr.org/t...oryId=129112147

Click on the audio report (recommended as it's more entertaining than reading the text which is there too).

I'm more interested in why time goes by so fast the older I get:

http://www.npr.org/t...122322542&ps=rs

Shame it doesn't mean I lap Phillip Island any quicker!

Interesting read. I experienced this as a kid when I was hit by a car while riding a bicycle. It is amazing the details I remember from the few seconds before the impact. I actually ran through 3 scenarios in my head to minimize or escape the impact and chose what I thought was the best one. Still got hit, but to this day, I believe it was the best choice.

[image: View Post]FotoMoto, on 17 August 2010 - 04:23 PM, said:

Unfortunately, many of us have had this experience while under extreme duress such as during an accident. Here's a possible explanation that makes sense to me:

http://www.npr.org/t...oryId=129112147

Click on the audio report (recommended as it's more entertaining than reading the text which is there too).

I don't agree with the "memory conclusion" at all.....at least for me. Although I remember like yesterday two nasty "potentials".

I walked away from what should have been a "sure death" car wreck when I was 26 y. o. I still remember the amount of warp speed thinking and acting as I literally drove my way and thought my way through on how to drive away from this accident. The whole wreck didn't last any more than seconds, and I walked away after being run into by an 18 wheeler, being underneath the trailer, and driving out from under it with both vehicles moving down the highway. Nice trick I still think...... :blink: :blink: I thought my way thru this one.

The second time was on my 5th gen. Flew around a tight corner I'd been through dozens and dozens of times. EVERYTHING went wrong and all except the rear wheel spin was brand new to me. I can deal with some rear wheel spin and slippage. I clearly remember thinking WTF am I going to do, then dealing with a horribly out of control bike. In just a very few short nano- seconds, my mind put together a plan, I executed the plan with rider inputs and action and ended up slowly rolling to a straight up stop on the paved shoulder of the road. Never went down or hit anything. In both cases, I didn't panic and wasn't freaked out afterwards for some reason. Survival instinct I suspect.

That's my real life research into the twilight zone. Major drama, eh,...a little too major but I'm still here....today anyway....... :blink: :blink:

NEXT....... :warranty:

[image: View Post]Bent, on 17 August 2010 - 09:04 PM, said:

I don't agree with the "memory conclusion" at all.....at least for me. Although I remember like yesterday two nasty "potentials".


Maybe you should listen to it again as they are saying your experience is exactly what happens: time doesn't slow but our minds achieve their full potential (memory wise) which is quite extraordinary. Imagine if we could turn that ability on and off at will. Learn a new track or road perfectly in one pass? No problem!

Wow, the last time I crashed a dirt bike, a fairly common occurrence, it happened to be a really TALL one and I vividly remember in the split second it took to get from the seat to the ground thinking, "this is gonna leave a mark, holy s*** this is gonna leave TWO marks". It's amazing how slowly reality unfolds when it's actually happening at warp speed.On the other hand, once you get to the hospital time REALLY slows down.

its all wrooooonnnnggg!!!!!!! :pissed:
whats happens is simple.. the whole mind body connection opens up and allows the body cells to the tell the brain..depending on which one you are using at the time..
"THIS IS GONNA HURT!!!!!!!

once the OUCH has happened the brain s phone lines go back to normal and you feel that rush afterwards.. thats the brain telling all the cell to shut the F#@% up!
now.. depending on which brain your using... 2 things may happen.. 1) i dont want that to happen again!!!
or 2) wow.. ,that wasnt so bad..lets try that again..

if you repeat #2 until it becomes #1 , you have a syndrome of some kind..
i have hottie syndrome.. which gets me slapped some times.. and yes time slows down.. as my face screams.."NOT AGAIN!!"
my joystick screams.." look at her BOOOBS! getting jiggly with it!
while my main brain is yelling SHUT UP!! i have to think of a second approach!!
:goofy:

[image: View Post]Bent, on 17 August 2010 - 09:04 PM, said:

I don't agree with the "memory conclusion" at all.....at least for me. Although I remember like yesterday two nasty "potentials".

I walked away from what should have been a "sure death" car wreck when I was 26 y. o. I still remember the amount of warp speed thinking and acting as I literally drove my way and thought my way through on how to drive away from this accident. The whole wreck didn't last any more than seconds, and I walked away after being run into by an 18 wheeler, being underneath the trailer, and driving out from under it with both vehicles moving down the highway. Nice trick I still think...... :blink: :blink: I thought my way thru this one.

