Unexpected A-DOOR-ation...
 

A close call on the ride home from Sunday brunch with a friend. Something similar happened a few years ago. I guess since the advent of cell phones, people will sit in their cars and talk, text or peruse the internet before getting out. So just because you didn't see a car pull over and park, doesn't mean a door won't open.

I don't remember if there was a car behind me, but there's a good chance I just drifted right.

Good thing you didn’t get hit or anything. Being married to a NON cyclist I am extra careful, because she may be the one who mows me down someday. She does sit in her car in the drive doing who knows what on the phone for 20 minutes before coming into the house. Along with being a white line driver and no less than 15 over speed limit. Regardless of drivers, I am actually more comfortable on a bike than behind the wheel.

BITD, parked cars could be safely presumed to be unoccupied, because 99.9% of them were. But these days, it's the opposite, you pretty much have to presume every parked car is occupied until proven beyond a reasonable doubt otherwise. People just LOVE sittin' in parked cars these days, for no apparent reason.

[MENTION=493878]Lemond1985[/MENTION], me too. I always assume they're occupied, even when you can't see a driver. A few years ago a cyclist was doored when the driver leaned over to the passenger side to get something, then kicked his door open before sitting up. It didn't go well for the cyclist; major head trauma. Always assume.

A similar thing happened to a work colleague of mine a few years ago. The driver "explosively" opened the door (with a kick) leaving much less time for reaction than the usual opening speed, where you maybe have a second to see the door opening and adjust.

She had 11 broken bones, a punctured lung (from a broken rib) and needed 5 or 6 steel pins to join the bones. It was a close run thing to her dying on the road, and she was off work for 6 months. Unfortunately, but understandably, she gave up cycling after this.

the rider in the video was not riding with caution. sporadically parallel-parked cars, lots of room in the lane. why would this rider be riding anywhere near the door zones ? any collision would be completely on the cyclist, even though the law places the legal responsibility on the vehicle occupant. avoiding the door zone is, IMO, a most obviously avoidable hazard. no reason at all to be involved in a collision.

The vid is an excellent illustration for why riding in the door zone should be avoided and why riding left and knowing what's going on behind you pays.

Expecting people to do the right thing is not a good plan -- if even 0.1% screw up for whatever reason (including physical disability), the math catches up with you if you stay out long enough.

...and I admitted as much.

That is why I posted it.

The two car doors I hit were both the only cars in the vicinity, hadn't moved since I came on scene and were BITD. 1969 and 1982. Very similar to the OP's footage except lighting.

The OP was VERY lucky. The driver saw him and pulled the door shut. My experience - that's rare. I consider the line of "as far right as practible" (Oregon law) to be outside the max swing of the door.

Ben

Treat every door as if it was loaded.

Thanks for posting your video. I avoid the dooring zone, but still occasionally find myself riding a bit too close. It's always helpful to reflect on things like this.

That gives me chills. I haven't been "doored" since riding home from school in 7th grade. Ever since then, I pay very close attention to parked cars, especially in these days where, as has been said, people seem to enjoy sitting forever in their parked cars, staring at their phones.

So often on these threads about calamities or near misses, I post about my mindset that I believe gives me that extra edge.

May want to look into that. Not saying anything is going on, but it is somewhat suspicious behavior that warrants further investigation.

It rather surprises me from a standpoint that, if I am parked alongside a roadway I always look into my mirror and over my shoulder to see if a car is oncoming before opening a door into said roadway. Perhaps just being on a bike the driver missed seeing you?

I always ride out away from parked cars, into the roadway some. Well, I should say I DID do so. I haven't ridden on the open road outside of a neighborhood area in more than two years now, other that very short stints in the city. I am lucky enough to have some great cart paths and parks nearby that offer much safer places to ride than out on the road. Many of my cycling friends opted to change over to MTB riding after an incident occurred within the group a couple of years back. I wasn't there for that accident/incident but quit road riding due to a one two punch on a (personal) ride with one of the offending parties being a police officer. He was following a car, presumably looking at his computer to know who he was about to pull. That car about hit me and then he about hit me.

People behind the wheel are far too distracted doing things other than riding. Between that and my age related caution I just don't have the "cajones" for it any more.

Some guys make a living doing this stuff...


I ride the waterfront through SF once in a while and with all the distracted tourist, Jay Walker's, metal grates, delivery Van's. You need to be on your A game. I could see how you may let your guard down in a less traveled area.

Being too hard on yourself IMHO. You were not reckless, and reacted long before you got near the opening car door. It wasn't a close call.

+1 [MENTION=227213]wphamilton[/MENTION]. Particularly in the urban environment you are squeezed in between a rock and a hard place.

I posted to the Metro Boston thread in the Regional Discussion Forum: As noted earlier in this thread I am readily aware of riding near stopped cars, but I have had car doors unexpectedly open next to me.

[MENTION=395832]Jim_from_Boston[/MENTION], but was she wearing a helmet??? :roflmao2:

Frankly my dear…

Not to be a Captain Bringdown, [MENTION=421867]Korina[/MENTION] , but to be fair, recently I took another subscriber to task for a seemingly flippant reply to a serious situation: Nonetheless, since you are concerned to ask about wearing a helmet in that video, I don’t know.

Here is the original thread from 2014, “Doored by passenger exiting a cab?.” I couldn’t find mention of a helmet, but she was taken to task for her actions in several of the replies.

haha, that guy got me one day even tho I had seen him get other ppl. I was so surprised I gave him a good tip!

& w/ ppl blacking out their windows & cars from the plant coming w dark rear windows we can no longer see thru to the driver's seat

[MENTION=395832]Jim_from_Boston[/MENTION], I probably shouldn't have used that emoji, but every. blasted. time. they mention whether the cyclist was wearing a helmet, never mind that a foam hat won't save you from a 2-3 ton deadly weapon.

I would not ride within the swing radius of a door on that road.

I've read somewhere that the sound of a car door opening is to a cyclist what the sound of gun being cocked to deer. Been a while (luckily) that I've seen a car door up close for me as well, I also keep away from (recently) parked cars, even if it means riding mid-lane.