This video essentially proves that bike lanes in a parking zone are completely useless. At the point where the cyclist says he's comfortable and not likely to swerve, he's about in the middle of a regular traffic lane. At that position, I would still be likely to swerve - I'd need a couple more feet. But at that point a swerve wouldn't matter, as you'd be in the position of 'taking the lane' - a position which does not permit overtaking in the lane.
This should be mandatory training for motorists. If you (labyonnette) think its done to aggravate other drivers it shows you shouldn't have a licence.
@labyonnette If it's a question of aggravating motorists or getting run over by a motorist I've avoided aggravating, I'll go with aggravating motorists.
The fact that many motorists do not understand why cyclists need to take the lane should not be something I should encourage at the risk of my life.
Quite frankly, if there are cars parked along the street, I'm going to take the whole lane next to it. The same lane that cars are driving in. If it's a two lane road, the traffic can pass me on the left. If it's not, the. They're going to get to their destination a little bit later. Bike lanes in my city tend to be right in the door zone and I refuse to use them. Sorry motorists, but I will not trade my safety for your convenience.
@tofufaye "Sorry motorists, but I will not trade my safety for your convenience." Or in otherwords: "Fuck you motorists I will put myself at greater risk, put the onus on you and be smug as fuck about it!"
@gigwhipx10fast It could be if everyone were reasonable: time elapsed in passing is important. I am not going to hold up a line of cars for more than 20 seconds. On the other hand, if I am riding past parked cars at 25 mph in a 25 mph zone with a signed 20 mph blind corner approaching, I am not going to yield the lane for 10 seconds of a motorist's time vs my safety (see watch?v=vDPrmMGeEus). If riding < 10 mph I will next to parked vehicles, paying close attention w/fingers on brakes.
@xchopp Forget the technicalities. In many bike vs vehicle altercations everyone believes they are being the reasonable one (Your detailed account demonstrates this) and therefore everybody else is being unreasonable, whether in cars or on bikes. We can't all be right all the time. I stand to be corrected.
@gigwhipx10fast You could be right... but I maintain that technicalities do matter: if we do it right, there won't be any altercation (see watch?v=vDPrmMGeEus -- no altercation). Of course, some people are simply impatient (watch?v=dyUFlbgz1BQ). Where I have come a cropper is not getting far enough out quickly enough (watch?v=wzJETJyZHuI).
That's fine and is common sense, However, it is not always possible to give so much space, actually most of the time you cannot give that much space on a bike so the advice is good in principal, but in Reality Is NOT! ...
The video explains it, to a point that the so called Guy demontrates, makes the watches out to be stupid, Hell we all know sure how far a car door opens and what damage it will do if we get hit at speed...
wow no offense but in real life my handlebar it one or two inches away from the mirror and in north america if u dont do that ur a dangerous man... who rides 4 feets from the parked cars....?
@catbells69 they can hassle you all they like, don't move! The only thing that truly annoys me as a driver as well as a cyclist is when cyclists stay in the center of the road when there are no parked cars and an empty cycle lane on the side of the road! What gives?!
Thanks for posting. I watch parked cars carefully (look thru windows, into mirrors etc) for any hint that I might be about to contend the door-prize. Usually keep 3' space but this is an eye opener! I quite simply wouldn't have thought of leaving so much space.
To be honest tho, I think I'll probably still ride at 3' with a watchful eye on the cars - it's much safer than riding less than 3' at least.
I predict tomorrow's ride will see me a wee bit further out though!
Most situations "avoid the door zone" is better advice. Bike lanes in CA one is required to be in, but the striping is often such that the "inner edge" is inside the door zone, and the outside is outside the door zone -- but hazards that allows one to leave the bike lane don't exist; there fore riding in the center of the lane is illegal; avoid the door zone fits more situations, and often places one in the same position.
@Wpreston3 but that's a poor solution, downloading from the rubbish-quality video on youtube. Better to help track down an original (which is already compressed itself). Flash video is shite, really.
I've seen a dooring, and it was NOT pretty. Dude was unconscious in the car lane, and got a ride with EMS to handle a broken collar bone and a cracked rib. Nasty.
I would consider an important distinction in this video to be the lane width, is it a sub-standard width travel lane or a lane of fourteen feet or greater?
There are no door zones on the top deck of a bus.
