From Laura Durnford
by e-mail
It may have been a lack of inhibition, caused by the use of a personal
stereo, that made the menace you described munch so noisily (Feedback, 15
February). But I think this is merely one example of a wider phenomenon whereby
people believe a reduction in their own awareness is shared by everyone else. In
this instance, he couldn’t hear anyone else, so assumed he couldn’t be
heard.
Another form of the phenomenon is: “I can’t see, therefore can’t be seen”.
This particular form is that it most often manifests itself in car users
(particularly taxi passengers). Feeling cosy and safely hidden away, all sorts
of people obviously think they are invisible to other road users, and decide
it’s the ideal time to investigate the contents of their noses
