Cyclist dies after crashing into open car door

[Grandad]

https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/articles/c4n55xl6j3ko

[mjr]

Maytham Road, Rolvenden Layne, Kent. Looks like a simple village street.

Riders, steer clear of cars! Motorists, look before you leap out!

[pwa]

Maytham Road, Rolvenden Layne, Kent. Looks like a simple village street.

Riders, steer clear of cars! Motorists, look before you leap out!

Yes. On both counts.

[rualexander]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

[MikeF]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

Yes it's not clear is it?

[mjr]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

Yes it's not clear is it?

Well, it's clear in one way. The door was opened into the cyclist's path, else they could not have hit it. The unclear bit is how much time elapsed between door opening and cyclist arriving.

[Pete Owens]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

The former.

To get over the polarised nature that these debates often descend into, it is useful to imagine the roles reversed.
A report of a close passing motorist crashes into a cyclist that had ridden round a pothole. How much time would you have for someone asking the question "Did the car crash into the cyclist or did the cyclist ride into the car drivers path?"

And if you can't avoid a car door then you would not be able to avoid a child stepping out from behind that car. Again this is not something we would accept as an excuse if a motorist did it. It is not as if keeping clear of parked vehicles is some sort of advanced cycling technique - it is in the very basics as taught to primary school kids at Bikeability level 2.

[rualexander]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

Yes it's not clear is it?

Well, it's clear in one way. The door was opened into the cyclist's path, else they could not have hit it. The unclear bit is how much time elapsed between door opening and cyclist arriving.

The door might have been left open for some time before the cyclist appeared on the scene, the cyclist may have been distracted and not noticed the door.
We don't know the details.

[rualexander]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

The former.

To get over the polarised nature that these debates often descend into, it is useful to imagine the roles reversed.
A report of a close passing motorist crashes into a cyclist that had ridden round a pothole. How much time would you have for someone asking the question "Did the car crash into the cyclist or did the cyclist ride into the car drivers path?"

And if you can't avoid a car door then you would not be able to avoid a child stepping out from behind that car. Again this is not something we would accept as an excuse if a motorist did it. It is not as if keeping clear of parked vehicles is some sort of advanced cycling technique - it is in the very basics as taught to primary school kids at Bikeability level 2.

How do you know it's the former?

Plenty of people cycle in the door zone, and some of them get doors opened right in front of them.

[Valbrona]

Maytham Road, Rolvenden Layne, Kent. Looks like a simple village street.

Riders, steer clear of cars! Motorists, look before you leap out!

1/ Happens on the most non-threatening and innocuous looking of streets.
2/ Not always possible to give enough clearance to parked vehicles on narrow streets.
3/ Because of their design, vehicles doors can be opened very quickly, like almost in the blink of an eye.
4/ Can catch the most experienced of cyclists out.
5/ Can throw you off in path of following vehicle.
6/ Can easily end up dead or seriously injured.

[Audax67]

Isn't it the clever Dutch who open a car door with the opposite hand, so that they have to swivel in the seat to reach the handle and so can see anything approaching from behind?

I've tried to get into the habit but I usually forget.

[Nearholmer]

Doesn’t this bit of the news report cover all the speculation?

“The incident is now under investigation by the Serious Collision Investigation Unit.
Officers are appealing for information and witnesses to the crash …..”

In short, until the outcome of the investigation is made known, we don’t know, and even then we still might never know.

Anyway, “there but for the grace of God” just about covers it IMO.

[mattheus]

Did the cyclist crash into the open car door or did the car driver/passenger open their door into the cyclist's path?

The former.

To get over the polarised nature that these debates often descend into,

Sadly there is no hope of that on an internet forum.

Especially when wise persons like yourself immediately wade in with a view from one of the poles

[mjr]

Maytham Road, Rolvenden Layne, Kent. Looks like a simple village street.

Riders, steer clear of cars! Motorists, look before you leap out!

1/ Happens on the most non-threatening and innocuous looking of streets.
2/ Not always possible to give enough clearance to parked vehicles on narrow streets.

This incident location looks more innocuous than narrow.

There are maybe a few streets too narrow, but most of them are in towns and can be avoided. There are far more where fools ride in the door zone unnecessarily, sometimes out of an idea that they should allow motorists to squeeze past.

3/ Because of their design, vehicles doors can be opened very quickly, like almost in the blink of an eye.

You must blink slowly.

[Jdsk]

Isn't it the clever Dutch who open a car door with the opposite hand, so that they have to swivel in the seat to reach the handle and so can see anything approaching from behind?

I've tried to get into the habit but I usually forget.

It's now in the Highway Code, Rule 239:
https://www.gov.uk/guidance/the-highway ... 238-to-252

Jonathan