The second time was on my 5th gen. Flew around a tight corner I'd been through dozens and dozens of times. EVERYTHING went wrong and all except the rear wheel spin was brand new to me. I can deal with some rear wheel spin and slippage. I clearly remember thinking WTF am I going to do, then dealing with a horribly out of control bike. In just a very few short nano- seconds, my mind put together a plan, I executed the plan with rider inputs and action and ended up slowly rolling to a straight up stop on the paved shoulder of the road. Never went down or hit anything. In both cases, I didn't panic and wasn't freaked out afterwards for some reason. Survival instinct I suspect.

That's my real life research into the twilight zone. Major drama, eh,...a little too major but I'm still here....today anyway....... :blink: :blink:

NEXT....... :warranty:

What kind of car were you driving when you went under the semi trailer?

I liked the one on age(65)... maybe it'll help me. I'd go with the last explanation.
Now back to the time speeding by under stress..... When I 1st started sky-diving I kept getting ground-rush and not trusting my altimeter, so wanted to pull before I needed to. Needless to say, as much as I felt I didn't have much time left, I could think about all I should do to make this jump work out. No matter how many times I did it over and over(about 20 jumps or so). Then one day I was on the way up when I passed a small cloud in the jump area(to small to go against FAA) and I was checking my alt. at 2,500 feet against the aircraft's alt.(since that was my pull altitude), and noticed that the cloud was right at 2,500 and didn't think anymore about it. When I got to 6'600(style-jump alt.) I jumped out of the plane and the same stuff was running though my mind until I was getting ground-rush again, and thinking I should pull the rip-cord, and at that time I saw the cloud(the only one in the sky by-the-way) way below me, and from that moment on I could feel my thoughts kick back to normal speed, and never had ground-rush again(add a couple thou jumps after that)..... To this day I can't say which way my mind was working(fast/slow) , but I do remember how it changed the moment I saw that cloud.......... For what it's worth.........

I really hate to bore youse guys with police crap, but it is what I know.

In a life threatening situation your brain allocates blood and attention to what is needed. This results in the percieved slowing of time, a wooshing sound in your ears and tunnel vision. It is a survival technique that you need to learn to harness. When your safety is threatened you will go to muscle memory and the results of practice. This has been proven over and over again. This is why my firearm is always in the exact same place either on duty or off duty, because in a life threatening situation, my hand will go to where the weapon has been every time for the last 20 years. Studies have shown that you will preform as you practice and that it takes 3000 movements to ingrain muscle memory. (ride more-its practice)

Ever almost been in a crash, say in your minivan and only after all is safe, your heart starts pumping and you feel sick? This is your practice and muscle memory taking over for you untill you catch up.

I remember a situation that I would rather not elaborate on, where time took forver, I could only see a pin-prick of my vision, and my weapon sounded like a very faint "pop". Moral of the story is I am still here, no thanks to me, but due to training and muscle memory.

It is another reason I actually like riding in the rain. It is practice. Sorry for the long post, but it is a subject I have delved into and find interesting. (I promise the next post will be silly)

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 18 August 2010 - 12:43 AM, said:

I really hate to bore youse guys with police crap, but it is what I know.

In a life threatening situation your brain allocates blood and attention to what is needed. This results in the percieved slowing of time, a wooshing sound in your ears and tunnel vision. It is a survival technique that you need to learn to harness. When your safety is threatened you will go to muscle memory and the results of practice. This has been proven over and over again. This is why my firearm is always in the exact same place either on duty or off duty, because in a life threatening situation, my hand will go to where the weapon has been every time for the last 20 years. Studies have shown that you will preform as you practice and that it takes 3000 movements to ingrain muscle memory. (ride more-its practice)

Ever almost been in a crash, say in your minivan and only after all is safe, your heart starts pumping and you feel sick? This is your practice and muscle memory taking over for you untill you catch up.

I remember a situation that I would rather not elaborate on, where time took forver, I could only see a pin-prick of my vision, and my weapon sounded like a very faint "pop". Moral of the story is I am still here, no thanks to me, but due to training and muscle memory.

It is another reason I actually like riding in the rain. It is practice. Sorry for the long post, but it is a subject I have delved into and find interesting. (I promise the next post will be silly)

Thx for sharing, Monk

[image: View Post]FotoMoto, on 17 August 2010 - 09:54 PM, said:

[image: View Post]Bent, on 17 August 2010 - 09:04 PM, said:

I don't agree with the "memory conclusion" at all.....at least for me. Although I remember like yesterday two nasty "potentials".


Maybe you should listen to it again as they are saying your experience is exactly what happens: time doesn't slow but our minds achieve their full potential (memory wise) which is quite extraordinary. Imagine if we could turn that ability on and off at will. Learn a new track or road perfectly in one pass? No problem!


