When Opening Car Doors - Look 1st

[xbgs351]

Last night when riding home after doing an intense bunch ride, I was cycling two abreast with one other rider. I was riding about one metre out from a line of parked cars doing 32 km/h, when a driver opened their car door a fraction of a second before I reached it. I had absolutely no opportunity to swerve. I collected the door with my left hand and handlebar. I had visions of being flung off my bike and into the path of a following vehicle, just like an incident that recently claimed the life of a cyclist in my region. Fortunately I was flung off the seat and out of pedals and I managed to stay upright by sliding along on my bike shoes, kind of like a barefoot water skier. When I came to a stop, I laid the bike down on the road and walked to the footpath. My middle finger on my left had felt sore, so I had a look at it and I didn't like what I saw. My first impression was that I had lost the end of my finger, but on closer inspection it was all there, but had been degloved from the tip to just before where the finger nail begins. I was dripping blood all over the footpath and luckily one of the first people on the scene was a GP. She put everything back in place and wrapped it in a tea towel. I was feeling rather light headed and nauseous at this stage. The couple from the car that opened the door on me were very apologetic and helpful. They took both myself and my bike to the local emergency department and hung around until I was admitted.

I was taken into triage within quarter of an hour and there the nurse inspected the injury and placed a bandage onto the finger. I was then lead into the emergency ward, stripped off my bike clothes and gowned up. After awhile a doctor arrived, I was given morphine and a drip and she inspected the injury. A surgeon was then called to look at the wound and he instructed the doctor to give me a nerve block, flush out the wound and stitch it up. The doctor sewed up the wound, I was given IV antibiotics and some more pain killers and I was sent home.

When I got home I had a look over my bike and gear. Where my finger was, the handlebar tape has been cut all the way through into the carbon fibre of the handlebar, a bidon cage had been ripped off, the carbon fibre sole of my left shoe had been cut all the way through for about an inch and the cleats had been really worn down. I haven’t had a quote done yet, but I expect the repair bill will approach $1000.

This morning I went back to the hospital for x-rays of my fingers and hand. It turns out that the finger that had been degloved has multiple fractures at the end of the finger, but that the other fingers although stiff and sore are unbroken. The stitches will come out in a week and I can return to work in a fortnight. Looks like I will no longer be getting the Christmas break that I had planned as I will be too busy catching up on all the delayed work.


So guys and girls, never open a car door without taking a good look for approaching traffic.

[fmc351]

ouch!

Youre still typing fine.

[Neeek]

Really sorry to hear it, mate; must've been a nasty surprise to be presented with a car door. As a fellow cyclist, you have my total sympathy. I've never been "doored" myself but plenty of mates have - sounds like you got off lucky compared to some of the injuries I've witnessed over the years involving people who don't look before doing something.

Hope your hand and finger heal well.

[xbgs351]

Just been informed that such fractures take around 6 weeks to heal. This could have some serious work and social life consequences. Damn.

Luckly I am right handed, so my two finger typing skills are not diminished.

[gz1]

And for this you blame the car? Sorry no sympathy for bike riders here, you ride on the road that close to parked cars you get what you deserve. Roads are for cars not push bikes. go ahead and flame away if you like won't change my mind. bikes on the road are my pet hate.

[cuz]

Originally Posted by gz1

And for this you blame the car? Sorry no sympathy for bike riders here, you ride on the road that close to parked cars you get what you deserve. Roads are for cars not push bikes. go ahead and flame away if you like won't change my mind. bikes on the road are my pet hate.

While I don't exactly love pushbike riders myself ( Mostly the ones who decide to ride as close to the centre of the road as possible!) I find it hard to agree with you for one simple reason: Wether its a bike/motorcycle or motor vehicle that hits it, its the person who opens the doors fault. I don't see how you can blame xbgs351 at all for this...

Sorry to hear about your accident mate, hope it all heals well and your back at work soon.

[Neeek]

Originally Posted by gz1

And for this you blame the car? Sorry no sympathy for bike riders here, you ride on the road that close to parked cars you get what you deserve. Roads are for cars not push bikes. go ahead and flame away if you like won't change my mind. bikes on the road are my pet hate.

OK, so if you were driving along the road next to parked cars and someone opened their car door on you and you took it clean off and smashed your grille/headlight/bonnet in, would that be your fault?

Or would you blame the guy who didn't look before opening his car door?

