Know Your Enemy 2: The Door Zone
Do you trust the occupants of a parked car to look before they fling a door open? And How wide does a car door open?
But it’s not all one sided - sometimes I see riders doing things that are just plain asking for trouble. A good example of this is filtering through traffic - in the UK it’s legal, but you have to bear in mind that you’re putting yourself in a place that drivers & passengers in cars are probably not expecting to find you. So when I do it, it’s with caution - ideally on the outside of the stationary traffic, with as much space as possible. If I go past a row of cars waiting at a junction, and I’m on the pavement side, then it’s at a walking pace - unlike this guy:
Interesting thing I’ve noticed about bike lanes here in Seattle… most of them are right next to a row of parked cars…. just about the most UNSAFE place you can ride your bike… of course… cars on the road behind you don’t believe you should be in their road ESPECIALLY if they see a bike lane. Many drivers are actually unaware of the law here, which states clearly that the bicycle rider “MAY” use the shoulder or bike lane if they choose to… but in no way are they obligated to do so…
The doesn’t stop the cars from honking at you when you’re riding safely….
No I don’t. I keep well away from parked cars and watch for lights, movement, people speaking to an occupant, anything that may give me a hint it’s about to do something unpredictable. Vehicles coming the other way may look scary, but I’m at least in the driver’s line of vision.
I’ve got a shed full of doors…….
Why would anyone ride between the pavement and a car that was stopping?