Anyone had a car door opened on them?
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Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby lammy » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:42 pm
For some reason in my head cars parked up on their own seem to freak me out the most, I almost try and peer into the mirrors and windows from afar to see if they are occupied.
I had a near miss years ago where just managed to swerve out of the way (sorry ladies but it was a woman). I crapped my pants .... ever since I and super wary and perhaps more dangerously cycle right out in to the middle of the road, which I am sure ''normo'' non cycling drivers dont understand and they beep me and sometimes shout abuse.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby twizzle » Thu Nov 22, 2012 2:47 pm
...real cyclists don't have squeaky chains...
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby warthog1 » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:03 pm
Of the eleven cyclists who were killed [by dooring], nine of them were actually killed by another vehicle passing by. One of the nine swerved to avoid getting doored, lost control of his bike, fell, and was struck by a passing eighteen-wheeler. The other eight were knocked into the path of another vehicle after first striking the door. The other two cyclists who were killed died after striking the door and being thrown to the pavement." Bob Mionske, Bicycling & The Law, p. 153
I ride outside the door zone, too many close calls. If there are parked cars I am well clear of them, most drivers seem to understand. The ones who don't, well I'm not endangering my life for their convenience
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby Sprocket » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:14 pm
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby jules21 » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:15 pm
2. reduce your speed (a lot)
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby Stoo » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:17 pm
I have had a door opened on me at UQ, St Lucia campus.
It took me out and totaled my first road bike only after i just bought it.......that same day!
Argh, good times.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby zero » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:18 pm
60,000 kms over 10 years. Doorings 0, rear enders 0. Moral of the story is do not ride in the doorzone. Allow 1.2m + estimation error room from any car door, and don't waste your time trying to figure out whether the car is occupied or not. Just structurally avoid that accident type and allow yourself more brain-time for identifying more dynamic dangers. Should never risk a static danger when riding where there are dynamic dangers.lammy wrote:I got a phobia about this happening to me just wonder if anybody else has the same concerns every time they ride past a parked up car.
For some reason in my head cars parked up on their own seem to freak me out the most, I almost try and peer into the mirrors and windows from afar to see if they are occupied.
I had a near miss years ago where just managed to swerve out of the way (sorry ladies but it was a woman). I crapped my pants .... ever since I and super wary and perhaps more dangerously cycle right out in to the middle of the road, which I am sure ''normo'' non cycling drivers dont understand and they beep me and sometimes shout abuse.
Note that you shouldn't (and I don't) use onroad bicycle lanes if they are butted against occupied parking stalls. I ride well out past the lane line, clearly occupying the general traffic lane.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby biker jk » Thu Nov 22, 2012 3:30 pm
This is the best advice. Never ride in the door zone. It's just too risky. I would suggest that with the longer doors of a coupe you should leave at least 1.5m. Better safe than sorry.zero wrote:60,000 kms over 10 years. Doorings 0, rear enders 0. Moral of the story is do not ride in the doorzone. Allow 1.2m + estimation error room from any car door, and don't waste your time trying to figure out whether the car is occupied or not. Just structurally avoid that accident type and allow yourself more brain-time for identifying more dynamic dangers. Should never risk a static danger when riding where there are dynamic dangers.lammy wrote:I got a phobia about this happening to me just wonder if anybody else has the same concerns every time they ride past a parked up car.
For some reason in my head cars parked up on their own seem to freak me out the most, I almost try and peer into the mirrors and windows from afar to see if they are occupied.
I had a near miss years ago where just managed to swerve out of the way (sorry ladies but it was a woman). I crapped my pants .... ever since I and super wary and perhaps more dangerously cycle right out in to the middle of the road, which I am sure ''normo'' non cycling drivers dont understand and they beep me and sometimes shout abuse.
Note that you shouldn't (and I don't) use onroad bicycle lanes if they are butted against occupied parking stalls. I ride well out past the lane line, clearly occupying the general traffic lane.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby rustychisel » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:17 pm
My partner was car doored in January this year - claims and civil action is pending as her injuries stabilise - so I'll not say anything specific, except that she has been through 10 months of pain, rehab, doubt and fear (I've seen her cringe in the front seat of the car as a reactive fear when she saw a driver 100m down the road open their door suddenly, this some 5 months after the incident). She's a pretty experienced cyclist, now I need to get her back on the bike....