Same thing, different modes of transport.

[Werd.]

Originally Posted by gz1

And for this you blame the car? Sorry no sympathy for bike riders here, you ride on the road that close to parked cars you get what you deserve. Roads are for cars not push bikes. go ahead and flame away if you like won't change my mind. bikes on the road are my pet hate.

I half agree with you here.. So many times I've nearly cleaned up a cyclist because they think they own the road. ****es me off to no end when they're in the middle of two lanes in a 60 zone, then rapidly swerve towards you.

[GORDZ]

if there was a bike lane, you have my sympathy. if not, get off the road unless you can ride at the speed limit.

[irlewy86]

Roads are for transport. This includes bikes, motorcycles, horses, trucks and buggies. If you open your door without looking it might just be ripped off by a larger vehicle and take your arm with it.

[XAGSV8]

My God some of you are morons. Where do you expect bikes to be ridden, on the footpath where pedestrians are?? Some of you need to go back and learn your road rules on what can and can't go on there. Didn't any of you get told to look in your mirror before you open a door?

[TZENU]

At least your Ok... I could image all the adrenelin that would have been pumping through you after a fall like that!!! As a fellow cyclist, i have become more and more cautious and even scared that one day that could happen too me...

An accident YES, but had they done a head check before openning the car door all this could have been avoided.
When you overtake do you turn into the lane??? NO, you put your indicator on and check your blind sport BEFORE merging....
Having said that, i too HATE the cyclists who arrogantly flaunt the laws and think they are above everyone else; including those who run red lights and those who purposely hold up traffic. Its those types that give the rest of us bad names!!!


:

[satria]

fair enough you're ****ed off about almost losing your fingure mate i do feel sorry for ya, but cyclists on roads are my pet hate too. it's not like a motorbike where you can at least hear them coming, cyclists would be alot harder to detect in mirrors.

i'm not saying motorists aren't at fault sometimes but hey, if you really think about it, a cyclist probably is the hardest thing to detect on the road so it might be sensible to ride on a footpath, at least sometimes. it is your life we are talking about here.

and a tip for cyclists: if you are causing cars to merge to a second lane to just drive past you, use the footpath thats only like 1m away!!! at least you won't be risking your life!

and what reeeeeeeally aggrivates me is when a cyclist uses a cars wheel arch or bumper at the lights to build up speed... i swear to god if any cyclist wants to touch my car im gonna make sure they taste my front bumper with their face at 60km/h.

i should do my ow peter griffin "what really grinds my gears" segment lol

[XCSEDAN]

oh ouch man....

are they going to foot the repair bill?

im surprised you only have 2 weeks off work. VERY lucky mate

[Thornie]

Originally Posted by cuz351

While I don't exactly love pushbike riders myself ( Mostly the ones who decide to ride as close to the centre of the road as possible!) I find it hard to agree with you for one simple reason: Wether its a bike/motorcycle or motor vehicle that hits it, its the person who opens the doors fault. I don't see how you can blame xbgs351 at all for this...

Sorry to hear about your accident mate, hope it all heals well and your back at work soon.

you can blame the government for banning pushbikes from paths unless they are shared walkways.

[King Nothing]

Originally Posted by satria

and what reeeeeeeally aggrivates me is when a cyclist uses a cars wheel arch or bumper at the lights to build up speed...

They don't seriously do that do they? I definalty wouldnt appreciate that either!

Fair enough bike riders have the right to share the road as well, I have no problem with that. But seriously, you have to be half mental to ride on a main road by yourself in peak hour where the traffic is still moving at a fair speed. Plus I see waaaaay too many of them run red lights, not wear helmets, sit in the middle of the road, etc.

[XAGSV8]

Originally Posted by satria

, a cyclist probably is the hardest thing to detect on the road so it might be sensible to ride on a footpath, at least sometimes. it is your life we are talking about here.

and a tip for cyclists: if you are causing cars to merge to a second lane to just drive past you, use the footpath thats only like 1m away!!! at least you won't be risking your life!

Tell you something I don't like cyclists screaming up the footpath where my pregnant wife and I are walking, hence the term FOOTPATH.

Originally Posted by King Nothing

Plus I see waaaaay too many of them run red lights, not wear helmets, sit in the middle of the road, etc.

What and everybody driving cars is perfect. People hate the word hoon been used too often (i can't stand it) so keep that in your mind when talking about other groups. Just too add I am not a cyclist.

