Sunday, March 02, 2008

Helmet Or No Helmet

A few years ago a SUV refused to yield to my right of way, knocked me off my bicycle and left me with a couple of fractures. One of which was on my skull. Ever since I use a helmet when mounting one of my bicycles.

Reading an article on management of danger in this week's Economist, I gave rise to doubts whether I had taken the right consequences:

In one experiment, a British psychologist, Ian Walker of Bath University, simply got on his bicycle and monitored the behaviour of 2,300 vehicles that overtook him. When he wore a helmet, drivers were much more likely to zoom past him with little room to spare; when he was bare-headed (and indeed when he wore a female wig) the amount of space that motorists left would increase.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

So your solution is to wear a wig? ;-)

I saw a bike accident yesterday. A reminder here that I will never ride on normal streets, only bike paths.. Sad reality.

Anonymous said...

well then glue a blonde wig onto your helmet and you will kill two birds with one stone:) the motorists will pay more attention and you will still be protected underneath:) :)

markus said...

well you know what peeps in bath are like,

Mickle in NZ said...

You'll need more than one cycle helmeut so you don't limit yourself to just a glued on blonde wig. Yep - I've never been blonde.

here in NZ is compulsory to wear a cycle helmut, and seat belts in cars.

How is the countdown to Easter in Mexico going? Smiles i hope

Ryan said...

hmmm u in a wig naw just be careful on the bike.