Saturday 16 January 2010

How to door a cyclist in a few simple steps

Even with the proliferation of cycle lanes, those of us on two wheels face the constant daily hazard of being doored. That goes for motorcyclists as well. Here's a simple guide to how to do it.

Step 1 - walk out from in front of your van without bothering to look around the corner before you step out. This by the way is a great way to get hit by passing taxis.


As you walk to the driver's door, don't bother looking up at the traffic. Even better have your head down as you chat on your mobile phone.


Don't bother looking at the traffic as you open the door. Just ignore everything that is happening on the road behind you.


Throw the door open as rapidly as possible and even better, step backwards onto the road into the path of passing traffic.


Here's a quick video of the same event. As this happens fairly regularly, I don't get complacent when in the saddle and am constantly on the lookout for idiots like this. However, given that all this unfolded in just a few seconds, it just shows how even a moment's inattention can lead to disaster.

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