Dave Wild demonstrates the safety benefit of wearing a wig while bicycling.ABC News 20/20 Intouch has a series on what Americans fear. In this video, John Stossel interviews Dr. Ian Walker, the psychologist who did the infamous study comparing motorist behavior around a cyclist wearing a helmet versus wearing a wig. You can see both Dr. Walker and Mr. Stossel riding their bikes with a wig.
Watch it on 20/20 InTouch: "Unintended Consequences".
Update: I just noticed that Graham posted his commentary about this video after he saw it posted (with complete text) at C.I.C.L.E.
How about a helmet that looks like a woman's wig... wouldn't that be the safest?
ReplyDeleteIt would appear that I have been a safety pioneer! ;)
ReplyDeleteEvidence!
A wig on a helmet should do it... that is one serious wig, publicenergy.
ReplyDeleteI'd love to know how the wig/helmet/barehead guy felt about helmets beforehand, since his slight-but-significant bias was rather apparent in the interview. There's just a whole lot of potential for confounding factors and he is definitely a line-hugger!
I think this subject deserves further study, and in fact, the University of Eastern Oklahoma at its Broken Elbow extension campus has assigned noted bicycling expert Dr. Walter Crankset to attempt to replicate the original study. Dr. Crankset is performing the basic research and field studies at present, mostly by riding his bicycle fitted with sensitive distance measurement equipment from bar to bar around scenic Broken Elbow. He expects to publish his results in the spring, after he finishes his stretch of community service.
ReplyDeleteWally says that the orange jumpsuits just aren't his favorite color.