I'm sure you're right, FM. I read the article and didn't listen to it because I don't have a 7 minute attention span.... :laugh: Good post you did there!! :fing02: :fing02:

Monk, I was in a 1970 Firebird Transam. It was a monster car in it's time but I wasn't hot-rodding it when "it" happened. It would definitely "hot rod" though..... :fing02:

Mental note: Be nice to Timmy.... :biggrin:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 18 August 2010 - 12:43 AM, said:

I really hate to bore youse guys with police crap, but it is what I know.

In a life threatening situation your brain allocates blood and attention to what is needed. This results in the percieved slowing of time, a wooshing sound in your ears and tunnel vision. It is a survival technique that you need to learn to harness.


TTC, the type of stimulation that you're describing are 'long term' effects, and not the instant reaction to a rapidly changing and potentially dangerous situation that is described in the commentary. In the 'short term' reaction your body releases neurotransmitters directly into the brain, the effect is one of instantaneous stimulation and increased activity that takes only milliseconds to reach full speed. The physical responses to the fight or flight response take a lot longer(increased resp rate, tunnel vision, increased heart rate, bowel and bladder evacuation etc. These responses are measured in 10th's of a second or longer), and these are the reactions that, as you describe, one can override and learn to conciously control. And you're so right about muscle memory..........except that you can actually create a 'muscle memory' by thinking through the anticipated threat, and your anticipated response, thoroughly and frequently. There ain't no substitute for practice though.

man, my brain must be messed up. i don't get the slow time speed hardly ever. when i wrecked at the track, it felt instantaneous. here i am carving the corner way lower than i ever have, dragging everything but the kitchen sink, thinking "wow, these Qualifiers sure stick good, but i don't think i should be dragging my whole lower leg.. hmm" as soon as i started to roll the throttle... i'm on my butt sliding to the rumble stripes.... flips me over, roll a few times, end up on hands n knees. stand up, and check myself. "yep, Da boys are still there. now WTF just happened?" there was NO slowing down. I've slid the rear tire before on purpose and it was no biggie, but this time, no way. slide tire... bang crash in the dirt. i will say adrenalin sure is cool stuff. without it, my ankle would have kept me in the grass/dirt bawling like a lil school girl. as it was, i walked off to the barriers and didn't know i had broken the ankle til the medtechs made me stand up in the ambulance. yeoowzah!! ahh morphine.. love it.
another event...when my sister rolled our Mom's car with me in the front passenger seat, there was no time slowing... it was done and over with before i could really even say oh s^&%!! or at least that's how it felt.
you guys got it good. or maybe in my circumstances, the brain just said,"you're F'd! just roll with it!"

[image: View Post]USAFVFR2NV, on 18 August 2010 - 11:35 AM, said:

man, my brain must be messed up. i don't get the slow time speed hardly ever. when i wrecked at the track, it felt instantaneous. here i am carving the corner way lower than i ever have, dragging everything but the kitchen sink, thinking "wow, these Qualifiers sure stick good, but i don't think i should be dragging my whole lower leg.. hmm" as soon as i started to roll the throttle... i'm on my butt sliding to the rumble stripes.... flips me over, roll a few times, end up on hands n knees. stand up, and check myself. "yep, Da boys are still there. now WTF just happened?" there was NO slowing down. I've slid the rear tire before on purpose and it was no biggie, but this time, no way. slide tire... bang crash in the dirt. i will say adrenalin sure is cool stuff. without it, my ankle would have kept me in the grass/dirt bawling like a lil school girl. as it was, i walked off to the barriers and didn't know i had broken the ankle til the medtechs made me stand up in the ambulance. yeoowzah!! ahh morphine.. love it.
another event...when my sister rolled our Mom's car with me in the front passenger seat, there was no time slowing... it was done and over with before i could really even say oh s^&%!! or at least that's how it felt.
you guys got it good. or maybe in my circumstances, the brain just said,"you're F'd! just roll with it!"


Took me a about half a minute to read everything you thought about during an event that probably lasted less than :05 secs. :dry: I bet you could have written more and described it all in much better detail too.

If you didn't read or listen to the link, it's saying time doesn't slow down, just our perception of it does. Our brain is called to act at it's peak performance and all that "data" is stored and computed in a true blink of an eye. This is soooo much faster than our normal day to day thought process that the best way for us to rationalize/internalize this phenomenon is that it felt like time slowed down for a brief instant.

