What a difference a bike makes

[Zippy]

What's it all about?
I change bikes to my BSA 20 to go to Tesco, change clothes to a pair of fleece running shorts and Army surplus Tee Shirt and the motorists make a deliberate effort to get out of my way and let me get going down the road before passing with a wide berth.

May I suggest, as a scientific control to your experiment, that you go to Tesco on your BSA 20 in lycra?

No, scrap that - I don't want to feel responsible for making a suggestion that may get you run over!

 

[Jaguar]

I wear lycra (black, not flashy) on the tourer, normal clothes on the hybrid around town (often a dress and sandals as I'm just a mile from work).

I get aggressive cut-ups on the tourer, I get cut-ups and sexist comments on the hybrid.

Although it is funny when I overtake other cyclists with my granny panniers on the back ...

 

[jonny jeez]

What's it all about?

I ride home from work on my slicked up MTB wearing lycra shorts and full zip L/S jersey and cars cut me up, close pass and follow close.
I change bikes to my BSA 20 to go to Tesco, change clothes to a pair of fleece running shorts and Army surplus Tee Shirt and the motorists make a deliberate effort to get out of my way and let me get going down the road before passing with a wide berth.

I've thought about this a lot and I suspect there are two things going on in the mind of the average driver.

Either

Riders dressed for the part are clearly much more capable and as such can “put up” with close passes and crap like that…whereas poorly clothed riders are mere amateurs and may crash into my car if I pass to close (or sue me when they hit the ground after my bonnet helps them along a little)

Or

Those odd looking chaps in skin tight clothing aren’t really that hard I mean look at them with their skin tight revealing outfits and shaved legs…they look like big girls!. Where as that ASBO on the nicked Halfords special wearing combats and a wild stare, would happily take me to the cleaners if I so much as look towards the kerb, best I give that one a wide berth.

I’m sure it one, or both of these

I for one have seen some really “hard” looking riders wearing totally inappropriate gear (and arms painted to the shoulders) I’m pretty sure they don’t get to many problems on their rides.