Anyone had a car door opened on them?

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DavidS
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby DavidS » Sun Jul 14, 2013 6:41 pm

InTheWoods wrote:
DavidS wrote:That's not a bike lane, that's a car park masquerading as a bike lane. This is precisely the sort of bike lane I think should be banned. They are very dangerous. I would far prefer a bike symbol in the left hand lane on the road. I might start complaining about these.

DS
That's all we get in Brisbane most of the time. Unfortunately, Victoria and Queensland are the only two states&territories in Australia that do not ban stopping/parking in bicycle lanes (I think, having had a look through the rules). Its a joke. The Australian Road Rules (Rule 187) bans this, but Vic&QLD modified the rule and removed the words "bicycle lane" from it.

As I said in my submission, designers are trying to have their cake (parking) and eat it too (bike lane). You really can't do both at the same time.
Absolutely, a few pics of cars parked with doors open make this very bloody obvious.

DS
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GeoffInBrisbane
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby GeoffInBrisbane » Tue Jul 16, 2013 1:59 pm

zero wrote: Liechardt council has moved virtually all the awareness markers to the middle of the road lane, which makes it easier for a cyclist to ride on the road proper without harrassment from motorists.
Somebody give Liechardt council responsibility for Brisbane! Moving the bike symbol to the middle of the lane is so simple (and cheap), and makes such a difference! I'm sick of copping "Ride in the bike lane!" crap because they paint the bicycles in the door zone. Those stupid BDZs are all over Brisbane like a rash, and about as welcome... :evil:
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katdid
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby katdid » Wed Jul 17, 2013 12:47 pm

Got car-doored about four months ago now. I was riding up a designated shared laneway in Redfern, with three pedestrians coming the other way. I hugged left to avoid them - and a guy in a parked car up ahead opened his door. I had enough time to say, "Oh golly!" Luckily I was going pretty slowly, but I got knocked off the bike. Dude was apologetic but ineffectual, and I was in shock; sat on the kerb trying not to cry then walked my bike home. It needed a tune-up, and I had to get an x-ray the next day as my doctor thought I may have broken something in my left hand - it was okay, but don't think my pinkie will ever be the same. And I was covered in cuts and bruises, including one that ran all the way down my left bicep. Pretty impressive for a minor collision!

It was a great lesson though. I don't ride in the door zone any more.

Easy rider
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby Easy rider » Tue Jul 30, 2013 6:01 pm

I was thinking my experience of getting doored by a passenger getting out of the passenger side of a car stopped at the lights was unusual enough to warrant warning people about, but after reading this thread I can see I'm far from alone!

I've always looked for drivers getting out of parked cars, but knowing now that danger can come at you from every side and from any vehicle that isn't moving, I'm slightly safer - but just that little bit more stressed trying to anticipate every possibility. And sometimes it's not possible to be out of the door zone for both the parked cars on my left and cars stopped at lights on my right. I guess the passenger saying "I'll just jump out here" is the less likely situation, but there's evidence here that it can still happen, more than once, at precisely the wrong moment.

Going slow at the few points on my commute where this risk exists is my only defence, and even that is not guaranteed to prevent any impact, but it would mean that the impact won't be as severe.

She did say "sorry" as she hastened off, but lying winded on the ground for 10 minutes outside the Royal Mail central depot in London I got a lot of sympathy from the posties, many of whom presumably use bikes daily and run the same risks.

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Dragster1
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby Dragster1 » Tue Jul 30, 2013 11:14 pm

I avoided an old bloke from dooring on a quiet street, it was the last thing on my mind and only just avoided it. He flung the door right open about 5m in front of me and I had enough time to go around.

The speed that I was doing also played a factor of not being hit but 5 secs earlier I would've hit. He was old so I didn't give him a serve and understand they can't turn their head as easy as they did years ago to check. I put this down as a lucky warning from above and keep well away from parked cars and old people

jasonc
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby jasonc » Wed Jul 31, 2013 9:05 am

Dragster1 wrote:He was old so I didn't give him a serve and understand they can't turn their head as easy as they did years ago to check.
So he's not physically capable of safely driving a vehicle.

