For those of you that don't get the RoadBikeRider newsletter there was a very interesting study done regarding cars and bikes on the road:

Apparently a researcher loaded himself up with sensors et al and rode his bike on the road to study the relationship between cars and bikes. His findings were surprising in some aspects, not so surprising to any who commutes!

Most cars will pass a bike on the avg 4.3 feet away.

Trucks pass bikes 7 inches closer

Buses pass bikes 9 inches closer (like we didn't know that)

A helmeted rider will get passed closer than an unhelmeted rider - he was guessing drivers see unhelmeted riders as being less experienced.

He also wore a wig to see if it was different for "women" riders and it was:

Vehicles pass female riders on the avg 5.? feet away.
(Hmmmmm.....guess they think women riders are as bad as they think women drivers are??)