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Politics : Gold and Silver Stocks and Related Commentary -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: mimur who wrote (14256)	6/14/2005 1:43:53 PM
From: Proud Deplorable	Respond to of 18308

Getting the Scents of Danger 3 June, 2005 Having the wrong smell in a car can cause speeding, dozing, road rage and potentially even serious accidents, according to the RAC Foundation. Having the right smell can help a driver to recognise dangers earlier, stay focused on the road ahead, forgive other peoples' driving errors and even find a bit of romance. Following the release of a study** into odours and driving conducted at the West Virginia Wheeling Jesuit University, the RAC Foundation has conducted an extensive research and literature review into effects of smell on driving. Sue Nicholson, Head of Campaigns for the RAC Foundation said: "It's astounding how much the smell in a car can affect a driver's mood and actions. Smell is a very powerful sense and could result in a lack of concentration or over-reaction to minor irritations on the road - which can turn into potentially life threatening incidents" While the West Virginia research appeared to identify peppermint and cinnamon odours as being the best cure-all, the range of smells that can help or hinder driving are enormous. Conrad King, the RAC Foundation's consultant psychologist, who conducted the research review added: "More than any other sense, the sense of smell circumnavigates the logical part of the brain and acts on the limbic and emotional systems. This is why the smell of perfume can turn men into gibbering idiots, the smell of baking bread can destroy the best intentions of a dieter and the smell of baby powder can make a child averse individual become quite broody. "When we bring cars into the equation, however, the ability of various smells to over or under stimulate us as drivers can have catastrophic results." Dangerous smells to be aware of are: * Camomile, Jasmine, and Lavender - these are all used to treat insomnia and can cause drivers to become over relaxed behind the wheel. They are also present in many "flowery" air fresheners. * The smell of fast food wrappers, fresh bread or pastry - these can cause driver irritability, a preponderance to speed and an increased chance of involvement in road rage because they can all make drivers feel hungry and in a hurry to satiate their appetites. * The smell of fresh cut grass, pine woods or roadside flowers - while relaxing some drivers, this can put others into a nostalgic frame of mind where they daydream of swooping down country lanes and fail to appreciate the speed at which they are travelling. For hay fever sufferers there may be the added problem of streaming eyes and sneezing. * A combination of leather seats and oil - this can make some older drivers remember the thrill and sense of freedom that came with their first cars. They could potentially then unconsciously adopt the risk taking behaviour of much younger drivers. * Certain perfumes and aftershaves - these can have a strong sexual association which may make both male and female drivers more interested in carnal matters than motoring matters. Whole memories, complete with all associated emotions, can be prompted by smell. Drivers tend to become de-sensitised to the smell of their own cars so become less aware of how it might affect their mood and also the mood of any other person that drives in it. Smells beneficial to driving include: * Peppermint and cinnamon - improves concentration levels as well as making drivers less irritable. * Lemon and coffee - these smells are good for clear thinking and high concentration levels. * New car smell (a combination of cleaning products and organic solvents etc) - tends to make people concentrate better and also take more care with their driving. * Sea ozone - a blast of salty sea air can encourage deep breathing which relaxes the muscles, relieves stress and calms the mind. For those people who think that a neutral smell in their car would be best, studies of astronauts found that a lack of odour was often profoundly disturbing, leading to irritability and even olfactory hallucinations. A pleasant smelling car can also enhance the driver's appeal to a partner. In earlier RAC Foundation research, when asked to name the things about a potential partner's car that might add to his attractiveness, the car's scent came out as one of the top answers. The smell of a car can adversely affect its resale attractiveness and price too. The turn-offs include: * Pet odour - there is nothing quite like the lingering smell of wet dog. * Stale smoke - no one wants to but a car that smells like an old ashtray. * Dirty, unkempt smelling interior - reeks of neglect, what else has been ignored? * Smelly gym gear and trainers - they may only reside in the car temporarily but the reminder of them can stay permanently. * Kids' accidents - you may think you have cleared up but the smell of vomit or urine lingers. * Sickly air fresheners - smell is very subjective. A powerful scent may do it for you but could leave a potential buyer reaching for the sick bag. * Spilled drinks - anything milky can be especially rancid and hard to shift. * Food wrappers - may make you hungry when they are fresh but several weeks on....? * Mildew from air conditioning - even a new car smells old and dirty. Three years ago, research for the RAC Foundation's Motoring towards 2050 report discovered that designers were working on an in-car system capable of detecting a driver's mood and state of anxiety and automatically altering the vehicle's seating position, lighting and temperature to accommodate this. This system also altered the smell in the car to help to calm or invigorate the driver. "Before 2050, however, motorists can help do this for themselves. A small cinnamon or mint scented room freshener sachet placed in a car could help to keep drivers alert, refreshed and focussed, " added Nicholson. Source: RAC Foundation DSA Comments One thing to remember, for all drivers, is never to hang air fresheners (or anything else) from the rear view mirror. Even small objects dangling in a driver's line of sight can interfere with or even momentarily block the view. As an example of the possible result, many motorcyclists around the world have paid with their lives just because of pointless trinkets hanging from car and truck driver's mirrors. Eddie Wren, Executive Director, Drive and Stay Alive, Inc.