In January I got doored from the passengers side as someone got out of a car to catch the subway. I flew off my bike which sustained no significant damage. I was basically fine. I was wondering though if this had happened to anyone else? Anyway word to the wise: anything that can get you will. So be Semper Vigilans.

3 to 5 ft from any vehicle is a good rule to follow.

I've never won the door prize. When I pass parked cars, I leave enough space to be out of reach. I'm curious how you were passing on the right. Was it a one-way street and the car was parked on the left?

I was curious too, but after his explanation, it seems that the car stopped in the far right lane, and a passenger got out suddenly, leaving him between a parked car and a car that was just stopped.

Oh, I see. I didn't think about the possibility that they passed him and suddenly double-parked. Ouch. That could catch almost anyone off-guard.

I have never been doored but am afraid of it each time I ride. I am basically waiting for it to happen one day. You need a lot more than 3-5 feet to clear a door. It's debatable how much you need exactly but one thing's for certain - it's wider than the bike lane.

@sygyzy: Yeah the outer line of the bike lane (i.e., farthest from parked cars) is about as close to parked cars as I'll go in the bike lane... for that very reason.

Could only happen if you are passing a car on the right - good way to get a right hook too. Don't pass on the right.

A couple of weeks ago, I had the passenger of a passing car open his door as the car passed in an attempt to knock me down. When he missed, he looked back between the door and the car, telling me to get on the f'ing sidewalk.

Have not got door from passenger or driver side that resulted in collision yet, but came close couple of time. Most were from passenger in the back seat. Not their car and they would care less regardless of bike or cars is approaching. I did get some close call like this riding in the city (San Francisco) Too many one way street where passenger jump out of the left side of the street from the left side of the car while I am on the left lane ready to do a left turn on a one way street into another one way street.

I have once got some garbage thrown out the driver side window of a parked car at me. I think it was Burger King wrapper. The driver didn't look or anything. Just simple toss it out. It was only several feet in front of me and I lean left almost going into traffic. Next time I rather eat the left over garbage than playing dodge ball with cars.

I ride by parked / stopped cars with this rule in my head, treat all stopped cars like a gun and assume they are loaded with an occupant ready to exit on either side. On those occasions when the door is opening near me, I have found the a loud yell usually startles the occupant to withdraw back in, like a turtle into its shell.

This rule makes sense, but in a dense city like Boston, the bikes in the bike lane are often much faster than the car traffic, and not just at lights when traffic is backed up. On my old commute through Cambridge, Mass., it would have been nuts to bike as slow as the cars travel. That said, passing a stopped cab that has passengers on the right is akin to Russian roulette. Always go around a cab, that's my rule.

I had a guy pass me, swerve into my lane and hit the brakes. I swerved right while braking hard to avoid hitting the rear of the car, as the passenger door opens and a guy hops out. The passenger turned to look at who said the bad words right as my front wheel stops between his legs.

Actually 5 feet might be a little safer. Have you ever measured a car door?

Depends on the vehicle.

Wow... did you get the plate #?

Unfortunately, I wasn't thinking clearly enough. But I thought of it just after they got a bit too far ahead to see it.

It's moments like that when you really wish your max speed was a bit more. Occasionally you can catch up to them at lights... but it never happens when you really need it.

Quote:

Originally Posted by gerv

Actually 5 feet might be a little safer. Have you ever measured a car door?

I find it hard to believe that one can keep five feet from all cars while riding in a city. I think you'd be lucky to have five feet between cars. I'm happy enough with two to three feet (on some streets any distance greater than zero inches) and keeping an eye out for cars with occupants. As long as my reaction and avoidance time/space is faster/longer than the remaining width of his door I won't get hit, and I haven't been yet at least not by a door.

I think the OP had one of those incidents where being lucky counts for a lot. Cages can be pretty creative when trying to injure or kill you.

There is a big difference between passing a moving car on the right and passing a stationery car on the right. I agree that passing a moving car on the right is usually a mistake, although not always - if they are signaling a left turn and clearly about to turn left for example. Passing stopped vehicles on the right is another matter and I do it all the time. Getting doored from the passenger side is a rare event since people generally don't get out of cars unless they are pulled over to the right side of the road, in which case a bike wouldn't be passing them on the right. While it is probably a good idea to stay out of the door zone when passing stopped cars on the right the chances of being doored are much, much lower passing a stopped car on the right than on the left. So the risk benefit trade off is much better passing on the right in the door zone than on the left in the door zone.