One thing that cyclists fear is the prospect of a driver or passenger opening their door in their path. It only takes one such occasion to end their life or leave them with severe injuries. While they might manage to stop and avoid harm, often there is not enough time to do so.
Those who travel on four wheels must do what they can to reduce the chance they open their door into a cyclist’s path. Here are some things that can help with this.
Remind yourself to look.
Many people get complacent about how they step out of their vehicles. After years of stepping out of their cars, trucks and SUVs without incident, they may not keep checking their mirrors as carefully before they open their doors — and that’s a mistake.
A proper check should always be carried out, not just for the sake of other road users, but for everyone. It’s not just cyclists that could crash into the door; it could be a motorcyclist or someone in a car or truck (depending on the gap), and the person stepping out could be injured or killed, too.
Use the Dutch Reach
Most people use the hand nearest the door to open it. Using the hand furthest away forces you to turn around, reminding you to look for oncoming cyclists and making it easier to spot someone approaching. Many driving schools now teach this technique as part of basic driver training.
Stay alert
A lot of dooring and other accidents are down to the fact that a driver is not paying attention. They absent-mindedly open their doors after absent-mindedly pulling across the lane to the curb. Drivers who stay focused and check their mirrors constantly will have a better overview of the road behind them. They may spot a cyclist behind them long before they need to exit their vehicle.
Dooring should not happen. Anyone injured in such an incident should seek guidance as to their legal options.