i got doored

[jeffmoore]

this morning biking to work i got doored. passing a stopped car on the right just the passenger decided to jump out quickly and opened his door right into me. I caught it on my left side - arm and shoulder and left brake - and took a mean tumble. i wasnt going very fast at the time, so no major damage to bike or body, just a very bruised and sore left arm and shoulder.
he said he was a biker too and asked me if this was the first time i've been doored... im sort of a new biker, is this kind of thing normal, have you been doored too??

[bklyn]

No, not in many years of city riding. I watch people in stopped cars to gauge what they might do.

You need to look in the cars near you.

Once I closed the door on a driver and another time I sheared off a side mirror, but both times the cars were moving. In the second case he was trying to run me of the road. I'd bet he thinks twice about f-ing with cyclists after that

[Crinkle]

another reason not to road ride

that sucks, it hasn't happened to me yet, i try to stick to the dirt

[Egon]

wow, glad you are alright. The only people I know of who have been doored both ended up in the hospital.

[CS]

another reason not to road ride

Seriously, when are you people going to figure that out? Freaking roadies...

[L7]

Never. My sister was once and strangely my Father happened to be right behind her when it happened.

Always check the sideview mirrors of cars ahead of you.

[jeffmoore]

normally i do make a real effort to check for people in the cars, this time i just got lazy i guess. plus the guy was trying to hop out quickly because the car was just stopped at a stop sign with others behind it, so it happened really fast.
getting doored sux.

[TurxSki]

Sorry to hear. Heal up quick, mang.

I've "only" been doored once in 8-ish years of commuting in Oakland, CA. My front brake still sticks sometimes.
A parked pick-up, with huge facking (unused) mirrors

[jeffmoore]

this happened in berkeley, turx, on college. streets around here are tight huh. my daily commute involves squeezing between parked traffic and parked cars. maybe its time to find a new route.
sounds like this is not as common as the guy made out, which is nice to hear.
thanks for sharing your doored stories.

[TurxSki]

this happened in berkeley, turx, on college

Ha, Bezerkely !
The driver who got you is lucky there weren't any Critical Mass rider/punx around to trash his car
I should have mentioned, I look mucho-stoopid riding cos I wear a Hi-Vis yellow/green sash thingie and yellow jacket.
Only works if they bother to look though

In near misses I often yell "don't you wonder what your mirror's for?"
But that only gets a blank look, or more usually, swearing and abuse.
If only they could drive as well as they can curse

Is anyone out there proud of how they drive ? Guess not

[MELSNOW]

i feel your pain, getting doored it pretty bad. i rear-ended a sedan going about 30 on my fixie, fucker made an immediate right turn (no signal) right after a designated left turn with an arrow and never saw me. took a ride on the trunk for that one...

[Spats]

Seriously, when are you people going to figure that out? Freaking roadies...

If there was a dirt trail between home and work I'd take it.

I've only been doored once in 14 years of bicycle commuting. Fortunately the guy was a little late opening his door and just ripped my cargo box off.

It's also fortunate for him, because I ride a recumbent and the first thing to hit him would be my 52T big ring. That'll leave a mark.

[GBB]

Bump.

I got doored today riding in the bike lane. I've seen twice already this summer and I just became the third. Both me and the bike are fine. Let this be a friendly reminder to check your rear view before opening a door.

[Tye 1on]

paging rideit...

[XXX-er]

another reason not to road ride

that sucks, it hasn't happened to me yet, i try to stick to the dirt

I have 2 good buds who broke their necks mtn biking so when we get togetehr for beers on friday night after a hard week (of fucking the dog in my case ) 2 of 7 bro's will be in motor-ized chairs

you ain't golden

[kidwoo]

fucking the dog

Actually that seems just as dangerous. Depending on the breed of course.

[XXX-er]

metephorically speaking of course, actualy I would probably have been out finding a cure for cancer or ending mans inhumaity to man

[rideit]

paging rideit...

No shit!
Weird.

[markcjr]

I ride rode and mtb, but in all reality, you should be on the defensive and staying a doors width out. I know I don't always check my mirrors, and if I did get doored, I'd consider it as much my fault as theirs. I hit enough trees to make up for it. Glad you made it out ok! Just don't count on most of the world watching out for cyclists.

[Shadam]

or motor cyclists ...

[GBB]

No shit!
Weird.

Hope you're alright man.

I ride rode and mtb, but in all reality, you should be on the defensive and staying a doors width out. I know I don't always check my mirrors, and if I did get doored, I'd consider it as much my fault as theirs. I hit enough trees to make up for it. Glad you made it out ok! Just don't count on most of the world watching out for cyclists.

I couldn't agree more and always ride on the far left edge of the lane closer to the lane of moving traffic when possible. The fact that the bike lanes here are a mere buffer zone make it difficult to adhere to this during peak traffic times. Today's incident involved a bike lane much like the one below. Except instead of an open lane next to the parked cars it was bumper to bumper traffic and thus blocking an escape lane.

EDIT: This image depicts the scene more accurately:


Original Image:

[Danno]

I had it happen when I was a teenager in Manhattan, not since I left that shithole. It's one reason that I will often choose a longer bike route if it gets me onto bike paths.

That said, I don't get to bike commute anymore. I miss it, I'd willingly take the chance of being doored to have it back.

[cat in january]

I would definitely not consider it just as much my fault as theirs. I look, but I have other things I need to pay attention to as a vehicle on the road. People sit in their cars fidgeting and you never know when they are going to pop the door. Not sure of the law, but in my mind the person open their door into traffic is responsible for checking that it is clear to do so. Doesn't mean they will.

[Canada1]

My sister got me once. I've always thought that one was intentional!

[teledad]

That sucks. I'm always really nervous passing stopped cars on the right, they don't expect anyone to be there and someone jumping out is probably not going to be checking mirrors (though they should). Sometimes it's best just to merge into the main traffic lane and wait with the cars, or pass on the left (assuming there's room).