Your Car Door Is a Deathtrap

Collision type #2 The Door Prize // Austin

2008-10-22T23:22:00.000-07:00

This is from a great Bicycle advocacy site called bicycleSafe.comThis post is excerpted from the article titled: How not to get hity by cars by Michael BluejayCollision type #2 The Door PrizeA driver opens his door right in front of you. You run right into it if you can't stop in time. If you're lucky, the motorist will exit the car before you hit the door, so

Cyclist killed after bike hits car door // Toronto

2008-10-22T23:12:00.000-07:00

This comes via TheStar.comMay 23, 2008 12:10 PM Precious Yutangco Staff Reporter

Cops ticket biker hit by car door // Wisconsin

2008-10-22T22:40:00.000-07:00

From the Daily PageState law protects careless drivers but penalizes those they hurt by Vikki Kratz on Thursday 08/14/2008 Linda Willsey saw the car door opening a split second before it hit her. She was biking down Henry Street, on her way home from work at Community Pharmacy, when someone in a parked car swung open the door without looking. "I think I yelled 'No!'" says Willsey, as the door

Nearly Doored // Dublin

2008-08-13T21:09:00.000-07:00

Save a life and your door!

2008-08-13T21:01:00.001-07:00

Almost Doored // Berkeley

2008-08-13T20:59:00.000-07:00

Disappearing Car Door

2008-08-13T20:50:00.000-07:00

Door Prize Lady Charged "To The Full Extent of the Law" // Toronto

2008-07-29T23:58:00.000-07:00

From Treehugger http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/07/door-prize-lady-charged.phpby Lloyd Alter on 07. 4.08We were appalled when, after yet another door prize death, a policeman discussed charging the woman who did it and said “If she didn’t look, would that be negligence? It’s very hard to label that as negligent." In our survey, 75% of the respondents agreed that " The driver broke the law

Comcast Executive Fatally Doored in Moorestown Bike Crash // New Jersey

2008-07-22T23:39:00.000-07:00

From the CourierPostOnlineJune 13, 2008Bike accident kills Comcast executiveBy JIM WALSHCourier-Post StaffA top lawyer for Comcast Corp., just weeks away from retirement, died in a chain-reaction accident as he bicycled here Thursday.Stanley Wang, a 67-year-old township resident, was pedaling eastbound on Main Street when someone in a parked pickup truck and trailer, also facing eastbound, opened

Taxicab "Look Before You Leap" Campaign // San Francisco

2008-07-22T23:00:00.000-07:00

I had thought about trying to get my stickers into cab windows. The closest I came was to stick a random one on the back of a seat here and there. Unfortunately I was not organized or funded well enough to get the idea off the ground. The good news is however The San Francisco Bike Coalition did a great thing back in 04 by teaming up with the city and some Taxi companies by securing placement of

ShareTheRoad PSA2 -- Open Door to Disaster

2008-07-09T00:10:00.001-07:00

On the road it's called "dooring", the open door to disaster. The driver of a parked car opens the door without looking behind for approaching bicyclists. The biker either hits the door or swerves into the traffic lane, either option can be lethal. In a cooperative world the biker would see the driver in the parked car, signal to the traffic behind him and then take the lane to avoid the "door

Friends Mourn Cyclist Killed In Freak Accident // Chicago

2008-07-08T23:25:00.000-07:00

This report was written by Mai Martinez for CBS. Check out the link at the end of the story. They have a heartbreaking video version of the story posted that demands viewing. —JerryJune 10, 2008CHICAGO (CBS) ― A Chicago cyclist, who was hit and killed by an SUV after crashing into an open car door, was remembered Tuesday as a loving young man with a bright future ahead of him.As CBS 2's Mai

Open Car Door Kills Midtown Bicyclist // New York City

2008-07-08T23:07:00.000-07:00

I had to share this thoughtful article written by Jen Chung from Gothamist. She has also included various links to other interesting media coverage of this sad story. —JerryDecember 6, 2007A 65-year-old man was killed during his bicycle ride to work when he was struck by an open car door in the bike lane at 6th Avenue and 36th Street. David Smith was then pushed off his bike and into the path

Door prize, day 1 // Helsinki

2008-07-08T22:43:00.001-07:00

This is my knee on the day of the accident. I was biking down Bulevardi (hereafter referred to as The Death Trap Bicycle Lane From Hell) when a taxi passenger opened his car door into my lane. It all happened so, so fast, and I was in shock, joking around and laughing and apologising and not actually feeling any pain for about an hour and a half, after which this started to sting like a mother.

