Blonde wigs safter than helmets, study finds
My friend J pointed me to this fascinating article about bike safety. It’s old, but it showed up in Grist today.
The study first measured the average passing distance given to a cyclist wearing a helmet versus not wearing a helmet. It turns out you get more room if you aren’t wearing a helmet.
But then:
Walker donned a long-haired wig to see whether there was any difference in passing distance when drivers thought they were overtaking what appeared to be a female cyclist. Whilst wearing the wig, drivers gave him an average of 14 cm more space when passing.
Also:
The study also found that large vehicles, such as buses and trucks, passed considerably closer when overtaking cyclists than cars. The average car passed 1.33 m away from the bicycle, whereas the average truck got 19 cm closer and the average bus 23 cm closer. However, there was no evidence of four-wheel drives (or sport utility vehicles, SUVs) getting any closer than ordinary cars.
–Erik Ryberg
October 4th, 2008 at 8:45 am
Profesional drivers have some idea where
the right side of their vehicle is and
how it fits relative to the lane.
I watched a teenager at the DMV do a
road test and fail three times to get
the car between the cones and I was
scared.
October 5th, 2008 at 7:28 am
The results of the study of passing distance given to cyclists by buses and trucks matches my own experience, and buses are the very worst. I’ve gotten used to city buses nearly knocking me off the road, but a school bus scared me badly the other day. If the recent death of a teenaged cyclist who was killed while IN THE BIKE LANE by a school bus doesn’t change school bus drivers’ behavior, one wonders what will.
Mindy
October 6th, 2008 at 11:11 am
I’ve learned to hate transit buses. I think the drivers attitude is that they are driving a big HOV sacred cow, and everyone else must yield. This may be just a Seattle thing, but I bet not.
I find that when I’m not wearing a helmet, drivers here can be almost comically deferential, often stopping in the middle of a busy street when they have the right of way. It’s as if they expect me to dart across traffic, ignoring the rules of the road… oh, wait, kids on bikes do that here all the time.
I ride without a helmet a lot, I’m afraid to say.
October 7th, 2008 at 5:41 pm
I’ve found a way to foil aggressive SunTran drivers. Check your rear-view mirror, and when one approaches, drift to the left. Drives ‘em crazy.
October 8th, 2008 at 9:38 am
P.S. – here’s a better approach. Note the time, location, bus number, and report them. The buses all have video cameras on the front and they record everywhere they go. The SunTran customer servive person is “Michelle Clark” , email her directly. I’ve had good luck with that in the past. If no one complains about specific drivers then we have no reason to expect their behavior to change.
Steve