Helmety Badness?

I've always been a good little cyclist, wearing my helmet no matter how far I'm going, and one of my helmets actually prevented a serious head injury as I crashed down a mountain road, cracking the helmet in two places. I've also been seriously pissed off as I see little kids wearing their helmets as they ride around the safe track around the Rose Bowl, while their father does not. That's a hypocritical message that should not be sent. But what if wearing a helmet actually increased your chances of getting into an accident? According to a study done by an avid cyclist, it does just that.

According to Ian Walker, a researcher in the pyschology department at the University of Bath, wearing a helmet while riding a bicycle made passing cars come closer by 3.3 inches. On a narrow street without a bike lane and parked cars, inches matter. He also found that when he wore a blonde wig, cars gave him 5.5 more inches of space. There's gender perception and biases at work for you! What I also found interesting was that he was struck by vehicles twice during his research, both times while wearing a helmet. Walker's conclusion about the results is that drivers perceive the "lycra-clad street-warriors" wearing helmets as more predictable in their movements, thus able to accomodate less room while passing.

So, am I a lycra-clad street warrior who will give up his helmet? To that, I reply:

 

PHBBBBBBBBBBBBBBT!!!