They increase your chances of having an accident. Seriously: The more vulnerable you look, the wider a berth car drivers will give you. If you ride erratically

They increase your chances of having an accident. Seriously: The more vulnerable you look, the wider a berth car drivers will give you. If you ride erratically down a road, swerving a bit as if drunk, cars will go yards out of their way to pass you. If you ride confidently in a straight line, they woosh past with inches to spare. That's just human nature: The more likely something is to cause a problem, the further away from it you stay. By the same token, drivers will give helmetless cyclists a wider berth than those with helmets - they rate higher as a potential hazard. Citation: http://psychcentral.com/news/archives/2006-09/uob-wah091106.html http://psychcentral.com/news/archives/2006-09/uob-wah091106....