Riding past parked cars - cautionary tale
Sunday morning, West End of Glasgow. Cyclist riding along a long straight road.
A car pulls into a space up ahead. Just as the cyclist draws level with the back of the car, driver opens door, without looking, causing cyclist to swerve and swear.
The incident is witnessed by bystanders, who are cyclists themselves, and who, unknown to the passing cyclist, give the driver a hard time for not being more attentive. The gist of their message is that he should know better, since, as evidenced by the bike rack on his car, he is a keen cyclist himself.
Driver says he feels very ashamed. By this time, cyclist is far, far away.
So, whoever you were, my apologies. I should have been more attentive. :oops:
Moral of the story: some cyclists are motorists, some motorists are cyclists, all of us are human, all of us need to remember to take care.
A car pulls into a space up ahead. Just as the cyclist draws level with the back of the car, driver opens door, without looking, causing cyclist to swerve and swear.
The incident is witnessed by bystanders, who are cyclists themselves, and who, unknown to the passing cyclist, give the driver a hard time for not being more attentive. The gist of their message is that he should know better, since, as evidenced by the bike rack on his car, he is a keen cyclist himself.
Driver says he feels very ashamed. By this time, cyclist is far, far away.
So, whoever you were, my apologies. I should have been more attentive. :oops:
Moral of the story: some cyclists are motorists, some motorists are cyclists, all of us are human, all of us need to remember to take care.
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Comments
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Always check myself for bikes, especially as a passenger I get out onto the pavement, and for pedestrians on the pavement.I've added a signature to prove it is still possible.0
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I think we've all made mistakes and it takes a big man (or woman) to admit to it.
I always try and check for bikes, motorcycles etc whether getting out of a car or crossing the road...0 -
pneumatic wrote:Sunday morning, West End of Glasgow. Cyclist riding along a long straight road.
A car pulls into a space up ahead. Just as the cyclist draws level with the back of the car, driver opens door, without looking, causing cyclist to swerve and swear.
The incident is witnessed by bystanders, who are cyclists themselves, and who, unknown to the passing cyclist, give the driver a hard time for not being more attentive. The gist of their message is that he should know better, since, as evidenced by the bike rack on his car, he is a keen cyclist himself.
Driver says he feels very ashamed. By this time, cyclist is far, far away.
So, whoever you were, my apologies. I should have been more attentive. :oops:
Moral of the story: some cyclists are motorists, some motorists are cyclists, all of us are human, all of us need to remember to take care.
Being doored is the most common serious bike accident in London. It happens so often that "door" is now a verb. Moral: don't ride in the door zone.
Gutterbunny style riding is not a good idea even when it's not a gutter that you are in.
Jeremy Parker0 -
That might have been the problem (but no excuse). I live in the country where traffic levels are very light. You generally know what is behind you (usually nothing so anything is noteworthy) long before you pull in and park.
I need to remember to be more alert in the city, where the situation is the opposite (there is almost always something there).
And Downfader, I am a big man, but I am trying to lose some of the weight by eating less and riding further and harder!
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