Dooring
- Thread starter HLaB
- Start date
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gaz
Cycle Camera TV
- Location
- South Croydon
Leodis
Veteran
- Location
- Moortown, Leeds
Its a horrid thing to happen and cycle knowing, caught between traffic and someone dooring you.
Riding 12 foot out? I would be in other lane lol
Riding 12 foot out? I would be in other lane lol
Happened to me once, ended up in hospital over night with a hole in my chest where it caught the corner of the door :-(
Lesson learnt the hard way, I don't pass close to cars any more, and shout at the kids any time they stray too close.
I see the chance of some numpty swinging a door on me as 1 in 1000. Doesn't sound high, but over the course of a year, I probably go past thousands of cars.
Here's one I'm glad I was on the ball with
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WXgN5cB8WA
At the start of the video, I can see the illegally parked van. (In my experience people who park illegally are more likely to swing doors open)
0:06 a bus appears in the opposite carriageway
0:10 bus starts to overtake a second parked bus. Van door swings open
0:11 first bus has to cross onto my side of the road. There is also a taxi tailgating me at this point. I estimate the gap between the open van door and the bus to be less than 3m.
Some experienced cyclists may call this a non-event. However if I had been in the van's door zone, there is a good chance I would have been flung off the bike underneath the bus or the following taxi, with potentially fatal results.
Here's one I'm glad I was on the ball with
View: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8WXgN5cB8WA
At the start of the video, I can see the illegally parked van. (In my experience people who park illegally are more likely to swing doors open)
0:06 a bus appears in the opposite carriageway
0:10 bus starts to overtake a second parked bus. Van door swings open
0:11 first bus has to cross onto my side of the road. There is also a taxi tailgating me at this point. I estimate the gap between the open van door and the bus to be less than 3m.
Some experienced cyclists may call this a non-event. However if I had been in the van's door zone, there is a good chance I would have been flung off the bike underneath the bus or the following taxi, with potentially fatal results.
OP
OP
HLaB
Marie Attoinette Fan
You made it a non event with good awareness/ positioning
I like the way Dutch drivers are trained to look out for cyclists. They are taught to use their opposite hand to open the driver's door - i.e. in a left hand drive car, the driver uses his right hand to open his door which forces him to turn and look behind the car for cyclists.
snailracer
Über Member
Some cars have interior handles positioned close to the shoulder, so it would be difficult not to use the opposite hand to open the door. I'm not sure if it was designed that way deliberately, but I like it.
I've nearly been doored several times lately, I try to stay out of the 'zone' but sometimes it'd mean me cycling into oncoming traffic so it's impossible. Last week, one van guy was parked on a corner I needed to turn left out of, I had a stupid ped walk out from my right headed towards me and the guy in the van decided now was a good time to get out of the van - quick manoeuevre between these two gits meant I didn't get hurt...
I ALWAYS look when I open a car door but maybe I'm more aware of doing that now I'm a cyclist. Though, I remember the very last question in my driving test 23 years ago was with regards to being aware of cyclists when opening your car door.
I ALWAYS look when I open a car door but maybe I'm more aware of doing that now I'm a cyclist. Though, I remember the very last question in my driving test 23 years ago was with regards to being aware of cyclists when opening your car door.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
If the alternative to riding in the oncoming traffic lane is riding in the door zone, then I'd slow down or stop and wait in the gaps between parked cars. I'd still ride in the oncoming traffic lane when it's clear, just as you'd do in your car.
Being doored is often a life changing event, it's much more common than we like to think, and it's usually a relatively serious type of collision.
Being doored is often a life changing event, it's much more common than we like to think, and it's usually a relatively serious type of collision.
When I was learning to drive, my Father told me always to keep an eye on and scan a line of any parked cars - is there someone in the driver's seat; is the engine running; are the wheels turned out; are the lights on ... all little cues which can give advanced notice/ warning.
I still do it ... <cough> many years later.
I still do it ... <cough> many years later.
BentMikey
Rider of Seolferwulf
- Location
- South London
When I was learning to drive, my Father told me always to keep an eye on and scan a line of any parked cars - is there someone in the driver's seat; is the engine running; are the wheels turned out; are the lights on ... all little cues which can give advanced notice/ warning.
I still do it ... <cough> many years later.
That's some awesome advice there!
One point though - I'd still not ride in the door zone and rely on my ability to see all drivers/passengers in each and every parked car. I'd still stay out of the door zone if at speed, and go in only if slower.
Star Strider
Active Member
If a cycle lane puts me in the dooring zone I simply don't use the cycle lane.