Dooring Etiquette

I had two near-doorings yesterday.  Both times I said (after shouting DOOR!!! and swerving to avoid it)  "Please look before you open your door" to the driver.  The first guy gave me a puzzled look and the second guy said "Well don't run into my door!"  (FYI, dude, I'm traffic, the light is green ahead and this is a bike lane!!!  I wanted to say but I had passed by him already)

It made me wonder how other people handle these interactions.  Is there anything to say or do that you've found to be particularly effective?

I loved the video Ash shared on FB today, the biker in it kicked his potential doorer back into the car as he passed... HA HA

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on March 9, 2012 at 7:09am

I would like to see signage at street parking, seems it would be especially easy when it is pay parking.  Something like these?

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 9, 2012 at 7:21am

Signage at the pay boxes as well as maybe a little blurb at the bottom of the parking signs would be really cool.

It's too bad the city pretty much gave up all control over parking and parking policy to LAZ.  

D'oh!  

Too bad that the tiny bit 'o money they "made" in the locked-in lease 75-year lease crony-capitalism deal has been already spent years ago.

D'oh, D'oh, D'oh, D'oh!

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on March 9, 2012 at 7:22am

I just scream/holler: "AAAAAAAA", and then: "WHAT ARE YOU DOING?" and people usually stop whatever about-to-kill-me activity they're engaged in.  Have gotten doored horrifically.  Body could take it at 25, doubt I'd have the same ok outcome at 31. 

Permalink Reply by E A on March 9, 2012 at 7:26am

"WHOA!!!" is usually all that comes out in the sudden panic of the moment, but I do try to express "thanks" or "careful" as I pass.

Permalink Reply by mike w. on March 9, 2012 at 7:52am

i use a loud call of "DOOR!" that usually works pretty well -if there's enough time/room. i usually don't say anything more and just ride past. Sometimes i'll give a wave or some similar signal as i move on by. i don't give the one-finger salute any more.. that's counterproductive. i also find that an ironic smile and wave works better when i'm pissed off and want to make the point.

My issue in the mornings in particular isn't so much with dooring as it is with people who are going to get into their cars... they either just step out around the rear of the car without so much as a glance and proceed with THEIR BACKS TO THE TRAFFIC, or else they come 'round the front, look right at you and step out into the lane anyway.

My other alert call is a loud "'AY-UP!" that seems to work well with peds.

Permalink Reply by E A on March 9, 2012 at 7:56am

Agreed... my invisibility cloak must be activated sometimes, since it seems the person looks right at me and steps into my line of traffic anyway.

mike w. said:

My issue in the mornings in particular isn't so much with dooring as it is with people who are going to get into their cars... they either just step out around the rear of the car without so much as a glance and proceed with THEIR BACKS TO THE TRAFFIC, or else they come 'round the front, look right at you and step out into the lane anyway.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on March 9, 2012 at 8:34am

I appreciate & also follow the pragmatic approach, but just as a general fyi for the community it is worth pointing out that before one can legally exit a vehicle on the driver's side they are first required to look in their sideview mirror and yield.  It's like rear-ending someone, the person exiting the vehicle is always presumed to be at fault.

Unfortunately I can't find a searchable version of Illinois' Rules of the Road, but it is in there.

I personally yell HEADS UP at the top of my lungs, projecting in the exact direction of the offender's head.  I follow up with a thank you if they react properly. 

Little tricks that have helped me are to try and keep a small part of my peripheral field of vision focused on looking through parked car rear windshields.  And if you see someone exiting a car on the passenger side the odds seem to be increased of someone shortly afterwards exiting on the drivers side. 

What really kills me are the people who step out/open the door wide after making eye contact (wtf).  I will actually aim towards them a little bit so they get the message if I have enough distance to make the point without killing myself.  Never had to do it, but if someone stepped in front of me and it was either go blindly into traffic or crash into them, I'm using the perp to cushion any impact.  I'm not going down in traffic & I have the law on my side. That said, I've never been in a single car-related accident.


James BlackHeron said:

While I agree that is not always possible to stay out the door zone it is not reasonable to expect someone else to always be looking out for your safety -rather it should be the paramount responsibility of every individual to keep themselves safe from the inappropriate, unthinking, and irresponsible actions of others.

One is always in control and when it is necessary to ride in the door zone then one should slow down to such a degree that a dooring can still be avoided by braking and give one enough time to react.  While people in cars should be looking for us and NOT opening their doors into traffic it is not reasonable to expect them to act in such a reasonable and responsible way as anyone who has ridden the mean streets knows that this just isn't going to happen.  There will ALWAYS be these people out there and to expect to somehow magically be able to bomb down the door zone at speeds one isn't able to stop for an inappropriate car door thrown open is suicidal pollyannaism.  Expecting someone else to do the right thing when we know they don't and won't in today's real world. 

Stay out of the door zone or slow way down to expect the inevitable.  It's your life and limb.  Use your head.  I'm not saying it is right that people in cars are idiots and unthinkingly door bikes, but until there is a real change in the way people drive and pay attention this isn't going to change.

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on March 9, 2012 at 8:35am

Those are GREAT!

Michelle Gregorek said:

I would like to see signage at street parking, seems it would be especially easy when it is pay parking.  Something like these?

Permalink Reply by Jenn_5.5 mi on March 9, 2012 at 9:00am

I think I would pay to have some of those signs put up by 'some' of the Starbucks on my route.

 

I yell DOOR, BIKE, HEY, or something along those lines. To get attention, most the time it works. If they were a real pain, I remind them to look before they open the door but typically just ride on. But I think singing along with Melanie may be more fun!!

 

I always make a point to thank a person for waiting before entering their car.

Permalink Reply by Davo on March 9, 2012 at 9:07am

Someone should make those as stickers. I'd buy a buch and put them were I saw fit.

 

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on March 10, 2012 at 4:33am

I got doored a bit over a year ago, on the right-hand side of a cab who had stopped in the bike lane to discharge a passenger.  Having to make a quick decision (not enough time to stop?), I decided (probably subconsciously) to not swerve into traffic and instead went around the right, where, of course, the passenger opened her door to leave the cab...

Sometimes you're damned if you do, damned if you don't.


clp said:

Please be careful about swerving to the left, further out into the traffic lane.

Permalink Reply by Kevin Mulcky on March 10, 2012 at 6:39am

As far as etiquette goes - I always thank people when I can tell they hold their doors shut or check their mirrors to check if the bike lane is occupied. I'll thank them verbally or with a little wave & friendly bell ring.

As far as bell-ringing for jaywalkers, shoppers, or potential door-openers, they never EVER hear the bell. For these types I'll whistle, hoot, or holler to get their attention (often in a needling manner if they're daydreaming while walking)

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