this post was submitted on 19 Sep 2023

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How you look on a bike seems to influence how drivers treat you? (hexbear.net)

submitted 1 year ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

13 comments fedilink hide all child comments

Kinda wanna know if other people have this experience. I noticed if I'm on my bog-standard boring bike on my commute, people are absolute fucking dicks with overtaking, trying to squeeze in front and such.

If I'm on my singlespeed with a messenger bag, that gets a lot better for some reason and people give me more space.

On the touring bike it's a mixed bag, allthough it seems that both the area becoming more touristy, like rolling hillsides, or I look absolutely out of place, like in city centers, people also get nicer.

I get the feeling that it's down to perception. Commute-bike-7bicycles is an elitist rich twat who can afford to live near work and has no obligations and such. Singlespeed-7Bicycles has a U-Lock in reach and doesn't look afraid to use violence, like all the crazy bike messengers, touring-7bicycles in aforementioned areas is just fulfilling some sort of dream, like we all have.

Is there merit to this? What are other possible explanations?

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[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I think there was a study a few years ago that found drivers are more careful around people who don't wear as much safety equipment. I can see if I can find it late, but I get the impression that driver perception does change depending how you look.

Although I feel like it's the opposite of your experience. If seen several single-speed/messanger/delivery bikes get cut off aggressively by drivers turning corners. Fewer regular bikes although I've seen some crazy near misses of people riding bike-share bikes.

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I mean I always wear a helmet. A lot more decked out in neon-ish gear if I'm touring because that's just my sport clothes but that seems like a non-variable here

If seen several single-speed/messanger/delivery bikes get cut off aggressively by drivers turning corners.

Now that might be down to location, there really isn't a singlespeed / messenger / fixie-scene where I live at all. Could be that the cultural perception then is not one of rage against those darn people but more of "oh shit that guy looks comparatively dangerous" or something. Like the other way would be that everybody really appreciates an old singlespeed and I REALLY doubt that's it

[–] [email protected] 12 points 1 year ago (2 children)

Stop wearing the helmet according to this study.

https://psyarxiv.com/nxw2k

Dr. Walker’s 2007 study used a bike equipped with a camera and a distance measuring device. He recorded data from 2,500 drivers who passed him on the roads close to his workplace, the University of Bath. Half the time he wore a bicycle helmet and half the time he didn’t. The results showed motorists tended to pass him more closely when he rode wearing a helmet. Such “punishment passes” can also lead to collisions, collisions which can result in injury and death – and not to those guilty of the dangerous overtakes.

Walker suggested that drivers believe cyclists who wear helmets are more serious, experienced and predictable than those who ride without, and motorists, therefore, overtake them with less care.

I think the best option is to be visible but also plain-clothes and a more upright cruiser geometry. Also trying to make eye contact can also help if practical.

Drivers' perception is fickle but statistical significant factor.

[–] [email protected] 10 points 1 year ago

Oh that was the study I was thinking of.

I was searching and also found this one, also more about cyclists in general rather than cyclists type.

https://usa.streetsblog.org/2019/03/28/study-aggressive-driving-is-linked-to-seeing-cyclists-as-less-than-human

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

It's anecdotal but I often cycle on sort of narrow country roads or fire roads and the most surefire way to get cardrivers approaching from the front or back to reduce speed and give you more space is to look like an absolute amateur at riding a bike. Especially from the front I can often see someone braking the exact moment I start wobbling my bike over the road

[–] [email protected] 20 points 1 year ago

You should should get a saddle scabbard for a sawed off 16ga coach gun and see if that leads to further behavioral improvements.

[–] [email protected] 14 points 1 year ago (1 children)

on my commute, people are absolute fucking dicks with overtaking

part of it's also that ime people drive the least considerately on their commute to/from work. I only have 1 bike and look more or less the same riding around town and the commute's always the most dangerous. of course I'm riding like an asshole at that time too so shrug-outta-hecks

[–] [email protected] 9 points 1 year ago

I ride all of those bikes during rush hour traffic though so that can't be it

[–] [email protected] 13 points 1 year ago

its tru im pretty fat and nobody wants to hit me because ill fuck up their suv like a moose so my odds of getting that fat insurance payout is pretty much zilch

[–] [email protected] 11 points 1 year ago (1 children)

I wear athleticwear when cycling - generally the kind of stuff you'd wear for jogging or running. Not lycra-type stuff though, that has its own set of stereotypes lol.

For me it's boiled down to the type of bike I'm on... if I'm on an ebike, drivers tend to be "twats” with close passes, impatience, hooks, pulling out carelessly and so on. When I'm on my dutch-style upright bike, drivers are much more considerate with giving way, making wide passes etc.

Although since 2020 I find people are driving much, much worse IMO. I would not recommend new cyclists to get out on their bike if their area doesn't have safe and separate cycling infra to use. I've nearly been wiped out a few times from drivers passing with millimeters of space between me and them, and others using their phones and swerving away at the last minute. Slowing down helps to avoid some of these situations though

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago

Although since 2020 I find people are driving much, much worse IMO.

Same. With the streets emptier than usual I noticed drivers were dicks more often when I was walking. And that behavior has just kind of hing around. I feel like see more people road raging too.

[–] [email protected] 7 points 1 year ago* (last edited 1 year ago)

I only have one eMTB (DIY with a cargo rack and big pannier bags), but I think generally the larger your bike appears, the more carefully people will drive around you and it's entirely subconscious. They associate the bike being larger with it being less maneuverable and also more damaging if they get in an accident with you.

[–] [email protected] 5 points 1 year ago

Only difference I ever noticed is how much more dangerous drivers drive when I'm wearing a helmet. Much more considerate when I'm not wearing one.