Bicycle Helmets put you at risk?!

Yup! A researcher did a study by riding with and without helmets and found that drivers passed closer to him when he was riding with a helmet - plus he was hit twice! He believes that

Motorists regard a helmet as a signal that the cyclist is experienced and thus can be approached with less caution.

Hmm. Natural flow of thought - does putting on a P plate on your car make you less prone to accidents? (Because people tend to be wary of your driving?)