Where were Jez and Gerry standing when they did their talking? Ideas solutions

[Robittybob1]

Was he deep in conversation when he saw the woman in purple?

He was when Jane passed him and Gerry.

Jane doesn't say they glanced her way, a usual signal to start a conversation.  They never acknowledged her.  It would have been real odd if she said they both looked across to her and they didn't speak to her.

[Robittybob1]

Did any of the men say they were deep in conversation or was it just a casual chat ?

3- 5 minutes is a long conversation between two guys IMO. 

[Robittybob1]

What did they talk about?

"He then went to the WC" where he remained for a few moments, left, and bumped into a person he had played tennis with and who had a child's push chair, he was also British, he had a short conversation with him, "returning after that to the restaurant."

"he saw JEZ coming up the street on the opposite pavement bring with him a baby carriage with his youngest child. He crossed the road in JEZ's direction who would come up on the right-hand side [when viewed] from the ascending direction, both having chatted for 3 to 4 minutes, about tennis, holidays and children. While he maintained the conversation with JEZ he saw no-one from the group, nor detected any suspicious individual or vehicle."   
I think that means suspicious vehicle rather than none altogether.

Whereas Jez recalls:
"As he approached the corner of the McCanns apartment, he saw Gerry appear from the area of the gate. He crossed the road and engaged in general conversation with Gerry. "

"The conversation with Gerry lasted for about three minutes during which Gerry was chatty and in his normal self. Jeremy then made his way back to his apartment."

"This statement describes my holiday at the Algarve and the conversation with Jerry, the father of Madeleine on the evening of her disappearance."

"I met him near the stairs of a ground floor. There was a gate leading up to some stairs. I was pretty certain that he had left the apartment. We spoke for a few minutes. He said you're on walking duty. I said I was staying in and pros and cons and what to do with the children.

He said that as he was staying two weeks XXXXX he was staying one night' (unreadable)
I don't remember anyone else walking around with a child. The conversation lasted for about three (3) to five (5) minutes."

[Robittybob1]

Basically Gerry recalls nothing of the conversation other than it happened, and with whom.

[Wonderfulspam]

I reckon he had more important things in mind.

[jassi]

I reckon he had more important things in mind.

Absolutely, you'd think he would have been pretty peckish by that time and not keen on hanging around engaging in inconsequential chit-chat with someone he barely knew.

[Robittybob1]

I reckon he had more important things in mind.

Like what?

[G-Unit]

Can I ask when your visit occurred?

On 3 May 2007, the only reference to cars parked outside the Tapas reception is by Stephen Carpenter.

However, that is an obvious parking spot for staff working in the Tapas zone.  So it takes little to construct a scenario in which Gerry had his back to Jane, while Jes simply didn't notice her.  If one puts the parked cars back into the mix, that is.

There were no cars where it mattered;

4078    “Were there any cars around there?”

Reply    “Erm, umm, no, I don’t know.  I don’t remember.  I don’t remember walking past any going up here and I think I would have probably, if there had been I would have realised, because that would have obscured my view of the person walking, so I can’t think of, I can’t think of any, no”.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JANE_TANNER_RIGATORY.htm

Gerry had his back to Jane only when she was behind him. Unless he was wearing blinkers his peripheral vision, which specialises in detecting movement, should have noticed either Jane's approach or her retreat. Probably not from across the road, but two witnesses said he was on the same side as she was.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/put-your-peripheral-vision-to-the-test/

[Wonderfulspam]

There were no cars where it mattered;

4078    “Were there any cars around there?”

Reply    “Erm, umm, no, I don’t know.  I don’t remember.  I don’t remember walking past any going up here and I think I would have probably, if there had been I would have realised, because that would have obscured my view of the person walking, so I can’t think of, I can’t think of any, no”.
http://www.mccannpjfiles.co.uk/PJ/JANE_TANNER_RIGATORY.htm

Gerry had his back to Jane only when she was behind him. Unless he was wearing blinkers his peripheral vision, which specialises in detecting movement should have noticed either Jane's approach or her retreat. Probably not from across the road, but two witnesses said he was on the same side as she was.

https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/put-your-peripheral-vision-to-the-test/

I was going to mention this.

I find that when objects, animals, persons etc, propel themselves into my periphery, I tend to look at them.

I can't believe that their conversation was somehow so engrossing that their survival instincts just took a back seat.

[misty]

I was going to mention this.

I find that when objects, animals, persons etc, propel themselves into my periphery, I tend to look at them.

I can't believe that their conversation was somehow so engrossing that their survival instincts just took a back seat.

Why do survival instincts come into play as an ordinary citizen chats on the street to a friend? If you're on your mobile walking along the path, how much notice do you take of what's going on in your peripheral vision? (unless you're an MI5 officer or a master criminal)

[Wonderfulspam]

Why do survival instincts come into play as an ordinary citizen chats on the street to a friend? If you're on your mobile walking along the path, how much notice do you take of what's going on in your peripheral vision? (unless you're an MI5 officer or a master criminal)

Reaction to movement in our peripheral vision is instinctive.

When you're using a mobile you tend to be focused close up & constantly onto the screen.

Maybe Jez & Gerry, were staring into each others eyes throughout, because Jane was within spitting distance of them, flip flopping along, creche dad was striding purposefully just a few meters away, yet neither sight nor sounds are registered.

[jassi]

Reaction to movement in our peripheral vision is instinctive.

When you're using a mobile you tend to be focused close up & constantly onto the screen.

Maybe Jez & Gerry, were staring into each others eyes throughout, because Jane was within spitting distance of them, flip flopping along, creche dad was striding purposefully just a few meters away, yet neither sight nor sounds are registered.

Well, you do hear about these holiday romances.

[misty]

Reaction to movement in our peripheral vision is instinctive.

When you're using a mobile you tend to be focused close up & constantly onto the screen.

Maybe Jez & Gerry, were staring into each others eyes throughout, because Jane was within spitting distance of them, flip flopping along, creche dad was striding purposefully just a few meters away, yet neither sight nor sounds are registered.

It was after dark, Jane was cunningly disguised in Russell's fleece & the sound of Jane's flip-flops was muffled by the Force 4 breeze rustling the nearby trees.

[G-Unit]

Why do survival instincts come into play as an ordinary citizen chats on the street to a friend? If you're on your mobile walking along the path, how much notice do you take of what's going on in your peripheral vision? (unless you're an MI5 officer or a master criminal)

An ordinary citizen may not feel threatened at all as he stands chatting. Looking when his peripheral vision detects movement isn't a choice, it's an instinctive reaction. If, when looking, he sees someone coming at him with a knife or a gun, he won't decide to flood his body with adrenaline, that happens instinctively too.

[barrier]

It was after dark, Jane was cunningly disguised in Russell's fleece & the sound of Jane's flip-flops was muffled by the Force 4 breeze rustling the nearby trees.

Was that the trees a-rustling? Or the hinges of the gate?
Or Ernie's ghostly gold tops a-rattling in their crate?