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby birdbrain » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:23 pm
I'm always careful and ride outside the door zone but I was riding in the famous 12inch cycling lane across Princess Bridge once and a door flung open. I rode straight into it at a very low speed and proceeded to give the woman who intended getting out a serve. "What you just did is illegal you know". I got the old "I'm sorry". No big deal but could have been if I had been moving at some speed. Anyway I'm not paranoid and using common sense is the best way to avoid being doored.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby Lukeyboy » Thu Nov 22, 2012 4:42 pm
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby toolonglegs » Thu Nov 22, 2012 5:15 pm
I will be the first to admit that I wasn't always worried about personal safety and took risks.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby maestro » Thu Nov 22, 2012 5:19 pm
In Melbourne ‘Dooring’ is the most common cause of a crash involving cyclists, representing one in five of all crashes involving cyclists reported to police. More than 100 cyclists a year are injured in crashes involving car doors in the inner city alone.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby elantra » Thu Nov 22, 2012 5:35 pm
Number 2 is especially applicable if you are filtering through stationary traffic but with parked cars to your left.jules21 wrote:1. ride outside the door zone. if there's no room:
2. reduce your speed (a lot)
In this situation some cyclists will cut left onto the footpath but this is only legal in Queensland.
And not sensible if the footpath is busy.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby pacra » Thu Nov 22, 2012 10:24 pm
Hit the open door of a new Corolla (1980's model) breaking the door swing retaining pin, pushing the door nearly 180 degrees and demolishing the front wheel and forks on the bike.
The motorist never asked whether I was hurt (I wasn't) or offered compensation for the bike but complained about her damaged new car.
If I had been older and wiser I would have had had the police involved and claimed against her.
I have been paranoid about doors ever since and when I see a door opening at me I scream "DOOR" at the top of my voice. They might think I am an idiot but they certainly react to save their own skin.
It may be my imagination or the roads I am on, SE Melbourne, but I am convinced potential doorings have become epidemic despite the publicity.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby toolonglegs » Fri Nov 23, 2012 6:56 pm
Not really dooring... but an impressive blind spot!
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby Strawburger » Sat Nov 24, 2012 1:02 am
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby Scarfy96 » Mon Nov 26, 2012 11:52 am
Add another +1 to this.jules21 wrote:1. ride outside the door zone. if there's no room:
2. reduce your speed (a lot)
Had a couple of close calls over the years but judicious application of 1 and 2 and no doubt a little luck has so far served me well.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby JessicaAlba » Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:32 pm
Now I spend most of my time well away from the door zone and keep one the on the road and the other on every parked car, for signs of movement within.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby jasonc » Mon Nov 26, 2012 2:55 pm
1. will slow you down quickly.
2. will make an absolute mess of their paintwork.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby zero » Mon Nov 26, 2012 5:40 pm
Whilst I like the serves them right aspect, most doorings don't happen at a forward distance where you get much choice in the matter, and often as not the person that doors you doesn't care much about the paint on their car.jasonc wrote:still like the idea of stopping by leaning into the car
1. will slow you down quickly.
2. will make an absolute mess of their paintwork.
ie if you ride close enough to get doored, then you ride close enough for them to only pop the door a little, just as you pass and catch your left bar, which makes you fall to the right and get run over. That or the door only gets opened a little way, and you strike the top corner of the window, or window surround with your head or face, which hurts more than a fully open door, and tends not to damage the door much or at all.
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby jasonc » Mon Nov 26, 2012 6:35 pm
agree there.zero wrote:Whilst I like the serves them right aspect, most doorings don't happen at a forward distance where you get much choice in the matter, and often as not the person that doors you doesn't care much about the paint on their car.jasonc wrote:still like the idea of stopping by leaning into the car
1. will slow you down quickly.
2. will make an absolute mess of their paintwork.
ie if you ride close enough to get doored, then you ride close enough for them to only pop the door a little, just as you pass and catch your left bar, which makes you fall to the right and get run over. That or the door only gets opened a little way, and you strike the top corner of the window, or window surround with your head or face, which hurts more than a fully open door, and tends not to damage the door much or at all.
rule 1 is don't get yourself in that situation
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby booge » Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:07 pm
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby hiflange » Mon Nov 26, 2012 7:10 pm
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Re: Anyone had a car door opened on them?
Postby Lazyweek » Mon Nov 26, 2012 10:42 pm
I "claim my lane" if I intend on going fast downhill, no way in hell would a do 40-60 km/hr within ~1-1.5m of parked cars. If not, I ride slower and keep an eye out. I hope it never happens to me.
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