Originally Posted by
MisterK
i do watch for tail lights, ppl in cars is abit hard to do imo...this was my first time attempting "real winnipeg downtown biking". i guess i could have been more in the lanes but being my first time doing a/"the" major route in my city i was being a bit more cautious cuz i really didnt believe i could cut being "in the lanes" so i bike like i usually do, sticking to the shoulder which usually does me well.
Simply decide in advance that the door zone is off limits; think of it as part of the parking area, not part of the road. If you feel like you should be riding far right, ride just out of reach of the doors, and know that that
is the far-right edge of the road.
There are many times when it would be safer yet to move left and take more of the lane, but you can work on that as you gain confidence.
I also agree that a helmet is a good idea -- and I do wear one myself -- but it's of secondary importance, compared to avoiding crashes in the first place.
i did learn the the door opener is always the one at fault.
True, she's legally at fault, as she should be -- her mistake in opening the door without looking was bigger than your mistake in riding too far right. But either of you could have prevented the crash...and since the drivers aren't likely to get any smarter soon, you need to take that responsibility for yourself.
Glad you're both all right, and I hope you're back on the bike soon. (The driver is paying for your repairs, right?)