Mass Legal Question regarding passing through traffic
04-26-06, 05:34 PM
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Mass Legal Question regarding passing through traffic
Today I got into an accident. I was riding through stopped traffic with cars on both sides of me, when a lady opened her door and I ate it. I flew over my handlebars and dented another car. After I got up, the first car which doored me drove off.
I exchanged information with the car that I dented. It turns out that the police are saying it was my fault, and I should have to pay for the damages.
I live in Massachussettes. Does anyone know the bike laws regarding passing through traffic in Mass?
I exchanged information with the car that I dented. It turns out that the police are saying it was my fault, and I should have to pay for the damages.
I live in Massachussettes. Does anyone know the bike laws regarding passing through traffic in Mass?
04-26-06, 05:41 PM
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Did anyone get any info on the woman that caused the accident by opening her door? Does the other car concede that there was a car that opened a door, thus sending you flying so much that you dent that car? Without that door-opening car, it's probably your fault entirely. Sadly. Hopefully you aren't injured too badly, and you won't have to pay much. Do the cops realize that the accident was caused by a driver who opened a door, and then fled? That makes it a criminal thing, I believe -- causing an accident and then leaving the scene is totally illegal.
04-26-06, 05:41 PM
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Fight it. At the very least you can say you were going to turn left, in which case you were in the proper spot.
04-26-06, 05:50 PM
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this might be a stupid question, but does your company carry some sort of insurance against this? and, if you are hurt, i hope you have some good medical benefits too.
you have to be able to pass in traffic, i can't imagine how that could be illegal. motorcycles do it all the time. if a motorcycle had gotten doored, and then damaged another vehicle, it would for sure be the person that did the dooring who has to pay, or is considered "at fault".
you have to be able to pass in traffic, i can't imagine how that could be illegal. motorcycles do it all the time. if a motorcycle had gotten doored, and then damaged another vehicle, it would for sure be the person that did the dooring who has to pay, or is considered "at fault".
04-26-06, 05:51 PM
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the car that doored you, was it in traffic too, or parking/parked? if it was "in traffic", i'd think that opening a door to let a passenger either in or out would be totally unsafe, from a legal perspective at least.
04-26-06, 05:54 PM
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i just did a quick google search and came up with the massbike link. i'm also in law school, so if you need any help sorting through the jargon or whatever, pm me and i'll give you my contact info.
https://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/
https://www.jasonandfischer.com/bikelaw.php (advertises in new england cycling magazine)
all the best
https://www.massbike.org/bikelaw/
https://www.jasonandfischer.com/bikelaw.php (advertises in new england cycling magazine)
all the best
04-26-06, 05:57 PM
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The car that doored me was definitely in traffic as well. It was not parked. Also, I am not sure whether my company has insurance regarding this type of thing.
But I still want to know whether riding through traffic is legal or illegal. In my case I was on Huntington Ave. (if anyone here is from Boston) riding between two lanes of traffic. The car that doored me was to the right and the car that I dented was to my left.
But I still want to know whether riding through traffic is legal or illegal. In my case I was on Huntington Ave. (if anyone here is from Boston) riding between two lanes of traffic. The car that doored me was to the right and the car that I dented was to my left.
04-26-06, 06:06 PM
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The car that doored me was definitely in traffic as well. It was not parked. Also, I am not sure whether my company has insurance regarding this type of thing.
But I still want to know whether riding through traffic is legal or illegal. In my case I was on Huntington Ave. (if anyone here is from Boston) riding between two lanes of traffic. The car that doored me was to the right and the car that I dented was to my left.
But I still want to know whether riding through traffic is legal or illegal. In my case I was on Huntington Ave. (if anyone here is from Boston) riding between two lanes of traffic. The car that doored me was to the right and the car that I dented was to my left.
04-26-06, 06:34 PM
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Originally Posted by drac_vamp
you have to be able to pass in traffic, i can't imagine how that could be illegal. motorcycles do it all the time.
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04-26-06, 06:36 PM
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Well, if it helps any, I've never looked at Mass/ Law before, cept to learn from the first time that their methods are the suck.
Insurance companies in Mass. determine fault for opening a door into traffic causing damage or harm as the operator > 50%. Means there is a law against opening the door into trafic I gues, or at least people there think it's a bad idea and get other people to pay for their door dings when it happens.
Insurance companies in Mass. determine fault for opening a door into traffic causing damage or harm as the operator > 50%. Means there is a law against opening the door into trafic I gues, or at least people there think it's a bad idea and get other people to pay for their door dings when it happens.
04-26-06, 10:26 PM
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Hope everything works out and I hope you're not injured. I have no idea about the laws, but riding in traffic seems almost inevitable on Huntington. I don't think I've ever ridden on Huntington without being in between cars and in some places it can be a real tight squeeze.
My buddy got doored on Comm Ave. pretty bad while on a skateboard the other day. He's all cut up and bruised. Getting doored is scerrrrry. for realz.
Good luck bro.
My buddy got doored on Comm Ave. pretty bad while on a skateboard the other day. He's all cut up and bruised. Getting doored is scerrrrry. for realz.
Good luck bro.