SilverTrowel631 1 week ago
This video essentially proves that bike lanes in a parking zone are completely useless. At the point where the cyclist says he's comfortable and not likely to swerve, he's about in the middle of a regular traffic lane. At that position, I would still be likely to swerve - I'd need a couple more feet. But at that point a swerve wouldn't matter, as you'd be in the position of 'taking the lane' - a position which does not permit overtaking in the lane.
Bike lanes in parking zones - pointless.
BeeryUSA 1 month ago
This should be mandatory training for motorists. If you (labyonnette) think its done to aggravate other drivers it shows you shouldn't have a licence.
strippzy 2 months ago
How to teach cyclists to aggrevate motorists
labyonnette 2 months ago
@labyonnette If it's a question of aggravating motorists or getting run over by a motorist I've avoided aggravating, I'll go with aggravating motorists.
The fact that many motorists do not understand why cyclists need to take the lane should not be something I should encourage at the risk of my life.
BeeryUSA 1 month ago
Really, cars shouldn't be parked on the road. Parked cars on the side of the road is a danger and hinderance for everyone.
specallez 4 months ago 3
@specallez Genius idea, now REALLY think about it.
gigwhipx10fast 2 months ago
Quite frankly, if there are cars parked along the street, I'm going to take the whole lane next to it. The same lane that cars are driving in. If it's a two lane road, the traffic can pass me on the left. If it's not, the. They're going to get to their destination a little bit later. Bike lanes in my city tend to be right in the door zone and I refuse to use them. Sorry motorists, but I will not trade my safety for your convenience.
tofufaye 5 months ago 8
@tofufaye "Sorry motorists, but I will not trade my safety for your convenience." Or in otherwords: "Fuck you motorists I will put myself at greater risk, put the onus on you and be smug as fuck about it!"
gigwhipx10fast 2 months ago 5
@gigwhipx10fast No, sh/e will put her/himself at LESSER risk that is likely to cost you but a few seconds.
xchopp 2 months ago
@xchopp Suit yourself. This situation will never be resolved.
gigwhipx10fast 2 months ago
@gigwhipx10fast It could be if everyone were reasonable: time elapsed in passing is important. I am not going to hold up a line of cars for more than 20 seconds. On the other hand, if I am riding past parked cars at 25 mph in a 25 mph zone with a signed 20 mph blind corner approaching, I am not going to yield the lane for 10 seconds of a motorist's time vs my safety (see watch?v=vDPrmMGeEus). If riding < 10 mph I will next to parked vehicles, paying close attention w/fingers on brakes.
xchopp 2 months ago
@xchopp Forget the technicalities. In many bike vs vehicle altercations everyone believes they are being the reasonable one (Your detailed account demonstrates this) and therefore everybody else is being unreasonable, whether in cars or on bikes. We can't all be right all the time. I stand to be corrected.
gigwhipx10fast 2 months ago
@gigwhipx10fast You could be right... but I maintain that technicalities do matter: if we do it right, there won't be any altercation (see watch?v=vDPrmMGeEus -- no altercation). Of course, some people are simply impatient (watch?v=dyUFlbgz1BQ). Where I have come a cropper is not getting far enough out quickly enough (watch?v=wzJETJyZHuI).
xchopp 2 months ago
@xchopp You are right... In an ideal world. But it isn't. (Thankfully).
gigwhipx10fast 2 months ago
@gigwhipx10fast Would you die to save someone ten seconds delay in getting to the next stop light? I don't think so.
BeeryUSA 1 month ago
@BeeryUSA This is incongruent with my comments.
gigwhipx10fast 1 month ago
Excellent video!!
Quemo304 7 months ago
gaz545 sent me, too!
n325aej 7 months ago
Wish I had seen this before I got doored few years ago. Although I'd be on the double yellow center if I rode out 12 feet where I got doored. :P
Thanks for the video.
n0c0n 10 months ago
That's fine and is common sense, However, it is not always possible to give so much space, actually most of the time you cannot give that much space on a bike so the advice is good in principal, but in Reality Is NOT! ...
The video explains it, to a point that the so called Guy demontrates, makes the watches out to be stupid, Hell we all know sure how far a car door opens and what damage it will do if we get hit at speed...
gizmoshere 10 months ago
gaz545 sent me!
kaiser9100 10 months ago 31
@kaiser9100 Me too. This certainly taught me something, and I already tended to ride further out than most other cyclists I see!