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Dragster1
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby Dragster1 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 10:23 am

jasonc wrote:
Dragster1 wrote:He was old so I didn't give him a serve and understand they can't turn their head as easy as they did years ago to check.
So he's not physically capable of safely driving a vehicle.
There is heaps of these mate, Yes they should remove the licence and go to an old peoples home but he also could of looked in the rear vision mirror before opening the door also. People that have never ridden bikes mostly don't think about cyclists before opening a car door. The government should put signs to make people aware or remind of bikes in high volume areas .

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jules21
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby jules21 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 1:25 pm

Dragster1 wrote: People that have never ridden bikes mostly don't think about cyclists before opening a car door.
the main reason for looking before opening a car door in traffic is not cyclists, but motor vehicles. drivers lose their doors all the time like this. they also risk losing their arm.

the issue is different to the usual IDGAF driving attitude, it's dangerous for everyone. they still do it though. stupidity, or senility are the only rational explanations.

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ColinOldnCranky
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby ColinOldnCranky » Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:09 pm

Even I have had a door or three opened on me.

Rare but then I don't usually have to be on those roads. I do still watch for people exiting onto the path though and I have even had the odd one or two of those too.
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Dragster1
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby Dragster1 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:25 pm

jules21 wrote:
Dragster1 wrote: People that have never ridden bikes mostly don't think about cyclists before opening a car door.
the main reason for looking before opening a car door in traffic is not cyclists, but motor vehicles. drivers lose their doors all the time like this. they also risk losing their arm.

the issue is different to the usual IDGAF driving attitude, it's dangerous for everyone. they still do it though. stupidity, or senility are the only rational explanations.
Yes agree stupidity and careless
Normally from my experience they can hear the car coming and its not really close to the edge of the road like a bike would be, because its in between the moving traffic and the parked car and its a lot susceptible of being doored. To tell you the truth I have been driving for 28 years and never seen another car take out the door of a parked car.
Last edited by Dragster1 on Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:29 pm, edited 1 time in total.

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jules21
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby jules21 » Wed Jul 31, 2013 4:27 pm

Dragster1 wrote:To tell you the truth I have been driving for 28 years and never seen another car take out the door of a parked car.
i've been driving for a long time too and never seen a driver take out a cyclist with his door either.

on my bike, however..

zero
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby zero » Wed Jul 31, 2013 5:14 pm

Dragster1 wrote:To tell you the truth I have been driving for 28 years and never seen another car take out the door of a parked car.
In a pre car layout suburb with relatively narrow streets - Balmain, I've seen it 3 times, and seen the aftermath at least twice more. The only fortunate thing I'd say about it, is that they've always caught the door outside of the drivers hand when I've been the witness - as I'm not particularly into gore.

Calvin27
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby Calvin27 » Mon Aug 05, 2013 3:58 pm

Got clipped on the passenger side while riding in a dedicated bike lane. The car was parked (illegally) half in the car lane and half in the bike lane to the left of it. I spotted the car parked a while off and eased off (this was down hill). I slowed to a running pace and go figure the passenger door opens just as I pass it. Somehow all I remember was someone mentioning that you never try to steer away in a dooring so I just brakes in a straight line hard. I ended up hitting the indisde of the door and leaving a huge gash on the rear passenger door. Missed the passengers legs by a few cm. Came out of it with a light scratch on my leg and proceded with the usualy profanities. The thing that got me most angry was the passenger up until i started going off was completely unaware i had smashed into the friggin door! She was still fumbling in the back, with her leg out, looking for her purse or something.

Glad to have made it out relatively unscathed!
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Summernight
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?

Postby Summernight » Mon Aug 05, 2013 4:06 pm

Calvin27 wrote:Got clipped on the passenger side while riding in a dedicated bike lane. The car was parked (illegally) half in the car lane and half in the bike lane to the left of it. I spotted the car parked a while off and eased off (this was down hill). I slowed to a running pace and go figure the passenger door opens just as I pass it. Somehow all I remember was someone mentioning that you never try to steer away in a dooring so I just brakes in a straight line hard. I ended up hitting the indisde of the door and leaving a huge gash on the rear passenger door. Missed the passengers legs by a few cm. Came out of it with a light scratch on my leg and proceded with the usualy profanities. The thing that got me most angry was the passenger up until i started going off was completely unaware i had smashed into the friggin door! She was still fumbling in the back, with her leg out, looking for her purse or something.

Glad to have made it out relatively unscathed!
:shock:

Maybe she was looking for her brain...

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