genec

+1000

I had a close call with a flung door one time... that was all it took to get me to modify my riding habits.

Stay out of the door zone.

DGozinya

You of all people should know that this is not going to totally, 100%, works every time, gonna happen. I have lost track of how many cabs have zipped next to me, straddling the yellow line while I was taking the lane and then squeezed me over to the row of parked cars. Not too many solutions...one is ride along. Another option is slow to a crawl and let the crazed fare foraging foreigner pass. But in downtown, in less time than you can get back up to speed, another cabbie or lost tourist has entered your space. The other option is to drag race the car...you can guess how that's gonna end up - badly. I've caught them at the next light and discussed this as politely as my BP would allow, but they usually are defensive and angry that someone is telling them how to drive. Get the plate, call the company "oh were sorry. Click"

Doohickie

In the brand-spankin-new bike lanes in Fort Worth? Not a problem:

dynodonn 

I never bother with calling the company, my first call is to law enforcement with vehicle plate number, driver/vehicle description.

brakeless619

Well I might have a "supper" brain but certainly not a "super" brain. While it is true that in the blink of an eye reflex is king. Discussion on the subject may be recalled in a similar but not as immediate situation, potentially increasing the probability of a positive outcome for said rider.

At least with advice, someone as inexperienced as myself can at least have some kind of attempt at a game plan. Instead of freezing like a "deer in headlights" so to speak.


This happens more often than not over here. I at least try to take the streets that aren't as busy. Maybe as cyclists we should carry some kind of standardized pamphlet that lets drivers know why we are as percieved by them "taking up their road."


Ha! I wish! I'm sure in Forth Worth, Texas since there nothing around, you guys have the luxury of such lavish bike lanes. Or at least you have better city planners. Here in densly populated California we have to deal with something like this:



This might better illustrate my concern.

Drew Eckhardt 

I ride four or five feet left of parked cars so it doesn't matter.

That does mean riding outside poorly placed bike lanes, although drivers with 5 MPH of relative velocity from behind are much less dangerous than those (parked) at 20 MPH from ahead.

fuji86

I love this answer, because the car door being flung open is a crash and there is no way I'm taking on a car, so the one who opened the car door is going to get a bike hitting them because they did it to me without checking a mirror to see if a bike were coming. Yeah, bracing for impact with the person or the door is definitely a step in the process. I haven't ever had a situation where this has been necessary, I recognize situations and go slow enough where I can see whether a person is in the car and might open a door. But also situations like multiple cabs, cars that just pulled into the parking spot or side of the road, those I go extra slow for so that being able to stop is possible.

limeylew

+2

rumrunn6

aim for the body emerging. they will soften the blow and deserve the hit for opening without looking

sudo bike

Probably:

In somewhat more seriousness though, I'm surprised the "bike messenger door slam" hasn't been posted yet. Youtube is acting up here at work, but I believe pretty much all of the bike messenger racing videos has examples. Basically sort of reaching out and slamming the door back shut as you ride by. I wouldn't rely on it, but there it is.

But, of course, I must post the obligatory advice of staying out of the door zone, finding another route, etc. It really is the best option if at all possible.

AlmostTrick

As DG points out below, even if you make it a practice to NOT ride in the DZ, you may still end up there. Consider a motorist that just HAS to squeeze by, even while you are taking the lane. Since I don't like dangerously close passes, I'd edge right to increase my buffer. I'd also slow down and plan to keep my DZ stay as short as possible by re-entering the lane as soon as possible. Few following drivers are true butt-holes.

Pscyclepath

WTF are you doing riding in a door zone in the first place? Rule #2 (right after, "Control your bike") is, "Don't be where the Bad Things are."

When the bike lane is painted in a door zone, don't be there. Use a bike lane only if it allows you to follow the basic rules of the road and traffic safety.

