Refractory period

This being notice of an experience yesterday which was both odd and novel.

The occasion was attempting to get our car out of a side road onto the busy A35, somewhere near Chideock. A road best known to me for the spectacular views to be had on the stretch between Charmouth and Bridport. I was attempting to turn left from the south, rather easier than turning right across the traffic, and I eventually succeeded, but not without incident.

The incident being that there appeared to be a suitable gap, after a string of fast moving cars, with a distinctive blue car at the end of the string. Or at least so I thought.

I manage to get hands and feet into gear and the car was just starting to move when a passenger in the car pointed out that I was trying to come out behind the wrong blue car, that is to say behind the penultimate car, also blue, which I had not noticed.

I managed to stop without difficulty, but a stopping which left me in no position to start again after the ultimate car. For some reason, I was fleetingly aware of the need to start again but there was no way that I could communicate this need to hands and feet in time. I just had to stand down and wait for the next opportunity.

I associate now to the refractory period of a neuron, stood down in a analogous way for a short period after firing. See reference 1 - or ask Bing.

Also to the fact the Ford cars that I have known have a low and silent turnover which seems to mean that I often stall them when starting. Conscious effort required not to do this, conscious effort which slows things down. Some people get the turnover wound up a few notches for this very reason.

Reference 1: https://www.physiologyweb.com/lecture_notes/neuronal_action_potential/neuronal_action_potential_refractory_periods.html. From which I have taken the snap above.