[Tyr42]

I remember watching a documentary where they found that drivers are much more likely to cut off cyclists wearing helmets than those without helmets. They also measured things like average distance between car and bike when passing. If people see you not wearing a helmet they assume that you are unsafe and will stay further away from you.

[btilly]

A friend of mine got access to the traffic accident statistics for Connecticut for several years. He found that it was safer to use smack than to ride a bike. If I remember correctly he also found that in the event of a reported accident, a bicyclist had a 15% chance of a "life-altering event". (For instance you might live, but never walk normally again.)

After that he gave up biking and switched to tennis.

[iuyhgtfvgbhjn]

The research was conducted by a prof at my old school.

He also discovered that drivers gave a female cyclist much more space - although since he did the experiment himself in a blonde wig he did consider that perhaps they just give unconvincing transvestites more room !

[Tyr42]

Yes, that is the one I was talking about! Thank you. I'm glad somebody knows what I'm talking about.