Always watch the parked cars!

2005-12-05T00:01:00.000-08:00

Jerry,I have been fortunate enough not to have had any "door prizes" since I started riding a bicycle since I was a little kid - the 70's. However, I have had some nonfatal, near-misses. Always watch the parked cars! —felicion

Riin's Rants, The Door Zone Project

2005-11-01T00:04:00.000-08:00

After checking out this site check out Riin's Rants, The Door Zone Project. A small site with some disturbing facts on deaths caused by "dooring" Check out http://www-personal.umich.edu/%7Eriin/bikes/

Interesting post from James Doherty, Oakland CA

2005-07-11T00:08:00.000-07:00

Jeepers I've been an urban cyclist for 51 years now and I've never been doored.But, almost, of course. I am always vigilant that it could happen, and besides, the best advice is that given by the Leauge of American Bicyclists: Do not ride in the door zone. OK, OK, easier said than done on skinny streets with two busses or two Hummers trying to pass each other- AND a bicyclist or two, all

Bike Accident Photo Essay, Posted by Jerry SF, CA

2005-06-19T00:20:00.000-07:00

These images are two several taken by Robert Winters for the Cambridge Civic Journal regarding the July 2nd 2002 fatality of cyclists Dana Laird. Dana was run over and killed as she swerved to avoid a car door on Mass Ave. It has been posted here with Roberts permission. Soon I'll be adding a separate photo page to display more photos Robert took at the scene and other general photography related

Ted Greenwald, San Francisco CA

2005-06-06T00:27:00.000-07:00

Here's my story: It was just before 6pm on November 5, 2001, and I was pedaling down the San Francisco streets on my way to the train station for the evening commute home. Night falls early in November, and the daylight was fading. In those days my bike didn't have a headlight. And although I wear a helmet, I hadn't put it on; it dangled from my handlebars. I was keeping close to the right-hand

Bill Birrell - Santa Monica, CA

2005-06-02T00:30:00.000-07:00

I did get hit by the door, but it was still closed. Sunday afternoon, summertime on Ocean Avenue in Santa Monica can be pretty hectic. The park overlooking the bluffs is very attractive and probably the best place for a young family to go to get out of the heat. Woe to the poor cyclist that gets in the way of a car diving for a parking space.Ocean is a slight downhill grade and I was in

Sol — Vancouver, Canada

2005-05-01T00:12:00.000-07:00

I was biking up a small hill at night, had some good momentum, of course all my lights going, and all of a sudden this guy in a parked car, with no lights on whatsoever, opens the driver's side door. He did this when I was about 2-3 feet from the door, and if I hadn't swerved, I would have gone straight into the metal and probably snapped the door off it's hinges. Unfortunately for me, swerving

Eugene S. Huckleberry — Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

2005-04-30T00:13:00.000-07:00

Not exactly a story of being doored, but here goes..I was riding with a friend through philadelphia, May 2001. Going down walnut we came to a stoplight a block west of rittenhouse sqaure. she was on the sidewalk, i was on the street, riding the median between parked cars and traffic, which was stopped at a light. as i neared the intersection and came up to the first car waiting, mis-judged the

Walter Lutz — Los Angeles, California

2005-04-28T00:14:00.000-07:00

To Live and Ride in Los AngelesI was heading East in the Bike Lane (of all places) on Sunset Blvd. one sunny Sunday afternoon when I got doored by an SUV. I am usually aware of opening doors of cars that have just parked and usually can expect the driver to swing open the door without the slightest glance into the side mirror. In this case, there was this couple that had been sitting in their

Ricky Ross— Los Angeles, California

2005-03-29T00:14:00.000-08:00

It was Nov of 96, San Francisco...I was on my way to rehearsal at Planet X studios on Folsom st (no longer there). I was on Valencia and made a right onto 16th, 5 seconds after I made that right a car door opened and wrenched the handlebars right out from under me. I went flying and landed with my legs and feet in the street.A car came and ran over my right foot and part of my lower leg, I

