good video. I NEVER ride in the door zone. I can't think of a worse part of a car to hit or a less avoidable accident with virtually no warning. Luckily my commute, (when the snow disappears!) doesn't involve a lot of roads with parked vehicles, but still...
I'll have to see if I can dig it out but I saw a bloody scary clip of someone being doored (was it on SC?) where the rider was literally thrown sideways! Thankfully the car following (with the cam in) managed to avoid running them over.
BTW did you forget about the danger of cars that are being driven opening their doors as that Russian sounding guy in one of your past clips mentioned ;-)
Gaz, I reckon you were still in the door zone there. If the timing had been a bit more split second, and the door opened completely, you would've been a goner. Plus, riding slightly on or left of the dashed cycle lane line means you'll get lane effect from the passing cars. That'll make them come closer than they would if you were just a foot further to the right and definitely in "their" lane.
@CyclingMikey You are probably right. I knew this guy was going to open his door so by that point I had moved out, I knew because he had his side lights on and then turned them off, big give away. The problem I have on this road is if I go out of the door zone then I will definitely get close passes, If i take control of the lane then I will annoy drivers as this runs for several miles. What to do? :(
@CycleGaz I think a several of us might do something like write open letters to Croydon Council, describing this cycle lane design as negligent, and why, and showing how it doesn't meet cycle infrastructure design standards. We could suggest that if they don't fix it, and they've been publically notified, anyone who does get doored might do well to now sue Croydon Council and the driver jointly for their injuries. Personal injury claims are unlikely to come cheap for them. ;)
Your video also points out very nicely just how dangerous those cycle lanes that go next to parking bays really are. Any council that puts these lanes in are seriously opening themselves up to being sued, due to putting in dangerous facilities.
The danger is all too real. A 20 yr old girl was killed in my home town a few years ago by a car door opening in the path of her moped. She went under a car coming the other way. This happened on a road I cycle every day. The doors still fly open. tinyurl(dot)com/85vm4ak
A very important point you missed there gaz. If you are in the door zone and forced to ride into an open door try not to hit the edge which will send you into the traffic, it is much better to aim further left and if possible aim for something soft, like the driver, it will still hurt, but a bit less, and you will have the added bonus of stopping the driver from leaving the scene! :-)
Hmm - I hadn't thought of like that, but yes, that does make sense. It's what my lad did - through extraordinary luck more than anything else. But if it's unavoidable, yup - way to go.
Very good demo. Many people don't realize that you can't tell if there's someone in the car or not when you're riding by it. The windows are too dark, reflective, and headrests in the way. The only way to be safe is to ride outside the door zone!
@alexwarrior1 Spot on mate! On top of that it's much better for us to keep that spare mental capacity and observation for anticipating the other traffic rather than wasting it on looking inside every car.
chuck norris would just stick out his foot and kick the entire vehicle onto the sidewalk and carry on his merry way...... are chuck norris facts still relevant?
I'm a cyclists and I do cycle in the door zone because from my perspective, if we use the door zone excuse to cycle in the middle of the road, so should the cars - door zone applies to them too, doesn't it? What do we end up with? A situation where we need 3 lane motorways in central London. That kind of space is just not available. Or am I getting something wrong here? Please educate me :-)
@kpocius e) Swerve into traffic, stove your face and frontal lobe onto the tarmac or the car hitting you, leaving you disfigured, in a wheelchair or dead
You have a better perspective at the moment because you are not any of the 3 above. Me I don't travel in the door zone because I want to keep my perspective.
@kpocius If you are in your car and you hit an open door then it is unlikely to damage you at all. But when on a bicycle you, if you hit that car door, it's going to hurt. If you swerve around it and you get hit by a close passing car, it's going to hurt.
Not only that, but a driver is much more likely to look out for a car than they are a bicycle, a car will damage their door, whilst it is only a bicycle so they don't really care or don't see.
