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Study (still) indicates that drivers give cyclists wearing helmets less room when overtaking

Of course some drivers pass too closely no matter what you wear

It’s everyone’s favourite brand of news – academic rebuttal news. But don’t worry, it’s about cycle helmets so one way or another there’s a good chance you’ll find something to get worked up about.

Back in 2006, Dr Ian Walker of the University of Bath conducted an experiment you may be aware of within the context of the eternal helmet debate.

Cycling with and without a helmet and with and without a wig, he discovered that cyclists are afforded more space by passing drivers if they are (or at least appear to be) female or if they’re not wearing a helmet.

(In a separate study, conducted in 2013, Walker found that some drivers will pass too closely no matter that you wear.)

Bicycling.com reports that the helmet and wig study (not its official name) was questioned by researchers from the University of New South Wales in 2013.

They analysed the same data – 2,355 observations over 200 miles of riding – and concluded that “bicycle helmet wearing is not associated with close motor vehicle passing.”

They argued that that the average passing distances were greater than one metre – a distance that in some places would not be considered a “close pass.”

Walker and Dorothy Robinson have now responded to the response via a recently published paper in Accident Analysis & Prevention.

Referring to the University of New South Wales analysis, they write: “Their conclusion was based on omitting information about variability in driver behaviour and instead dividing overtakes into two binary categories of ‘close’ and ‘not close’; we demonstrate that they did not justify or address the implications of this choice, did not have sufficient statistical power for their approach, and moreover show that slightly adjusting their definition of ‘close’ would reverse their conclusions.”

They also present a new analysis of the original dataset, measuring directly the extent to which drivers changed their behaviour in response to helmet wearing. “This analysis confirms that drivers did, overall, get closer when the rider wore a helmet.”

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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32 comments

Avatar
Daveyraveygravey | 5 years ago
2 likes

Quote from the NSW people - "They argued that that the average passing distances were greater than one metre – a distance that in some places would not be considered a “close pass.”

 

I was riding with an Australian chap this weekend.  I got shouty with several vehicles that I thought close passed us, and my friend said in Australia, the minimum was a metre at something like 40 kmh and increased for a faster speed.  Why don't the researchers at NSW think 1m is not a close pass?  Most of us can reach a metre with our arms, how is that NOT too close?

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
3 likes

It is NOT!

 

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madcarew replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

It is NOT!

 

They look suspicously like nazi squirrels to me.....

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to madcarew | 5 years ago
1 like

madcarew wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

It is NOT!

 

They look suspicously like nazi squirrels to me.....

There's no evidence to suggest that the Nazis formed an alliance with the squirrels.

 

Avatar
Mungecrundle replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

madcarew wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

It is NOT!

 

They look suspicously like nazi squirrels to me.....

There's no evidence to suggest that the Nazis formed an alliance with the squirrels.

 

 

Someone hasn't typed "Attack of the Killer Mutant Nazi Ninja Squirrel from Outer Space" into Google recently.

Explain that squirrel apologist.

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
2 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

madcarew wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

It is NOT!

 

They look suspicously like nazi squirrels to me.....

There's no evidence to suggest that the Nazis formed an alliance with the squirrels.

 

 

Someone hasn't typed "Attack of the Killer Mutant Nazi Ninja Squirrel from Outer Space" into Google recently.

Explain that squirrel apologist.

Well, that doesn't necessarily involve Nazis - modern Berlin is quite a liberal place (with pretty good cycle infrastructure to boot).

If it would please the court, I would like to submit the tale of Tommy Tucker: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tommy_Tucker_(squirrel)

He appeared on the radio alongside President Franklin Roosevelt to promote the sale of war bonds.

 

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Jetmans Dad replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

hawkinspeter wrote:

madcarew wrote:

They look suspicously like nazi squirrels to me.....

There's no evidence to suggest that the Nazis formed an alliance with the squirrels.

They are feeding the squirrel, so I am pretty sure it was just following hor d'oeuvres. 

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madcarew | 5 years ago
2 likes

Ignore Hawkinspeter. He contradicts everything we say...

(or squirrels it away to use later on against us)

 

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CygnusX1 | 5 years ago
1 like

Yes it is

Avatar
hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
1 like

No it isn't!

