I've been thinkin'.....delayed a bit.

[Dwight Southerland]

Average human reaction time is about .200. The third amber comes on at -.500. R/T = Driver Reaction Time + Vehicle Reaction Time. That means that unless your vehicle reaction time (rollout) is .30 or better, you could not cut a perfect light without counting (anticipating the 3rd light). There are a lot of Stockers out there that don't have a rollout better than .35!

Michael-

You have stated facts that point to why some people swear by delay boxes. It's not that the box improves their ability to react to the tree any better, it is that the box allows them a means to overcome the deficiencies of their own inability to react fast enough and/or their car's inability to react fast enough. If the combination of personal reaction time is .250 sec and the car has a reaction time of only .350 sec, there is no way to bottom bulb race with any success. Leaving between one light and another is not as consistent as reacting to a change in visual stimuli, by scientific evidence, so this guy is set up for reduced sucess because of the mechanical situation. Enter the delay box and voila, he can overcome the limitations. Maybe that is one factor why faster cars seem to win more - they have the ability to do the necessary .300-or-better reaction time. This situation is why I am impressed by drivers of slow cars who win consistently. Do you remember the "Mr. Dirt" series in Super Stock magazine years ago?? All this stuff is what it takes to be a good driver.