[image: View Post]FotoMoto, on 18 August 2010 - 01:34 PM, said:

[image: View Post]USAFVFR2NV, on 18 August 2010 - 11:35 AM, said:

man, my brain must be messed up. i don't get the slow time speed hardly ever. when i wrecked at the track, it felt instantaneous. here i am carving the corner way lower than i ever have, dragging everything but the kitchen sink, thinking "wow, these Qualifiers sure stick good, but i don't think i should be dragging my whole lower leg.. hmm" as soon as i started to roll the throttle... i'm on my butt sliding to the rumble stripes.... flips me over, roll a few times, end up on hands n knees. stand up, and check myself. "yep, Da boys are still there. now WTF just happened?" there was NO slowing down. I've slid the rear tire before on purpose and it was no biggie, but this time, no way. slide tire... bang crash in the dirt. i will say adrenalin sure is cool stuff. without it, my ankle would have kept me in the grass/dirt bawling like a lil school girl. as it was, i walked off to the barriers and didn't know i had broken the ankle til the medtechs made me stand up in the ambulance. yeoowzah!! ahh morphine.. love it.
another event...when my sister rolled our Mom's car with me in the front passenger seat, there was no time slowing... it was done and over with before i could really even say oh s^&%!! or at least that's how it felt.
you guys got it good. or maybe in my circumstances, the brain just said,"you're F'd! just roll with it!"


Took me a about half a minute to read everything you thought about during an event that probably lasted less than :05 secs. :dry: I bet you could have written more and described it all in much better detail too.

If you didn't read or listen to the link, it's saying time doesn't slow down, just our perception of it does. Our brain is called to act at it's peak performance and all that "data" is stored and computed in a true blink of an eye. This is soooo much faster than our normal day to day thought process that the best way for us to rationalize/internalize this phenomenon is that it felt like time slowed down for a brief instant.

well, obviously i know TIME doesn't slow down. :dry: it's that perception dealio, but i was just explaining the events i had that i never perceived "time slowing down" like the OP was talking about.

actually, ..... if i wrote what i felt/saw happened it would consist of "roll throttle, slide, tumble, stop." that was the limit of my detail and I had to use what other people told me they saw and try to fill in the blanks. i just wonder why it (perceived time slowness) never happened to me even though my situations were freaky but ended well enough, but "could" have ended quite differently. (snapped neck, concussion, broke into a few pieces). i guess i should have over-simpified the situational details and not given any info leading up to the crash and after the crash. i must be too used to working for supervisors that want to know ever cotton-pickin detail even if has nothing to do with the actual incident. gotta love the mil life. :biggrin: :biggrin: :biggrin:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 18 August 2010 - 12:43 AM, said:

I really hate to bore youse guys with police crap, but it is what I know.

This is why my firearm is always in the exact same place either on duty or off duty, because in a life threatening situation, my hand will go to where the weapon has been every time for the last 20 years.

I have to agree. This is my #1 reason that my cell phone ALWAYS goes in the same pocket of my riding jacket. Wallet, house keys, glasses, etc. may rotate on an as needed basis but if I can only remember one thing when I'm down, I want to KNOW where my phone is without thinking about it or without trying to unzip 9 zippers with a broken arm.

Back on topic, I have only been down once about 14 years ago and I remember every detail as if it were this morning. I went through an extensive mental "options" list, chose one, then carried out my "plan" in a micro second. Looking back, I would say that I made the best choice of options at the time. I still wasn't very happy about the situation but made the best of what could have been very ugly.

one thing that sticks into my brain.. the mussel memory stuff timmy said..
i hit a rock and was highsiding..yes i saw everything in ' slow mo after i hit the 12oclock position and the next thing i know my right are is out, elbow up .head tucked, left arm back.. and wham i just a perfect break roll at 45mph.. after years of judo and akido the impact was was hardly felt...until the next day that is..whole body screamed " for gods sake.. call the hottie that likes to massage and bring chinese food!" :fing02:

the vfr was ok.. needed new body work..was rebuilt ect ect..

[image: View Post]k1c, on 18 August 2010 - 10:44 AM, said:

[image: View Post]timmythecop, on 18 August 2010 - 12:43 AM, said:

I really hate to bore youse guys with police crap, but it is what I know.

In a life threatening situation your brain allocates blood and attention to what is needed. This results in the percieved slowing of time, a wooshing sound in your ears and tunnel vision. It is a survival technique that you need to learn to harness.


TTC, the type of stimulation that you're describing are 'long term' effects, and not the instant reaction to a rapidly changing and potentially dangerous situation that is described in the commentary. In the 'short term' reaction your body releases neurotransmitters directly into the brain, the effect is one of instantaneous stimulation and increased activity that takes only milliseconds to reach full speed. The physical responses to the fight or flight response take a lot longer(increased resp rate, tunnel vision, increased heart rate, bowel and bladder evacuation etc. These responses are measured in 10th's of a second or longer), and these are the reactions that, as you describe, one can override and learn to conciously control. And you're so right about muscle memory..........except that you can actually create a 'muscle memory' by thinking through the anticipated threat, and your anticipated response, thoroughly and frequently. There ain't no substitute for practice though.


Commonly called "adrenaline rush", no?