MrGrumpycyclist 10 months ago
wow no offense but in real life my handlebar it one or two inches away from the mirror and in north america if u dont do that ur a dangerous man... who rides 4 feets from the parked cars....?
thats just insane
YouLikeTehKawk 10 months ago
Good advice. I'm sure I'm guilty of riding too close to cars at times. I'll remember this next time I'm out on the bike.
brawnr 10 months ago
If you ride this far out past stationary vehicle, you will be hassled by the c*nts behind you for obstructing their god given right to the road.
catbells69 1 year ago 19
@catbells69 That's nothing compared to your safety. I just ignore them.
Christoff87 10 months ago
@catbells69 they can hassle you all they like, don't move! The only thing that truly annoys me as a driver as well as a cyclist is when cyclists stay in the center of the road when there are no parked cars and an empty cycle lane on the side of the road! What gives?!
aritheory 10 months ago
@catbells69
true, annoyingly enough.
arushandapushand 3 months ago
@catbells69 Never mind the cunts behind you, if you ride that far out in the U.K. you'll be hit by the cunts coming the other way!
gigwhipx10fast 2 months ago
@catbells69 You are right, there's no way you can ride this far out, without the huge queue behind you swearing.
u13at8 4 weeks ago
I got doored by a GMC Yukon... Quite the long door !
I was in the parked car lane.. bad idea.
The weird thing is that I never saw the door.. the timing was... "perfect" ...lol
Anyway... boxer fracture.. fracture my right index. Kind of painful...
Couldnt use my right hand for 4 weeks and I needed surgery.
Also, I've been a cyclist for 23 years . ( It can happen to anybody..#LOL
Be #CAREFUL
ripousse 1 year ago
Thanks for posting. I watch parked cars carefully (look thru windows, into mirrors etc) for any hint that I might be about to contend the door-prize. Usually keep 3' space but this is an eye opener! I quite simply wouldn't have thought of leaving so much space.
To be honest tho, I think I'll probably still ride at 3' with a watchful eye on the cars - it's much safer than riding less than 3' at least.
I predict tomorrow's ride will see me a wee bit further out though!
thirteenfingers 1 year ago
This should shown to ever gov.t official working on bike projects
Gavreeli 2 years ago
Shit!
pseudotruth 2 years ago
Best to ride in center of lane with traffic and forget about 'avoiding the door zone'.
fhussain44 2 years ago
Most situations "avoid the door zone" is better advice. Bike lanes in CA one is required to be in, but the striping is often such that the "inner edge" is inside the door zone, and the outside is outside the door zone -- but hazards that allows one to leave the bike lane don't exist; there fore riding in the center of the lane is illegal; avoid the door zone fits more situations, and often places one in the same position.
geoave 2 years ago
Fantastic video. Where can I download a copy of this?
PacMan257 2 years ago 4
Real player will download from YouTube.
Wpreston3 2 years ago 4
unfortunately Real Player will not work on Linux.
PacMan257 2 years ago
@Wpreston3 but that's a poor solution, downloading from the rubbish-quality video on youtube. Better to help track down an original (which is already compressed itself). Flash video is shite, really.
TVismyopiate 11 months ago
@PacMan257 If you've not solved it. Watch in Firefox and ad a 'ad on' like 'Download Helper'.
Does Firfox work in Linux?
HLaB75 1 year ago
@HLaB75 That's exactly what I wound up
doing, thanks.
PacMan257 1 year ago
@HLaB75 yes Firefox works in Linux, probably was out on Linux first, come to think of it.
TVismyopiate 11 months ago
Preston, well done! Thanks for this!
I've seen a dooring, and it was NOT pretty. Dude was unconscious in the car lane, and got a ride with EMS to handle a broken collar bone and a cracked rib. Nasty.
bikelane 2 years ago
I would consider an important distinction in this video to be the lane width, is it a sub-standard width travel lane or a lane of fourteen feet or greater?
Well done instructional video!
freddotu 2 years ago 2
Actually we will say, "if you are this far out then you should probably take the lane. Very few 14 foot lanes with parked cars alongside.
Wpreston3 2 years ago
Not bad.I could hear you quite will until about 2:00 minutes in
HalBallard 2 years ago