@CycleGaz as much as I do understand that logic, I still can't make myself cycle in the middle of the road without feeling like a douche. But I'll try. To avoid the door zone, that is, not to be a douche :)
@kpocius this is another clip of why not to cycle in the door zone, youtube.com/watch?v=1v3Ne23CNLQ , and why its much more dangerous for a cyclist than for another motorist
Sorry, dumb question. My son got car doored. He was damned lucky - the guy swung the door fast and wide, and it channeled him towards the car. Scrapes and bruises only.
A fraction of a second earlier, and he'd had have hit the sharp steel edge of the opening door at 20mph with his head and face.
A fraction of a second later, the door would have hit his handlebars or his leg, and he'd have been thrown out into the road under the passing buses and cars.
Hmm - apologies; that looks a bit aggressive and rude. It's not meant to be - it's just not that long since my son phoned me up. I quote "Dad, you know what you keep telling me about the door zone ......." and that's the point your heart ... just stops.
@kpocius Mate, 1.5 metres from the side of parked cars isn't "the middle" of the road. Any closer and you're right in the firing line. So many cars have tinted windows and high head rests it's impossible to see which cars have occupants that might be about to open their doors, as well as panels etc.
I ride right on the outside edge of bike lanes and it's saved me a few times.
If you continue in the door zone, please make sure your donor organ donor card is valid!
@kpocius Well, drivers are also advised to drive out of the door zone in the highway code, but as Gaz says, it'll only damage your car a bit, nothing more.
Hitting one on your bike will most likely give you either serious injury or death - be aware that hitting a door will pole vault you sideways and thus underneath motor vehicle traffic. It's one of the most common causes of death and serious injury in London, so I take it a lot more seriously than you do. Let the cars sit behind you.
@kpocius I don't know what kind of crap cut-priced driving lessons you had, but when I learned to drive, the first rule for passing parked cars was "leave one car door's width between your car and the parked cars". If you are a typical driver, then it's no wonder we have problems.
@kpocius If you really do cycle in the door zone then I wish you luck. Sharing the road is the answer, but not at the expense of the health of the road user. A friend of mine was taken out by a passenger getting out of a car waiting at the lights. It cost him his spleen and his liver was split in two. Don't even think the car got a scratch, Luckily!!!!!!!
@hoffbrand Aaaaah sorry about the wait. I had a break from pretty much all cycling related stuff over christmas (bad idea). Will hopefully get the next Silly Cyclists out this weekend :)
Around here cops "teach" you this valuable lesson.
/watch?v=GnNTXmy3OIA
From this I've learned that cycling outside the doorzone does not mean keep enough space for a door to be opened but a space you'd feel comfy in which is even bigger depending on how much of an adrenaline junkie you are.
good video. I NEVER ride in the door zone. I can't think of a worse part of a car to hit or a less avoidable accident with virtually no warning. Luckily my commute, (when the snow disappears!) doesn't involve a lot of roads with parked vehicles, but still...
Keep up the fantastic driver education, mate.
strippzy 1 month ago
I'll have to see if I can dig it out but I saw a bloody scary clip of someone being doored (was it on SC?) where the rider was literally thrown sideways! Thankfully the car following (with the cam in) managed to avoid running them over.
BTW did you forget about the danger of cars that are being driven opening their doors as that Russian sounding guy in one of your past clips mentioned ;-)
SkrzypczykBass 1 month ago
@SkrzypczykBass Last episode of SC at number 1. haha to your second point
CycleGaz 1 month ago
Gaz, I reckon you were still in the door zone there. If the timing had been a bit more split second, and the door opened completely, you would've been a goner. Plus, riding slightly on or left of the dashed cycle lane line means you'll get lane effect from the passing cars. That'll make them come closer than they would if you were just a foot further to the right and definitely in "their" lane.
CyclingMikey 1 month ago
@CyclingMikey You are probably right. I knew this guy was going to open his door so by that point I had moved out, I knew because he had his side lights on and then turned them off, big give away. The problem I have on this road is if I go out of the door zone then I will definitely get close passes, If i take control of the lane then I will annoy drivers as this runs for several miles. What to do? :(
CycleGaz 1 month ago
@CycleGaz I think a several of us might do something like write open letters to Croydon Council, describing this cycle lane design as negligent, and why, and showing how it doesn't meet cycle infrastructure design standards. We could suggest that if they don't fix it, and they've been publically notified, anyone who does get doored might do well to now sue Croydon Council and the driver jointly for their injuries. Personal injury claims are unlikely to come cheap for them. ;)
CyclingMikey 1 month ago
Your video also points out very nicely just how dangerous those cycle lanes that go next to parking bays really are. Any council that puts these lanes in are seriously opening themselves up to being sued, due to putting in dangerous facilities.