[SPK-250]

Riding 2 abreast as well :

riding 1 metre out from the line of parked cars would put you in the middle of the lane nearly

But i do feel for you coz the same thing nearly happened to me 2 weeks ago but i was in a bike lane and some joker saw me in his side mirror but still pulled out anyways. Lucky i got fat discs all round.

[[Tonko]]

Hmm, nobody wants them on the road or the footpath....
The only cyclists i have a problem with is the ones that take up literally the whole road every morning and night here... about 30 of them, usually 6 or 8 across.
Apart from that, i have no issues whatsoever...

[King Nothing]

Originally Posted by XAGSV8

What and everybody driving cars is perfect. People hate the word hoon been used too often (i can't stand it) so keep that in your mind when talking about other groups. Just too add I am not a cyclist.

I didn't say that, I don't have much of an issue with bike riders, provided they do the right thing. Sure they can be a bit of a hassle, they slow down lanes but I can live with it. Better there than on the footpath, where as you say they can do greater harm to pedestrians.

But from my observations, the % of bike riders doing the wrong thing as opposed to the % of drivers doing the wrong thing seems higher. I also don't like "hoons" or whatever you want to call them (Like I saw yesterday, some moron in a V6 VN trying to get his tail end out turning right off the Kingsway at Miranda :togo: awful, awful engine sound).

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by gz1

And for this you blame the car? Sorry no sympathy for bike riders here, you ride on the road that close to parked cars you get what you deserve. Roads are for cars not push bikes. go ahead and flame away if you like won't change my mind. bikes on the road are my pet hate.

You might be on to something here, although we should take it one step further along your line of thinking. The road is only for Volvo driving bowls fanatics.

[XAGSV8]

Originally Posted by fmc351

You might be on to something here, although we should take it one step further along your line of thinking. The road is only for Volvo driving bowls fanatics.

You could be onto something there. :

[gozza]

I would think cyclists should be aware of the potential danger in random doors opening and not ride close enough to be struck -

Defensive driving should be applied on all forms of vehicles - I don't drive around thinking no - one is going to merge onto me etc etc - Any who - Glad to hear you only lunched your finger -

Everyone can't be pleased all at once with any given situation - unless your having a 3 some

[Steffo]

Whilst not a big cyclist fan, simply because I've had more of them do dumb thing around me whilst I'm driving then smart, I do sympathise in this situation and yes it is the fault of the people who opened the door.

To go slightly off topic... I followed this awesome cyclist once... straight, flat road... 60 zone where I'm doing 60... and I kid you not this guy was pulling away! His calves were the size of tree-trunks and it was just... wow. Best cyclist ever... :

[fmc351]

Originally Posted by gozza

I would think cyclists should be aware of the potential danger in random doors opening and not ride close enough to be struck -

Defensive driving should be applied on all forms of vehicles - I don't drive around thinking no - one is going to merge onto me etc etc - Any who - Glad to hear you only lunched your finger -

Everyone can't be pleased all at once with any given situation - unless your having a 3 some

A metre from parked cars seems a decent enough gap, any further and hes in the middle of the road, even at a metre hes a fair way into the road. And the door opening at the last second, is much like the car that actually gets completely into your lane while youre still in it with nowhere to go, you are going to be visiting a panel beater at best.

People are just impatient, the bikes there, youre behind it, slow down until you can pass them. And look before you open a door. Even better, dont just swing it open, I part open it, and while Im sort of turned in the seat to get out, head check and then open it fully. Im not looking specifically for bikes, I dont want to get hit by a truck.

[XR6_190]

mate talk about terrible luck/ timing. Hope you heal well and quick.

As for these narrow minded fools who don't think that bicycles should be on the road, get real, bicycles do have their rightful place on the roads. That said a lot of cyclists really do need to get the road rules right.

[alstar5]

Edited: I realise now you were riding next to parked cars.

[J_Tank]

I've had many close calls of the same nature, but never when riding 2 abreast. I'm pretty sure this is one of the reasons why it's not legit in NSW. Having said that you have my sympathy, as for a few others... you should try it out sometime and see what it's like riding on the road with some of the tools out there.

[bowsaw]

I was going to say, isnt it law that its single file? is in WA.

[poolkeeper]

I dont really like bike riders either (sorry)
How come they can go through red lights?