[DVBC] Helmets and Driver Clearance from Road Bike Rider e-newsletter

[JillOnBike at aol.com]

Side Effect of Cycling  Helmets

Are you safer in a helmet?  There's little question when it comes to avoiding 
or reducing head injury in a  crash. But a British study has found that 
drivers pass closer when overtaking a  helmet-wearing cyclist.

The researcher,  Ian Walker of the University of Bath, rode a bicycle with 
ultrasonic  distance sensors and a video camera to measure and verify distances. 
He was  overtaken by about 2,500 vehicles. His  findings:

---Drivers will pass a bare-headed  cyclist with an average of 8 cm (3.1 
inches) more clearance, presumably because  the rider is seen as being less 
experienced or less  predictable.

---Cars gave an average of 1.3  meters (4.3 feet) of room to any cyclist. 
Trucks passed 19 cm (7.4 inches)  closer. Busses passed 23 cm (9 inches)  closer.

Walker also wore a woman's wig to see  if there was a difference in how 
drivers passed female cyclists. He was given an  average of 14 cm (5.5 inches) more 
 room.

Walker was hit by two vehicles during  the study, which is to be published in 
the Journal of Accident Analysis &  Prevention. A brief can be found at 
_http://drianwalker.com/overtaking_ (http://drianwalker.com/overtaking) 
______________________________________


jill


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