I ride a road bike a lot, I’m accustomed to the way car drivers pass me. Some are a bit too close, some are OK.

I wear standard roadie kit, and although I am not convinced of their effectiveness, I usually wear a helmet.

Today I’ve been out wearing a jolly Santa style hat, complete with furry bobble…

…and was struck by the way I was treated by car drivers. They were much more polite than usual, giving me a lot more room, waiting behind me on narrow roads and being all round better at the task in hand.

Maybe it’s a mistake on my part, maybe it’s a seasonal aberration, but it made me think.

They assumed you’d been drinking, there is no other excuse for your behaviour. 🙂

…or that I actually was Santa, starting off to go North. I hadn’t had a shave either…

If you wear it June they will also think you are pissed

They probably thought that if they knocked you off then you wouldn’t bring them any pressies on Christmas Day!

You are probably on to something with this psychologically here.

People are likely to find the hat slightly humorous as it is unexpected and have slightly more patience etc with you.

People travelling the opposite way seemed to be stuck between smiling and pity, although that could have been to do with me sweating like a fat man in a cake shop…