Missed connection

[bobco85]

@bobco85 98995 wrote:

Me: very glad these were both missed connections instead of the alternative while doing errands in the rainy darkness at 5:30 p.m. on Thursday over the span of about 10 minutes. I had all of my lights on since it was dark.

Incident #1
Me: biking east in the Fairfax Drive bike lane around Virginia Square; I see the edge of a driver’s side door just barely sticking about 1-2 inches out from the car, and I start to move to the left edge of the bike lane
You #1: door opens out, swinging across the entire bike lane
Me: quickly checking left and moving into the traffic lane to avoid being doored

Incident #2
Me: biking east on Clarendon Blvd just before the light at Whole Foods in the buffered bike lane (buffered, of course, from cars on the left but not from cars on the right); biking sense starts tingling as I see a car that just parked and I move left
You #2: driver in parked car flinging the door open across the bike lane (not the buffered part) and looking straight forward, not even turning your head to see if anyone was there
Me: breathing a sigh of relief and thinking about playing the lottery today

Video of the incidents:

[video=youtube_share;zZuxScZKDyo]http://youtu.be/zZuxScZKDyo[/video]

@Steve O, after looking at the video I took, I realize that in the first incident, I had actually seen the car parking ahead of time. The second incident, however, was all reaction and luck (I was going about 15 mph at the time and had room to my left).

[Steve O]

@bobco85 99067 wrote:

after looking at the video I took, I realize that in the first incident, I had actually seen the car parking ahead of time. The second incident, however, was all reaction and luck (I was going about 15 mph at the time and had room to my left).

I didn’t hear you yell anything. I yell, “Door!” if I’m with or near other cyclists to warn them. If by myself I might yell, “Heads up!” or “Whoa!” or “Yowza!” I try not to yell “*$&#,” which might just make them hate us cyclists more. The idea being to get their attention that they’ve made a bonehead move that has endangered someone without too strong a recrimination. I want them to feel apologetic, not defensive.

Question for Forum: What’s the best thing to yell when almost doored?

[wheelswings]

I’ve had several close encounters with car doors. I just scream. Loudly. I’m not sure this is something I could plan ahead of time. I don’t worry about being polite in this circumstance. I think the drivers have felt a bit bad knowing their negligence could have maimed someone.

[bobco85]

I tend to gasp and react when something sudden like that happens. When I’m approaching something alone, I tend to stay quiet and just avoid the situation whichever way I can (side note: I’m not a confrontational person, so this is a normal reaction for me). If the offending party looks at me, they tend to see the look of surprise/fear on my face and then feel shame and guilt (I get a lot of apologies from people).

[dbb]

Although I know and have been known to use more adult language, the first word that comes out of my mouth is often “Whoa”. Having grown up on construction sites and in motor pools, it is typically loud enough to be noticed.

[vern]

@Steve O 99073 wrote:

I didn’t hear you yell anything. I yell, “Door!” if I’m with or near other cyclists to warn them. If by myself I might yell, “Heads up!” or “Whoa!” or “Yowza!” I try not to yell “*$&#,” which might just make them hate us cyclists more. The idea being to get their attention that they’ve made a bonehead move that has endangered someone without too strong a recrimination. I want them to feel apologetic, not defensive.

Question for Forum: What’s the best thing to yell when almost doored?

Whoa…WHOA! is what typically comes out when it’s a door or any other situation that might be dangerous, and it typically engenders the reaction you describe here – peeps usually are apologetic, whether they verbalize it or simply demonstrate they same with body language. That’s the reaction I want, hoping the person remembers next time he/she is in that situation.

[Starduster]

Using Root Boy Slim’s voice:

“Guardian Angel- workin’ hard for you!”

[Starduster]

@Dickie 98697 wrote:

Me: Bummed
You: Missing Fun Forum I used to love

lights too bright, too many ninjas, blinkies, not enough trails, too many runners, headphones, snow removal, bollards, poor signage, no warnings, too many warnings, bells, no bells, passing too close, intersections of doom, cops doing nothing, tax money wasted….. and now Kitties are a menace…

Lions and tigers and bears, oh MY!

[Harry Meatmotor]

@Steve O 99073 wrote:

Question for Forum: What’s the best thing to yell when almost doored?

When riding in a group it’s pretty well agreed upon to call “door” or “door up” or “door right” and wave any following riders away from it. no need (imho) to make a big scene of it; better to keep everybody safe.

[Orestes Munn]

@Steve O 99073 wrote:

Question for Forum: What’s the best thing to yell when almost doored?

Thank you, God! Now do me another favor and give that guy dentatorubropallidoluysian atrophy.

[Drewdane]

MC1:

Me: Eastbound on the MCT, stopping for the light at Scott St., admittedly doing a bit of a hard stop but still stopping, and absolutely not entering the roadway.

You: Standard-issue Asshole In a Bimmer (AIB), leaning on your horn as he enters the intersection.

Fingers and shouts were exchanged. I’m not sorry. You’re a dick.

MC2:

You: Guy ahead of me in a yellow windbreaker approaching the hairpin ramp to the TR parking lot, ding-ding-Ding-Ding-DING-DING-DINGING his bell at the jogger in front of him, who was doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Dude, WTF???

[Drewdane]

@Steve O 99073 wrote:

Question for Forum: What’s the best thing to yell when almost doored?

I dunno – the one time it happened to me the best I could manage was an odd strangled grunt as I wrenched my handlebar over to avoid a collision.

Scared the heck out of the driver, though.

[baiskeli]

@Steve O 99073 wrote:

Question for Forum: What’s the best thing to yell when almost doored?

If you have time, say “careful, I almost ruined your car’s upholstery with my blood.”

[bobco85]

@Drewdane 99141 wrote:

MC2:

You: Guy ahead of me in a yellow windbreaker approaching the hairpin ramp to the TR parking lot, ding-ding-Ding-Ding-DING-DING-DINGING his bell at the jogger in front of him, who was doing absolutely nothing wrong.

Dude, WTF???

Sadly, I’ve witnessed this happen a couple of times on trails (almost all of them on the MVT, not surprisingly). A cyclist aggressively ringing his bell does not require the pedestrian to do anything to move out of his way (insert parallel to drivers beeping at cyclists to get out of their way).

[Geoff]

Argh. The last thing I want is for the pedestrian ahead of me to try to “get out of my way”, because he is most likely going to jump in front of me and get us both hurt. Please just be predictable, preferably staying to the right, and I’ll pass in a safe manner.

The worst is coming up behind a group, calling my pass, and they scatter every which-way.

[Author]

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