Leebo

D. Slow to behind parked car. Manual and rear wheel hop on to trunk and roof. Wheelie drop to hood and to off to sidewalk or street. Only works for mountain bikes

sggoodri

I would already be riding well outside the door zone, but I might look back for traffic to see if I can move even farther left to give the occupant some extra room, and avoid hitting a dog or child that might come bounding out into my path.

ItsJustMe

Nothing, because I'm not stupid enough to ride that close to cars.

ItsJustMe

That's not a rideable lane. Treat it as a hazard and avoid, at least when there are cars there.

sellwinerugs

Yeah yeah stay out of door zone. Easier said than done. Some older parts of towns have hazards in each direction such as trolley tracks, cobblestones and bad man/potholes. Being "doored" is much more likely when traveling these streets. Pedaling slower is advised if these streets must be traversed. I was just hit by a car door opening into my bike lane and I went to the hospital for x-rays. I realize the risks I was taking and have no qualms paying my health care costs (despite the astronomically high numbers). My question is whether there is any legal action a rider can take against a driver opening a car door into a bike lane. Is this an extension of reckless driving? A fine or similar penalty would have the effect of teaching this driver to open her car door only after checking her rear-view mirror and blind spot.

dynodonn 

It would be about as effective as fines did for "teaching" motorists not to use cell phones or texting while driving.

Riding in a DZ bike lane is a Catch 22 in my book, ride in it and deal with a possible dooring, ride outside of it and deal with aggressive driving motorists.

noisebeam

I do nothing

Keith99

Pretty much my experience. Either ride out of the door zone or slow down enough that you can stop if a door opens.

The only time anyone has opened a door in front of me I was out of the door zone anyway, but it was decending a short hill toward the beach on a club ride. I was not sure if others behind me could see it so I shouted out "DOOR". The guy who had opened the door jumped back in his truck and closed the door after him, well before I got there.

Sometimes being loud is an advantage.

ItsJustMe

It's illegal, and they should be ticketed, if you can get the cops to do it. They should also be liable for your medical expenses and replacement of anything damaged, same as if they'd run you down. They are 100% at fault in these cases. The law requires vehicle occupants to check that the way is clear before opening their doors. I would absolutely call the police and get a report if there was any damage; just because their vehicle was not moving does not mean that this isn't a vehicular accident. It should be treated as such.

dougmc

It depends on the local laws.

Most places require the person opening the car door to make sure the way is clear before doing so. If they fail to do so and cause an accident, they're liable for the damages and could be given a ticket.

However, there are (were?) a few places where avoiding opening car doors is the responsibility of the driver/rider (ultimately, you're not supposed to be close enough to the parked cars to hit the door), and in these places I believe the law would charge the rider/driver for any damages caused.

I know Wisconsin used to have such laws, but I think they fixed it. Hopefully everywhere has by now.

Northwestrider

I understand it is easier said then done sometimes, but just take the lane.

bluefoxicy

I've passed a car that was stopped in a lane of traffic. I thought he was discharging passengers; turns out the driver was illegally exiting his car, and I was trying to pass him on his left because he was blocking any passage on his right (and I thought he was discharging passengers toward the curb). I actually merged with the leftmost lane of traffic, skirting his door briefly. He actually didn't even flinch, or acknowledge me. Lucky traffic wasn't up to speed yet.

If there had been no way around it, I would have just braced myself for impact and made sure the energy went mainly into him and his door. Your fault, I'm going to protect myself. I'd just tell the cop (correctly) that I was (legally) proceeding as far to the right in the right most lane as I could, avoiding any parked car.

Jim from Boston

A car door opens. What do you do?

What he said. I ride near parked cars thinking "Like a gun, assume every parked car is loaded" (with an occupant ready to exit from your side of the car). I have found that when someone does open a car door immediately next to me, a loud shout-out will cause the "squishy thng that opened the door" to reflexively retract back into the car, like a turtle into its shell, perhaps affording a split second sufficient to avoid a collision.