There's 80% of the problem right there.

- Sprinting 20%
- Brakeless track bike being used on a not-velodrome 20%
- Choosing a narrow road 20%
- Choosing a popular road 20%

Yeah the guy opened the door on you (the last 20%), but the other 80% was in your control.

Do you think this risk of your "back and life" would have happened if
- You weren't sprinting OR
- You had brakes OR
- You chose to ride on a wide road OR
- You chose to ride on a unpopular side street

...even IF the person opened a door on you?


I don't mean to come down on you. I just want people to ride smarter. Once a friend of mine and I were out on a leisurely ride on our track bikes (both brakeless). We wound up at Piedemont Park (in ATL) during peak time. Lots of people out. Kids, dogs on retractable leashes, fruitbooters... He challenged me to a full on 1 lap of the park. He was dead serious. He couldn't understand why I thought that not just one, but TWO dudes on brakeless track bikes sprinting through the busy park for over a mile was a bad idea.