Be careful out there, people open doors without looking....

[sabian92]

On one of my driving adventures this afternoon (not been driving very long, licenced since 2010 but not been able to afford insurance), some bint got out of a car without looking as I was driving past. Beeped, got the whole 2 finger salute and a f**k off for my pleasure.

I dare say people on here are aware but please don't ride in the door zone. If I'd have been on a bike the result could have been really different.

 

[Banjo]

I have been doored twice and each time got away with out injury.It wont happen again.keep on passing close to parked cars eventually one will bite you. These cyc;le laners painted ourtside parking bays worry me.encouraging cycling too close to the parked cars.

 

[slowmotion]

It scares the living daylights out of me. Doors can be flung open really quickly and, to avoid one on a 4X4, your own wheels have to be at least about 1.1 metres from the line of parked cars. Motorists just think you are being bloody-minded and riding down the middle of the lane. As some people commented in the TV programme thread, it would be really helpful if there was some kind of education for motorists on this subject.

 

[Banjo]

Some sort of TV add on cycle stuff could be good.
Educate people about advanced stop lines why we dont ride in the gutter etc

 

[Arch]

I was nearly doored the other day, managed to miss the edge of the door by an inch. I was in our bright yellow work electric truck! The other driver was lucky it was us and not a following car because our truck is a) very narrow, and b) slow, so I had time to brake hard. We were about level with the rear lights when the door opened, in a narrow terraced street with cars parked both sides, so only a car width left down the middle.

I shouted that she should look in her mirror before opening her door. The message might have got through, as she'd shouted in alarm and pulled the door shut as we came to a halt.

 

[Accy cyclist]

I've recently been spooked not so much by flung open doors but by slightly open ones where you don't know if they're waiting till you pass or they're going to fling it open without giving a toss. I've started to give parked cars about 4 feet distance now, only to feel and hear the disgruntlement from the cars behind. If only they knew!

 

[screenman]

I look for people in cars, and assume that they will open doors on me. Part of some training I had way back in the dark ages.

 

[MattHB]

Yes car drivers do this, on either side. So watch near side cycle lanes with queues of traffic on the right. And if there's no cycle lane on the left, never filter down the inside, always go down the middle, preferably with a flashing strobe on.

 

[DooDah]

People who open car doors without looking are IMO very stupid or don't give a s***t. Personally I think it is the first as they might care if a truck went past as they open their door. It really is just common sense, but I guess that is lacking with a lot of people. I live in France, and hardly anyone looks before getting out of their cars.

 

[MattHB]

People who open car doors without looking are IMO very stupid or don't give a s***t. Personally I think it is the first as they might care if a truck went past as they open their door. It really is just common sense, but I guess that is lacking with a lot of people. I live in France, and hardly anyone looks before getting out of their cars.

Assume this is all of them and you'll be pretty spot on

 

[byegad]

I look for people in cars, and assume that they will open doors on me. Part of some training I had way back in the dark ages.

Me too. The Cycling Proficiency course I did at ten (In the Spring of 1961! ) made a point of it.

 

[screenman]

Mine was later in some training with the police, I also think it was mentioned in my driving lessons.

 

[TheDoctor]

Always assume that someone will do the daftest thing possible.
Trouble is, they'll then surprise you by doing something so daft it would never have occurred to you...

 

[albion]

And assume someone is in every parked car.
Don't get too close and be at the ready.

How I managed to flip round a door at 20mph + I'll never know but it taught me a valuable lesson.

 

[DooDah]

Agree totally. I once saw a 4x4 pass a parked car who flung the door open without looking and the door was taken clean off and smashed into the car parked in front. I was a witness in the bakers opposite. The woman who opened her door started going ballistic at the driver of the 4x4. Only in France.........or maybe not. The woman was about 70 years old and the bloke was about 40 and looked like a rugby player. The bloke looked petrified.