Want safer cycling? Don’t dismiss dooring - Link to article
Here is a link to the article published 11 May 2012 authored by Marilyn Johnson from Monash University who is also the Research Manager at the Amy Gillett Foundation.
Tips for cyclists in the article
- Always ride within your bike handling skills – make sure you always have control of the bike.
- Travel at a speed that allows safe braking or direction change.
- Be vigilant about drivers/passengers opening car doors; check for heads through rear and side windows and side mirrors.
- Increase your visibility by using front lights, especially at twilight and on overcast or rainy days.
Tips for drivers
When you’re getting into or out of the car, you should:
- open the door as little as necessary, and shut it as quickly as possible
- open the door with your left hand; this makes you twist in your seat and head check for cyclists before opening the door
- always walk around your vehicle by walking towards the traffic: this will increase the likelihood that you will see a cyclist
- tell your passengers to get out on the curbside
- pack your belongings in the left side of the car so you don’t have to open the driver side rear door to get to them.
If you’re driving your car past parked cars and cyclists, you can help too. If you give cyclists at least a metre clearance, they will have some space if they need to swerve to avoid an unexpectedly opened vehicle door. “Leaving a metre” makes sure cyclists have a safe space around them whether there is a bike lane or not.
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by heather on -
Related links from items published in the BUG News. (A monthly newsletter available to members of my AC advocacy groups, i.e. Adelaide BUG, Prospect BUG, Look For Cyclists and Vote For Cyclists.)
Nov-2011
3.3 Police bosses fail on dooring death
Posted on the Bicycle Victoria website on Thursday 10-Nov-2011.
http://www.bv.com.au/general/bikes-and-riding/10218/Nov-2011
3.4 Finding into death with inquest (extracts)
In the Coroners Court of Victoria at Melbourne, Court Reference 1041/10
http://www.coronerscourt.vic.gov.au/resources/3/6/36f3f70049020dfcb...Dec-2011
3.1 NZ cracks down on 'dooring'
From Bicycle Victoria on Wednesday 23-Mar-2011.
http://www.bv.com.au/general/join-in/42075/
-
Permalink Reply by MarkK on -
"Be vigilant about drivers/passengers opening car doors; check for heads through rear and side windows and side mirrors."
Everyone ignore this! the one time and only time i have been doored was by an very little italian lady who was shorter than car seat of her merc. ALWAYS leave a metre.
-
Permalink Reply by Notthefirst Brett on -
Don't ignore this. If you see a head in the car you are forewarned, just don't assume that you are safe because you can't see one.
-
Permalink Reply by heather on
-
Andrew, you overlook that hard to see clearly into some vehicles due to high head restraints and now too-dark window tinting. Below is an extract from one of my submissions to government.
Decrease tinting of vehicle glass / windows
Prof Wegman stated at a public meeting on 13-May-2010 that drivers need eye contact, when asked a question about the poor safety of tinted windows. Cyclists know that darkened vehicle glass is unsafe for them. Cyclist unable to see if a person in a parked vehicle, and about to open door or pull out from kerb. Unable to see if a driver at an intersection has looked towards the cyclist and will give way.
Front side window tinting visual light transmittance requirements, Baldock MRJ, McLean AJ, Kloeden CN, 2004, CASR, http://casr.adelaide.edu.au/publications/list/?id=478
The Australasian Branch of the International Window Film Association has lobbied for approval for tinting of front side windows of cars down to a level such that 35% of incident visible light is transmitted through to the driver. South Australia currently has a minimum level of visible light transmittance of 70% for front side windows. This Report explores the safety implications of the proposed greater levels of tinting on front side windows and concludes that road safety would be adversely affected by allowing such a move.
The SA Government appears to have put businesses before road safety. Despite this 2004 report, from 1-Jan-2010 SA vehicles permitted even darker glass tinting. Refer
http://www.transport.sa.gov.au/pdfs/personal_transport/light_vehicles_pdfs/430_Window_Tinting_for_your_Motor_Vehicle.pdf
-
Permalink Reply by MarkK on
-
Sorry maybe everyone misunderstood. the first line was a quote from the article at the start of the blog..thats why it had the "" marks. sorry i assumed everyone read the article first.
i was only quoting it and then saying its crap! if you check for a driver and you dont see one, DO NOT ride closer than a metre because you cant trust it..
and yes Heather window tinting is a real trap because you cant tell if a driver has seen you esp with cars entering from side streets. you basically have to slam on the brakes until you see a sign that the car is slowing.
-
Permalink Reply by heather on
-
Andrew, OK. Still disappointing that the government has put business before road safety, especially safety of cyclists.
-
Permalink Reply by greg looyestyn on
-
+1 Andrew. Better to assume that every car door may open- Also every parked car may just take off and enter traffic without indicating.
-
Permalink Reply by Tim on -
Its a good idea to look at the wheels of any stationary cars you are passing or which are stopped at intersections or which look like they may dart out - any motion of the wheels is easy to spot and can give you that critical extra moment to react.
-
Permalink Reply by rossmg on -
Definitely second that, I do lots of wheel watching. Car "body language" as well certainly allows one to predict vehicular movements.
-
Permalink Reply by Shane Sody on -
I got "doored" last week on my way to work - ended up in the A&E section at Flinders.
I think I will get one of these:
http://www.threadless.com/product/3673/Bicycles_in_Mirror_are_Close...
© 2013 Created by Gus K.
