Amadeus Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 Drivers give helmeted cyclists less room (Reuters) - Motorists give greater leeway to cyclists who do not wear safety helmets, according to a study by a academic in Britain who was hit by traffic twice as he rode his bike to carry out his research. Researcher Ian Walker from the Department of Psychology of Britain's University of Bath found drivers were up to two times more likely to get close when passing cyclists wearing helmets than when overtaking bare-headed pedalers. He said wearing a helmet might therefore make a collision more likely, but a safety-advocacy group cautioned against giving up a helmet's protection against head injury in hopes of avoiding a crash. To conduct his experiment, Walker rode a bicycle fitted with a computer and an ultrasonic distance sensor and recorded data from more than 2,500 overtaking motorists. He spent half his time wearing a helmet and half bare-headed. He says he was struck by a bus and a truck while wearing the helmet but was uninjured. Walker, whose research has been accepted for publication in the international journal Accident Analysis & Prevention at a date not yet set, said his study followed previous research that found many drivers saw cyclists as a group of "lycra-clad street-warriors.". "This may lead drivers to believe cyclists with helmets are more serious, experienced and predictable than those without," he said in a statement released on Tuesday. Walker found drivers passed an average of 3.3 inches (8.5 cm) closer to cyclists with a helmet than without, giving cyclists the room needed to avoid drain covers and potholes. As part of his experiment, Walker also donned a blond wig and found drivers gave him an average of 5.5 inches (14 cm) more space when they passed what appeared to be a female cyclist. "We know helmets are useful in low-speed falls, and so definitely good for children, but whether they offer any real protection to somebody struck by a car is very controversial," said Walker. "Either way, this study suggests wearing a helmet might make a collision more likely in the first place." A spokesman for Britain's Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents said the study highlighted the vulnerability of cyclists and the need for drivers to take greater care. "But we would not recommend people stop wearing cycle helmets because of this research. Helmets have been shown to reduce the likelihood of head and brain injuries in a crash," said the spokesman. Lesson: If you're out cycling, wear a crash helmet and stick a blonde wig on top Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tempus Fugit Posted September 15, 2006 Share Posted September 15, 2006 I Think it was in Holland where I saw bikes with a white plastic arm mounted on the rear bumper, with a reflector on the end, sticking out to the side to make vehicles keep more gap when overtaking. Maybe all bike riders should be taught to wobble a bit for safety Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rallybug Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 As long as they stay on the road where they belong, and don't attempt to run me down from behind on the pavement - that happens a couple nights a week on my walk home from work Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Smeagle Posted September 20, 2006 Share Posted September 20, 2006 i remember an incident a few years ago when a cyclist was killed when he fell off with a helmet from a bang on the chin, no-one can be protected from everything Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.