Riding Safety and Dorkdom

[Eden]

I read about a study where drivers gave cyclists less space on the road if the cyclist was wearing a helmet and the most space if the cyclist was a female with no helmet.

I've seen other people who completely refute that guy too....... (they look at his own data and come to a different conclusion) not to mention that he was his own test subject. People may have given him more space because he was very obviously a guy wearing a dress and a really bad blond wig more than anything...

[breezy]

People may have given him more space because he was very obviously a guy wearing a dress and a really bad blond wig more than anything...

How did I miss that?

[Blueberry]

My theory is that drivers are much more tolerant when I'm carrying stuff and/or look like I'm commuting. When I am just out for a ride (spandex, no cargo) seems to be when I'm more likely to be hassled. I think drivers resent you're being on "their" road to play, as opposed to going somewhere. Just a thought

CA

[shootingstar]

My theory is that drivers are much more tolerant when I'm carrying stuff and/or look like I'm commuting. When I am just out for a ride (spandex, no cargo) seems to be when I'm more likely to be hassled. I think drivers resent you're being on "their" road to play, as opposed to going somewhere. Just a thought

CA

I would tend to agree that cycling as a means of cargo-loading, the drivers seem to have more respect or at least slow down/give wider berth, especially when it's so obvious the panniers or trailer are loaded down with large pkgs., etc. and you're trying harder to plug along on the bike.

[GLC1968]

My theory is that drivers are much more tolerant when I'm carrying stuff and/or look like I'm commuting. When I am just out for a ride (spandex, no cargo) seems to be when I'm more likely to be hassled. I think drivers resent you're being on "their" road to play, as opposed to going somewhere. Just a thought

CA

I agree with this observation, too.

And I'd like to point out the drastic difference between city riding and country riding. Around here, in the city most cars treat cyclists with respect if you obey the traffic laws (assuming they see you, which often they don't). In the country, I've been spit on, had things thrown at me and been run off the road - female, commuter, lit up like a christmas tree not-withstanding. Hell, I've even been yelled at to 'git off the road' while I was standing in a driveway (and not even on the road and not on my bike!).

On the flip side, the opposite was true in my last city of residence. In the city, as a commuter, I was hassled or ignored or cut off. In the country as a rec-rider...I was respected 9 times out of 10.

Go figure. And then, ride like you are invisible.

[Dogmama]

The way you get avoided is to wear a cervical collar. I've personally tested this theory (N=1). They looked at me like I was totally nuts. Which I was, having just had a fusion 8 weeks prior.