Originally Posted by
FBinNY
BTW- the best argument against salmoning in NYC isn't th law, or auto traffic. It's pedestrians. New Yorkers wait to cross at the car line (door land) not the curb, and when crossing one ways (including against the light) look upstream. Salmoning cyclists are therefore very prone to having pedestrians step out in front of them.
Actually you NYers have two issues. Salmons get what you mentioned above - a pedestrian in their laps. Law abiding cyclists get taxi doors thrown open in their faces from any lane of traffic, especially if traffic is all jammed up. In New Orleans where I ride you never see pedestrians exiting or entering a vehicle more than one lane distant from the curb i.e. "double parked". In NYC they jump out from everywhere and anywhere the taxi might stop - right lane, center, or left lane does not matter to them. It's a free-for-all. So I can't really blame the salmons too much. At least the taxi door is open in a direction where it gives a little when a bike hits it and the occupants might actually SEE the cyclist coming and refrain from throwing the door open on a whim.