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A British scientist has proved that wearing a bicycle helmet actually exposes cyclists to further risk. Overtaking traffic passed helmeted cyclists with significantly less room than unhelmeted cyclists - and the bigger the vehicle, the closer the average passing distance was. As civilised as we pretend to be elsewhere, we consistently act like might is right on our roads.
Road psychology is fascinating. Driving really seems to bring out the animal in us; put an otherwise considerate and socially adapted person in a metal cage and stick them into peak hour traffic and you'll see them shout, swear and punish other road users in ways they'd never dream of in a social situation. It's mankind at its prmitive worst; the thinnest point in our fragile veneer of civilisation, where the law of the jungle underpins our actions and social conventions go out the window.
Size is everything; trucks intimidate 4WDs, who muscle out compact cars. Commuting motorcyclists learn quickly to be hyper-vigilant around anything with 4 wheels - but even their lot can't compare to the vulnerability of bicycle riders, who travel much slower than the speed limit, are able to own very little road space, and typically wear only the bare minimum of protective gear.
Riding a bicycle in peak-hour traffic is at best harrowing, and at worst downright treacherous. While cyclists are able to feel in some control over what's happening in front of them, car drivers in the outermost lane tend to see them as an annoying chicane and overtake leaving a fraction of the space they'd give another car. And research from the University of Bath shows that where a cyclist is wearing protective clothing, drivers are likely to cut in even closer.
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