The Doors!
You’ve just parked, turned off your car, and given a sigh of relief that you’re no longer stuck in traffic. You reach for your things, kick open your door and CRASH!
Okay, so you didn’t “door” a cyclist. But you very well could have! Just because you stopped driving doesn’t mean you can stop looking. Dooring is one of the most common crashes for cyclists. And in many areas (including Massachusetts) the driver is at fault for opening their door in the path of oncoming traffic! So remember:
Being a retro grouch, It’s rare that Iearn something new like “getting in the habit of opening your car door with your right hand.”
(May I’ll learn to proof read prior to hitting the send button)
I have to agree with the sentiment about leaving your insulting attitude at the door. The message you are communicating is important, but by tainting it with such negative delivery you are reducing the overall effectiveness.
As a cyclist and motorist, I see a LOT of stupidity behind the wheel. So, a motorist parks and without looking, flings open the car door and has that door removed by another vehicle. It only makes sense to look and see if it’s safe to open the door, not just for the safety of others, but for your own safety as well.
If it’s “not physically possible” to ride outside the door zone, how would cars fit through? If there’s space for a car, there’s certainly space for a bike. If there’s not space for a person driving a car and a person driving a bike to share side-by-side, then they can share one after the other. Please: Never, ever ride in the door zone.
In London’s lovely medieval streets, I would travel down the center of the lane.
Me too, on the narrow streets in London, I ride centre stage. These are the roads with cars parked on both sides and only one lane’s width for traffic to flow down. On these roads, it is a give and take situation regarding priority. Exactly the same give and take that you would be forced to display if you happen to be driving a car down that same street. If there is an oncoming car that entered a narrow section before me (i.e. has priority in some way) I will find a place safe to pull to the side, stop and let them through. If someone lets me through, I wave to them to acknowledge their action – like I would when I am driving.
Cars behind me on these roads? I don’t really worry about – my safety is my priority – once it is safe I will move to the side and let them pass. But only when it is safe to do so, not when they want to – hence why owning the lane is important. If they are being really aggressive, shouting and revving (which is the very rare – though an annoying and alarming minority) I certainly don’t let them push me into the door zone, but I will get out of their as soon as I am able.
It is mainly mutual respect, so if I know that I have someone behind me for a time I make sure I give them a wave to thank them for their patience.
Look: just think of all the stupid things you yourself have done while driving, assume at all time that everyone around you can be just as dumb, then ride accordingly. Worked for me so far (20 yrs, 50,000 miles).