Matthames 1 month ago
The danger is all too real. A 20 yr old girl was killed in my home town a few years ago by a car door opening in the path of her moped. She went under a car coming the other way. This happened on a road I cycle every day. The doors still fly open. tinyurl(dot)com/85vm4ak
grimeybanger 1 month ago
i do poo a little bit when i'm getting close to a car and i see the door pop open, i almost wanna stop and ask why
burnzy3210 1 month ago
A very important point you missed there gaz. If you are in the door zone and forced to ride into an open door try not to hit the edge which will send you into the traffic, it is much better to aim further left and if possible aim for something soft, like the driver, it will still hurt, but a bit less, and you will have the added bonus of stopping the driver from leaving the scene! :-)
TheVexatiousLitigant 1 month ago 7
@TheVexatiousLitigant
Hmm - I hadn't thought of like that, but yes, that does make sense. It's what my lad did - through extraordinary luck more than anything else. But if it's unavoidable, yup - way to go.
growingvegetable 1 month ago
@growingvegetable The Vex made a good point, didn't he?
CyclingMikey 1 month ago
Very good demo. Many people don't realize that you can't tell if there's someone in the car or not when you're riding by it. The windows are too dark, reflective, and headrests in the way. The only way to be safe is to ride outside the door zone!
alexwarrior1 1 month ago
@alexwarrior1 Spot on mate! On top of that it's much better for us to keep that spare mental capacity and observation for anticipating the other traffic rather than wasting it on looking inside every car.
CyclingMikey 1 month ago
Hahahah nice! I love how the spotlight shines a bright shunning glow around him.
jim10101010101 1 month ago
chuck norris would just stick out his foot and kick the entire vehicle onto the sidewalk and carry on his merry way...... are chuck norris facts still relevant?
fattpieceofcrap 1 month ago
I'm a cyclists and I do cycle in the door zone because from my perspective, if we use the door zone excuse to cycle in the middle of the road, so should the cars - door zone applies to them too, doesn't it? What do we end up with? A situation where we need 3 lane motorways in central London. That kind of space is just not available. Or am I getting something wrong here? Please educate me :-)
kpocius 1 month ago
@kpocius If you hit a door in a car you will
a) dent your bumper
b) rip off the door
c) possibly injure the person stupid enough to open it (but they are more likely to see a car
If somebody opens a door on you when you are on a bike you will either
a) manage to stop in time
b) run into the person getting out the car
c) stove your face and frontal lobe onto the edge of the door leaving you disfigured, in a wheelchair or dead
d) swerve into traffic narrowly avoiding any other cars
finbat 1 month ago
@kpocius e) Swerve into traffic, stove your face and frontal lobe onto the tarmac or the car hitting you, leaving you disfigured, in a wheelchair or dead
You have a better perspective at the moment because you are not any of the 3 above. Me I don't travel in the door zone because I want to keep my perspective.
finbat 1 month ago
@kpocius If you are in your car and you hit an open door then it is unlikely to damage you at all. But when on a bicycle you, if you hit that car door, it's going to hurt. If you swerve around it and you get hit by a close passing car, it's going to hurt.
Not only that, but a driver is much more likely to look out for a car than they are a bicycle, a car will damage their door, whilst it is only a bicycle so they don't really care or don't see.
CycleGaz 1 month ago 12
@CycleGaz as much as I do understand that logic, I still can't make myself cycle in the middle of the road without feeling like a douche. But I'll try. To avoid the door zone, that is, not to be a douche :)
kpocius 1 month ago
@CycleGaz If a car hits a person getting out of a car, thats gonna hurt.
This door zone thing annoys me.
