On Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 1:26:07 PM UTC-5, jfitch wrote:
On Tuesday, December 22, 2015 at 8:40:49 AM UTC-8, ND wrote:
SNIP that still gives you 12 seconds to SEE AND AVOID the traffic. count out 12 seconds and think about how long that is.

Ok now think about the glider going your direction you think might be just above to your left, and the one you think might be just below to your right (they are not threats and are invisible on your tactical display due to stealth). Then get two alarms indicating closing traffic ahead at 12 and 11 seconds to impact. Start counting. You cannot make a sudden turn or swoop, you do not know where the gliders beside you are. You cannot call them, you don't know who they are. Now at 5 seconds spot the third glider also closing from ahead with the other two (warning was buried under the others). You have 5 gliders to miss and 5 seconds to sort it out. Two of them are somewhere alongside, but you don't know where. The three going the other direction are beginning to visually pick up you three and are scattering in random directions as are your two companions. Now you are getting alarms from every direction. Three people have the radio keyed and all you hear is howling. Five, four, three, two one, BANG. Still plenty of time?

With (non-stealth) Flarm, this scenario doesn't even raise your heart rate, you knew where everyone was 7 miles out, made a leisurely 3 deg course change, and don't even see them visually when they pass safely on your left. Believe me, this happens out west.

you know what i'm gonna do in that scenario? i'm gonna open my eyes, and look up. then i'm going to pull up and to my right while making sure i'm not going to hit someone above me as i'm doing so. that's gonna reduce the closing speed and give me more time to spot the traffic. if it's really desperate, i'll pull my water (if i happen to be carrying any) to increase my visibility to others until i think the danger has passed. use every resource you can and get creative. no amount of anything besides a forcefield can eliminate two aircraft from rubbing. i accept that every time i get in. I also accept that flarm reduces the risk significantly.