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darrenleroy | 5 years ago
3 likes

Is it a coincidence that the contrary research was carried out by scientists in New South Wales? We know all about Australia and helmets.

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burtthebike replied to darrenleroy | 5 years ago
1 like

darrenleroy wrote:

Is it a coincidence that the contrary research was carried out by scientists in New South Wales? We know all about Australia and helmets.

It did indeed strike me also.  Generally, you'll find that research which shows helmets to be effective is from Australia or one or two other sources e.g. Thompson, Rivara and Thompson or their colleagues in Seattle.

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leqin | 5 years ago
6 likes

When I was a lad a arguement was a argument. We had to get up in morning at ten o'clock at night, half a hour before we went to bed and then get up again and have a swift bicker before we had nothing for breakfast and then we had to go to work and pay the boss for the shear pleasure of working for nothing - nothing - and then if we hadn't at least had a punch up or a divergence of opposing views before we got home then our dad and our mother would tan our arses until we were black and blue and then kill us and dance on our graves.... and you try telling the young people today that and they won't believe you.

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giff77 | 5 years ago
2 likes

I’ll get the popcorn. Salted or Caramel?

 

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John Smith replied to giff77 | 5 years ago
7 likes

giff77 wrote:

I’ll get the popcorn. Salted or Caramel?

 

 

Always buttered. What kind of idiot wants salted or caramel? FFS. You popcorn nazis have got to stop this anti butter bullshit.

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giff77 replied to John Smith | 5 years ago
1 like

John Smith wrote:

giff77 wrote:

I’ll get the popcorn. Salted or Caramel?

 

 

Always buttered. What kind of idiot wants salted or caramel? FFS. You popcorn nazis have got to stop this anti butter bullshit.

OK, I’ll bring the buttered. But I don’t want any greasy fingerprints everywhere. 

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Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
2 likes

It's (almost) Christmas, let's not argue.

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Argos74 replied to Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
4 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

It's (almost) Christmas, let's not argue.

I disagree. We must have an arguement. What shall we argue about?

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burtthebike replied to Argos74 | 5 years ago
6 likes

Argos74 wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

It's (almost) Christmas, let's not argue.

I disagree. We must have an arguement. What shall we argue about?

Let's argue about how to spell argument.

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FluffyKittenofT... replied to Mungecrundle | 5 years ago
8 likes

Mungecrundle wrote:

It's (almost) Christmas

 

No it isn't.

Avatar
Bentrider replied to FluffyKittenofTindalos | 5 years ago
3 likes

FluffyKittenofTindalos wrote:

Mungecrundle wrote:

It's (almost) Christmas

 

No it isn't.

 

Oooooohhh, yes it is!!

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ktache | 5 years ago
2 likes

"there’s a good chance you’ll find something to get worked up about."

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handlebarcam | 5 years ago
5 likes

Quote:

...we demonstrate that they did not justify or address the implications of this choice, did not have sufficient statistical power for their approach...

Oooooh, snap. It may currently be summer in Australia, but those New South Wales researchers don't need to go outside, because they just got burned.

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hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
10 likes

Is this the right room for an argument?

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Yorkshire wallet replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
13 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Is this the right room for an argument?

Let's get to it!

//weknowmemes.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/the-internet-argument.jpg)

 

Avatar
burtthebike replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
7 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

Is this the right room for an argument?

Would that be the five minute argument or the full half hour?

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to burtthebike | 5 years ago
3 likes

burtthebike wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Is this the right room for an argument?

Would that be the five minute argument or the full half hour?

I've told you once.

Avatar
brooksby replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
4 likes

hawkinspeter wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Is this the right room for an argument?

Would that be the five minute argument or the full half hour?

I've told you once.

No you haven't!

Avatar
hawkinspeter replied to brooksby | 5 years ago
4 likes

brooksby wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

burtthebike wrote:

hawkinspeter wrote:

Is this the right room for an argument?

Would that be the five minute argument or the full half hour?

I've told you once.

No you haven't!

Yes I have

Avatar
CygnusX1 replied to hawkinspeter | 5 years ago
4 likes
hawkinspeter wrote:

Is this the right room for an argument?

I've told you once.
Edit: damn, someone else has beaten me to it.

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