It's just common sence. If you see a car park up, or a parked car with lights on or someone sitting in a car..... Pull out incase they open a door.
Passing long lines of parked cars outside the door zone and holding up traffic just don't make sence to me.
Ofcourse, accidents happen unexpectedly, but that goes for motorists too.... And we can get injured just as much as cyclists.
SilverTrowel631 1 day ago in playlist Uploaded videos
@kpocius You being serious? :)
MartAndrewWall 1 month ago
@kpocius this is another clip of why not to cycle in the door zone, youtube.com/watch?v=1v3Ne23CNLQ , and why its much more dangerous for a cyclist than for another motorist
extreme2themax 1 month ago
@kpocius
Sorry, dumb question. My son got car doored. He was damned lucky - the guy swung the door fast and wide, and it channeled him towards the car. Scrapes and bruises only.
A fraction of a second earlier, and he'd had have hit the sharp steel edge of the opening door at 20mph with his head and face.
A fraction of a second later, the door would have hit his handlebars or his leg, and he'd have been thrown out into the road under the passing buses and cars.
growingvegetable 1 month ago
@kpocius
Hmm - apologies; that looks a bit aggressive and rude. It's not meant to be - it's just not that long since my son phoned me up. I quote "Dad, you know what you keep telling me about the door zone ......." and that's the point your heart ... just stops.
growingvegetable 1 month ago
@growingvegetable That's awful! I'm glad your son is ok.
kievcyclist 1 month ago
@kpocius Mate, 1.5 metres from the side of parked cars isn't "the middle" of the road. Any closer and you're right in the firing line. So many cars have tinted windows and high head rests it's impossible to see which cars have occupants that might be about to open their doors, as well as panels etc.
I ride right on the outside edge of bike lanes and it's saved me a few times.
If you continue in the door zone, please make sure your donor organ donor card is valid!
gpsgleeson 1 month ago
@kpocius Well, drivers are also advised to drive out of the door zone in the highway code, but as Gaz says, it'll only damage your car a bit, nothing more.
Hitting one on your bike will most likely give you either serious injury or death - be aware that hitting a door will pole vault you sideways and thus underneath motor vehicle traffic. It's one of the most common causes of death and serious injury in London, so I take it a lot more seriously than you do. Let the cars sit behind you.
CyclingMikey 1 month ago 2
@kpocius I don't know what kind of crap cut-priced driving lessons you had, but when I learned to drive, the first rule for passing parked cars was "leave one car door's width between your car and the parked cars". If you are a typical driver, then it's no wonder we have problems.
MrGrumpycyclist 1 month ago
@kpocius To keep it simple - with a car, the damage is to your & their car. With a cyclist, the damage is to you, your body - including death.
Pretty simple. :)
t1sutton 1 month ago
@kpocius If you really do cycle in the door zone then I wish you luck. Sharing the road is the answer, but not at the expense of the health of the road user. A friend of mine was taken out by a passenger getting out of a car waiting at the lights. It cost him his spleen and his liver was split in two. Don't even think the car got a scratch, Luckily!!!!!!!
strippzy 1 month ago
@CycleGaz Where is my next silly cyclists ay? or something similar, keep me very entertained.
hoffbrand 1 month ago
@hoffbrand Aaaaah sorry about the wait. I had a break from pretty much all cycling related stuff over christmas (bad idea). Will hopefully get the next Silly Cyclists out this weekend :)
CycleGaz 1 month ago
Around here cops "teach" you this valuable lesson.
/watch?v=GnNTXmy3OIA
From this I've learned that cycling outside the doorzone does not mean keep enough space for a door to be opened but a space you'd feel comfy in which is even bigger depending on how much of an adrenaline junkie you are.
sajatzsiron 1 month ago
No one can underestimate how dangerous it is cycling in the door zone, it's potentially very dangerous.
That's a great video (the link), very informative.
dronespace 1 month ago 3
@dronespace :O Are you saying my video isn't great? *Hummmmph* :P
CycleGaz 1 month ago 3
@CycleGaz
It's very good :oD
dronespace 1 month ago