crhilton

Buy a set of brakes, they're not very expensive. And stay out of the door zone.

ItsJustMe

Spoken by someone who's never been doored. I haven't either, but try riding at 20 MPH past a line of cars and have someone throw a door in your face as you pass the rear bumper. You won't even have your hands on the brake levers before you're bleeding on the ground. I have a friend who broke a couple of bones due to a dooring.

I jumped right in on the "don't ride in the door zone" bandwagon on this thread, and I think it's good advice, but there are times when it's simply not possible for one reason or another. Usually those are extremely hairy situations and I'd probably slow down.

Keith99

A great example of how things are different in different places. Trolly tracks are pretty much a non-issue for me in Los Angeles. But I sure can see how they could create major issues. I rode once in San Francisco. Lots of tracks and I got pinched out once or twice. No problem because I was out early Sunday morning. But later, with cars to contend with? It could bave ben nasty and the choice of getting in the door zone or a near suicide track crossing is somethgin I could easily see happening.

And it being San Francisco I can see it hapennig on a downhill where slowing quickly enough for that to be a viable solution would not be possible (at least teh first time on a route).

bluefoxicy

You're right, he won't.

But I will. 8)

Chris516

Stay out of the door zone and 'take the lane'.

Digital_Cowboy

Well said, which is why whenever I ride on a road with onstreet parking, even if there is a bike lane present I give said cars as wide a berth as I can. Even if I can see through the windows of the car, I still presume that there is some a$$hole who is going to open the door all of a sudden.

UptownJoe60640

Thankfully I have never ran into or hit a car door. Hopefully, my luck continues.

ItsJustMe

I hope you're taking advantage of your superhuman reflexes. The scenario I gave would leave you with about 250 milliseconds from the car door being opened until you're braking. I doubt even with a countdown that most riders could be actually move their fingers fast enough to apply the brakes in that much time. Heck, even with your fingers on the levers already and getting a countdown to "GO" you probably wouldnt' have applied your brakes in 250 milliseconds.

A bike doing 20 MPH probably needs at least 30 feet to stop, which means it's completely impossible to stop in time even if you were actually braking when you passed the rear of the car.

rekmeyata

I didn't take the time to read all the post so this has probably already been brought up so I'll bring it up again. When approaching a line of cars parked you need to be looking first through the back window checking to see if anyone is in the car, then as you get closer to the car you start looking through the side mirror to double check to see if anyone is in the car. But it's also prudent to be riding far enough away from the side of cars so that if a door does open you can easily avoid it. Also DO NOT ride your bike swerving behind one parked car around it then back in front and so on, maintain a straight line. I see almost all bike riders I encounter on the street swerving around cars, this is very confusing for drivers and makes for a more dangerous situation, just maintain a straight line so the drivers know what your doing and where your at. Some car drivers think cyclists don't belong on the street, but you have the same legal rights as a car so you do belong there, so take the lane if you have to clear parked cars and ignore the horns and screamings. First and foremost as you approached parked cars is to look through the rear window of each car and their side mirrors as you get closer when the side of the car obscures your vision of the drivers seat through the back window. Sometimes it's almost impossible not to ride close to the cars sides if the street is busy, or narrow, or going up a steep incline and your going slow etc, even if your outside of the door zone is still good idea to check the cars as explained above, if you do as I mentioned you will survive. I've been riding for over 40 years and never been doored practicing those techniques and I've ridden some of the busiest streets in the nation, places around Los Angeles and San Francisco for example.

brakeless619

Oh wow thank you very much! One of the best pieces of advice yet!

kjmillig

I don't drive my car in the door zone, why would I ride my bike there?

sudo bike

Really? In my experience on narrow roadways, cars won't drive outside of the door zone if that's their "natural" lane position. I think it's one reason why uneducated drivers get PO'd when they see people ride outside the door zone... they drive there, so they can't see why cyclists think it's okay to ride outside of it due to the chance of a dooring. Of course, they have no danger - not only would it not do anything, but drivers are more careful to open their doors when they fear a car taking it off.

Not saying bikes should ride there though, of course... much less likely to be seen than a car with greater consequences if they do connect. Even when we ride outside the door zone where a car would not, we wouldn't be any further left than the left side of a car, so it's not like we're taking up more room...

brakeless619

I've been meaning to comment on well comments like these. If you're not going to contribute anything meaningful other than snide remarks, then don't post at all. At some point there will be a time when riding in the "door zone" is completely unavoidable. This to prepare for such times.

Also, if you ever pull out of a parked line of cars on the street next to the door zone, you ARE driving in the door zone even if for mere seconds (granted that this of course doesn't apply if you don't have a car or never park in such zones).

____asdfghjkl

close their door so they smash their fingers.

