Here is a curious psychological phenomenon.

In our Eco Travel Network fleet of Renault Twizys, we have both the doorless and doored versions. Last week, we were alternating between driving one then the other in the pouring rain. The good news is that, as long as the Twizy is moving, you don’t get rained on in either case.

However, one’s naive expectation is that the Twizy with doors (even though it lacks windows) would feel comfortably drier.  But that wasn’t our perception. Unfortunately, the rain drips from the roof onto the INSIDE of the doors so the driver is close to two slightly wet surfaces which makes you want to huddle in your seat to keep away from them.  This has the effect of making the driving experience feel damper and more uncomfortable than in the doorless Twizy. Here, ironically, the same amount of wetness (in fact a LOT more) is within the same distance from your shoulders and elbows but now it is on the OUTSIDE.

Could this be something to do with our perception of inside/outside boundaries? A small tent doesn’t feel so wet if you have the door open and are watching the rain outside  than when you have to zip up completely and cower inside away from the walls….