Today TPP woke up to a foggy morning – a very heavy, pea soup type fog that hangs around for most of the day!
TPP needed to make a trip down the road for a wee errand. Even through this road is a well travelled one and TPP almost knows every bend, bump or quirk there is on it, it was still a very disorientating trip due to the fog. This got the pondering gears going along the lines of…
Why is it so difficult to find your way in fog, even when you know exactly where you are and where you are going???
So when back after the errand, TPP did some looking around on the internet to get some answers. Below is the best one that was found to describe what happens…
Fog significantly impairs orientation by reducing visual reference points, leading to a loss of spatial awareness and disorientation. This occurs because the suspension of water droplets in the air diminishes luminance contrast, blurring depth cues like aerial perspective and linear perspective that the brain relies on for navigation.
Perceptual distortions are also common; fog causes observers to overestimate egocentric distance by 20–30% during the day and up to 60% at night. Additionally, low contrast in foggy conditions creates an optical illusion where moving objects appear to travel slower than they actually are, further complicating speed and distance judgment for drivers and operators.
Your homework today is to ponder on the times you have been out and about on a foggy day – how was it… did you feel disorientated or were you fine?
Ponder away!