Most of the time you can see if there are people in there but usually I just take the next lane over.
Dont' want a door opening on me and then having me move into oncoming traffic :O

kjmillig

Hmm. Sounds like a snide remark.
Now go back and make this same reply to everyone else who said to stay out of the door zone, which is what I was saying.
If you make a conscious effort of riding out of the zone, then it will become a habit.

wheeldeal

Everyone says "stay out of the door zone". I can understand that if you ride in Buckfack, MT. What if you live in NYC? 95% of our on road bike lanes are in door zones.

If there aren't any bike lanes, you ride IN the door zone to prevent from being road kill by taxis.

So.....don't tell someone to "stay out of the door zone". It may not apply to everyone.

wheeldeal

Bike lanes of NYC https://youtu.be/qIT4G0YKvu0
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gmgnpUTk2KY
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZF8ap5W6Ou4

kjmillig

If the NYC bike lanes are in the door zone, then work through political means to get them changed (I know that me be like telling you to believe in the Easter Bunny). If that's not possible, ride in the lane, or ride slowly enough that you can constantly scan for potential door openings.
Unfortunately, ya' gotta live with what ya' got or try to change it.

gcottay

David, it is quite possible to enter the street without riding or driving in an area where your safety is threatened by sudden door opening. Your attempt at close parsing doesn't work.

In that case you either limit your speed and acquire/maintain a high level of avoidance skills or ride outside the marked lane.

What you don't do is ride 20 MPH down the lane with mind on something else. Your skills and equipment may be different. On my bikes I can stop on the proverbial dime at maybe 12 MPH but at 20+ MPH things are not so pretty.

dpark

At least 3 people mentioned closing the door as you go by. How exactly is this supposed to work? If you can ride by, then you aren't getting hit by the door in the first place, and slamming it closed is a purely vindictive move. Slamming the door like that would also be quite illegal as it would be considered assault or potentially even battery, and put you at risk for a lawsuit if you cause injury to the driver.

Don't do this. You might teach the driver a lesson, or you might just hurt someone. Do you want a driver trying to "teach you a lesson" when you screw up? e.g. "You ran the stop sign so now I'll run you off the road."

brakeless619

EXACTLY! Just look at the video below! I had no idea. I was simply contemplating the potential door opening. That NYC cycling video is like a survival challenge. Mad props to NYC riders!

See this: https://youtu.be/qIT4G0YKvu0


Again see this https://youtu.be/qIT4G0YKvu0

Yes, of course it is possible to ride safely. My concern is for the time where all else has failed and a door suddenly opens. Sure this should never happen, but it might and I am interested in people's advice. In the area where I bike, if its too unsafe on the streets I just take the sidewalk (yes this is a whole different can of worms but its accepted here and crusing around 8-10mph always giving way to pedestrians first).

Actually after watching the NYC video, I realize that I am very fortunate simply worrying about a "possible" door opening.

brakeless619

Oh one more quick video


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=q9DciyXiRug

Bravo for the planners!

sudo bike

I skimmed the thread and didn't notice it before my post, but I did just skim it. My bad if it was mentioned.

I was being slightly tongue-in-cheek. Probably should've added a smiley. Generally speaking, I wouldn't recommend bike messenger tactics for safe riding. But OTOH, I suppose it can't hurt to know certain maneuvers for emergencies...

At any rate, I don't think it's always a vindictive move (although I'm sure it's satisfying ). I think if you turn left and reach out and slam the door, since you are going somewhat "sideways" relative to the door, the act of slamming it may give you a bit of time and space. Also, I think this maneuver is generally used when the door is opening basically on top of you, not immediately in front of you, from what I can tell.

As far as a lawsuit, I don't think it'd be hard to make the case it was necessary to avoid a collision they were causing. Not to mention tried by 12, carried by 6, and all that.

I don't think that's a correct parallel for reasons mentioned above.

Again, as I pointed out though, the obvious correct answer is to always avoid the door zone when possible. Past that, slow down. But hey, another tool in the toolbox can't hurt, right?

dpark

Sorry, I wasn't criticizing you for saying the same thing as others. I was just noting that your tactic got a few mentions, which is why I wanted to address it. With three people suggesting something that seems (to me) like a really bad idea, I thought it was worth replying.

Fair enough. If someone's opening a door into you, rather than in front of you, pushing it closed might make sense. I'd be a little wary of going sideways relative to the door, as that could bring you in front of a fast-moving vehicle, but you might not have a choice. If that door hits you, you're probably going sideways.

I suppose this depends on what happened. If they're opening the door into your side, you should be fine. If they open it and you've got room to safely clear it (as some of the comments made it sound, though perhaps I misunderstood those as well), you're definitely open to civil or even criminal charges. Better hope there weren't any witnesses in the latter case.

Given what you said, I agree it's not a good parallel. Pushing the door closed rather than letting it hit you is probably a good idea, and quite a bit different from slamming it when you could clear it.

And I also agree that staying out of the door zone whenever possible is a good idea.

geo8rge

Point is moot because as the door opens your natural tendency is to swerve around it and brake.