It’s been two weeks since you doored me while I was riding my bike. I’ve got a fractured wrist and can’t turn my neck. No insurance. No treatment. No money. Just got laid off. I was late for a meeting, so in my adrenaline cloud I took off after speaking with the driver briefly.
I spent $90 on bike lights this year. Please please please people, I beg you, check your fucking mirrors, look over your shoulder, ignore your cellphone until you’ve safely exited your vehicles. This has been such a shitty experience, and it doesn’t seem to be getting better. —Injured and broke
This article appears in Nov 28 – Dec 4, 2013.
Feel for you buddy. Hope your body recoups sooner then later. Try hot baths with Epsom salts to relax and soothe your muscles, but one thing with Epsom salts you must only soak for 15-20 minutes tops. After that it starts to do harm, so only 15-20 minutes max.
It takes two to be safe, be it a biker and a car, a bike and a pedestrian, or car and pedestrian.
I always give 3 feet with passing a cyclist, obviously this cyclist did not stay 3 feet away from the car that doored him otherwise he would not have been hit.
Drivers are SUPPOSE to check before opening a door on the traffic side of their vehicle
I watched a minivan get its door crumpled when a drive opened his down on Maitland street a couple of weeks ago. OB who knows maybe your inconsiderate driver will get lucky & open their door into a pick up truck some day soon -:D
Sounds like you were wearing a helmet. Luckily, it could have been worse.
Everyone has responsibility. You can look before you open the door but if a biker zips up from out of nowhere or around a corner or whatever, they can be easily missed. Like GV says, give 3 feet. It’s your body that’s going to get hurt.
And BTW for bikers, use lights and reflective clothing at night. Last night I saw some idiot wearing black/dark clothing biking with no lights and the only reflector I saw was on the pedal and they we so dull they could hardly be seen.