Anonymous Craigslist post, San Francisco

2005-03-16T00:15:00.000-08:00

The following is an anonymous response to a posting I made yesterday on Craigslist (SF, Politics discussion forum) regarding the danger Car Doors pose to Cyclists. Thank goodness the majority of car drivers don't think the same way this "Liberal" does. —JerryRE:Car Door Politicscar door deathtrapReply to: see belowDate: 2005-03-15, 5:45PM PSTi dig bikes, they don't burn gasoline and they are

Anonymous, Oxford Brookes University, England

2005-03-15T00:17:00.000-08:00

Getting Doored...Had my first and only experience of being doored today.When I first moved to Oxford I thought it was a really bike friendly town,and yes, it has more cyclists and cycle lanes than most UK town, but thatdoesn't save us from the almighty door attack!I was riding up St Clements up towards Headington hill on the green cyclelane, the traffic was at a stand still waiting for the light

Darren Rosebrugh, Newton, MA USA

2005-01-28T23:56:00.000-08:00

I am one of those who would like to ride a bike instead of drive to work, but fear the inhospitable atmosphere that exists for cyclist (especially in the burbs). I just wanted to applaud Toronto's use of stickers on the rear passenger windows that warn Taxi passengers to look for cyclists before opening the door. I have yet to see this simple, but effective use of warning stickers on other cabs

Matthew Pickett, Cambridge, MA

2005-01-25T23:48:00.000-08:00

Cambridge gives away or at least did give away stickers for side mirrors that remind the driver to look before opening their car door. You put em right on the mirror where the usual "objects in this mirror" text goes. It is a nice idea. My brother-in law Charlie had his good friend Dana run over and killed by an MBTA bus a few years ago. She clipped an opening door of an SUV and lost control of

Paul, Dunun Liberation Front. Oakland, California

2005-01-25T23:05:00.000-08:00

Jerry, I saw your stickers and I wanted to find out if I could get some of them, I love the graphic and the idea. I did see a woman get doored once in berkeley, she was older and I think broke her hand or arm. Its no bullshit, doors are the number one hazard out there, that's why I will take the lane, fuck it if people honk. -- Paul

Rob Grey, New York City, NY

2005-01-24T23:46:00.000-08:00

Picture this.... Riding my bike on East 57th Street at 5th Avenue in NYC. Right in front of Tiffany & Co., the van driver for the aforementioned company hurled his door open. One of those extra large size Econoline van style driver doors. Me of the fast reaction swerved instantly, avoiding a headon, but taking the edge of the door on my right thigh. I went down like a rock and being on a road

Barry Spencer, Berkeley, CA

2005-01-22T23:44:00.000-08:00

The Dooring I've cycled for 40 years, raced, never owned a car, rarely drive, yet have only been doored once. In 1994 or thereabouts I was heading North on Shattuck Avenue in Berkeley, having just crossed Ashby Avenue, when I ogled a woman walking on the sidewalk. A man opened his car door, I tried to swerve around it, but my ogling had cost me precious tenths of a second, and the door caught the

Jamez Sassy, Boston?

2005-01-22T23:42:00.000-08:00

Car doors etc. I've been a courier for over 13 years, and in that time I HAVE NEVER seen a car door open further than it was intended to. That being true, smart riders DON'T RIDE WHERE THE POTENTIAL TO GET DOORED LIES! sure I got "doored" once but then I woke the hell up and left room for the OBVIOUS. Learn how to ride and beware of whats going on around you, it's pretty easy to ride 365 days a

Joel Gwadz, Somewhere in the USA

2005-01-21T23:40:00.000-08:00

last night splitting bumper to bumper traffic I had to watch out for all the people jumping out of taxis an limos never thinking to look back. That is why I was in the middle of the road riding on the double yellow line when an officer told me the law was to ride to the right. I corrected him and said the law was to ride as far to the right as is deemed safe by me at that point the center of the

Fred Pipes, Brighton, England

2005-01-13T23:02:00.000-08:00

Hi Jerry,Cheers! Added your message to the blog!! I nearly got doored this morning on the London Road -- by a bin lorry (garbage truck)! I was overtaking it, then got hemmed in by another truck and was about to get squashed!!! -- but it only moved forward a couple of yards -- then the door opened! -- Fred

Visit cardoordeathtrap.org

2005-01-06T16:55:00.000-08:00

New site coming soon to help create awarness of cardoors as the death traps they are. Byciclists and skateboarders the world over are being injured and killed every day. Most of these accidents do not get any media exposure. Its something many drivers don't think much about till it's to late. We need to educate the public and reduce the high number of senseless injuries.