College students and bicycles are a match made in heaven: you stay in shape, save money and can always find a parking spot. The downside is you are more likely to be injured in an accident on a bike than if you were in a car, and it turns out that your helmet may be to blame.
A psychologist at the University of Bath in England hooked sensors onto his bicycle and rode around town to see which types of bicyclists are given the most room by cars. He found that motorists tend to drive closer to bike riders wearing helmets than those without, and that men wearing long-haired wigs (which are supposed to represent women) are given more room than men with shorter hair.
Granted, one man on a bike does not make for a very convincing study, but the results are a bit unnerving. Do we actually drive closer to bicyclists who are wearing helmets? Is it because we secretly hope a helmet makes someone safer, or is a helmet like a big sign reminding us not to push the proverbial red button?
Since I constantly see cars driving all over the bike lane, I like to think we Floridians are equal-opportunity bicyclist maimers; helmet or no helmet, male or female, someday we will hit you all. On a broader level, though, it is more difficult to check someone out if he or she is wearing a helmet, so you may need to get that extra inch or two closer to see if the person is worth pursuing.
The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration's 2004 bicycle safety data (in pdf format) backs up the claim that guys on bikes are more likely to be injured than girls. The report states that 6,000 male "pedalcyclists," a term which neither dictionary.com nor Merriam-Webster can define, between the ages of 16 and 24 were injured that year, as compared to 2,000 female bicyclers in the same age range.
You may be thinking, "Hey! That data says nothing about the riders' head coverings!" Look again: In terms of gender, the University of Bath study doesn't either, so we are good to go.
Anyway, some can argue that more guys use bicycles than girls, but I think guys are just more likely to do stupid things, such as ride a bike into oncoming traffic.
Already ahead of the game is Swiss company Ribcap, which sells hats designed to help cushion your fall. Marketed toward skiers and snowboarders, Ribcap's beanies may also fool drivers into thinking that you are not wearing some sort of helmet while riding your bike.
The beanies are made with d3o, a material that is soft and flexible when bent slowly, but instantly hardens upon impact. The material was also used in the suits worn by U.S. and Canadian skiers in the 2006 Olympics.
While beanies are not the most practical head coverings in hot, humid Florida, they are probably more stylish than a helmet. I will not buy one strictly on principle: I cannot ride a bike (bad knees), and I look terrible in hats.
Clothing companies Quicksilver and Ignite are going to start carrying similar beanies this winter. Much like helmets, they will not prevent a broken leg or keep your pretty face from getting road rash, so still use common sense while "pedalcycling."
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
1 comment:
As you noted, more independent research would have to be done to be sure that drivers come closer to bikers with helmets -- especially research done in places other than England. I'm sure the psychologist noted this in the discussion section of his paper.
As part of it's recent "traditional college" mission, FAU wants to become more of a pedestrian campus. The new Master Plan has elements that include, among other things, directives to increase the number of bike racks and decrease the internal roads.
I've even heard ideas about transforming the road between Student Services and Algonquin to make it a red-brick paved pedestrian area for foot traffic only. Similarly, the parking lot in front of the library may cease to exist as we transform it into a park-type area with trees, benches, a fountain, etc. Don't think that will initially go over well with students but I personally think it's a good move to increase the "green space" on the inner campus.
When considering the impact of gender on vehicle operation, similar research exists noting that people will be more patient for a parking spot taken up by a woman. Drivers are more likely to wait for a female driver to back out of a spot than a male driver (in which case they'd drive on instead of waiting for the spot)
Interesting stuff, definitely.
Post a Comment