http://blogtown.portlandmercury.com/BlogtownPDX/archives/2008/11/11/getting_hit_by_a_car_is_super Comments On: Getting Hit by a Car is Super Awkward. by Sarah Mirk en-us Copyright 2009 Portland Mercury. All rights reserved. This RSS file is offered to individuals, Portland Mercury readers, and non-commercial organizations only. Any commercial websites wishing to use this RSS file, please contact Portland Mercury. webmaster@portlandmercury.com (Portland Mercury Webmaster) Sat, 21 Nov 2009 00:00:01 -0800 Sat, 21 Nov 2009 15:45:00 -0800 Foundation http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss
Your first paragraph says one can very easily ride out of the door zone and ride in a bike lane.

That depends on the bike lane design. Many bike lanes I've seen all over the country, including ones in Portland, are not clear of the door zone. In addition, one should not attempt to ride a quarter inch outside of the door zone. One should ride clear of the "startle zone." That makes the environment less stressful for all road users.

Your second and third paragraphs are full of character assassination, guilt by association, putting words in my mouth, and other very questionable debating tactics.

My "broader agenda" is that I want cycling to be safe and enjoyable wherever you go. I believe that most people can learn a few simple things to be optimally safe. The grandmas and grandpas I ride with, and there are many of them, have done so.

You mention the Dutch, the Danes and the Germans. All three of those nations have produced reports showing serious bicycle/car collision problems associated with their special bicycle facilities.

My phone number is 610/282-3085. I request that you call me during eastern business hours. We both might learn something.

I also formally request that you post your real name and contact information, as I did.

John Schubert
Coopersburg, PA
limeport.org
schubley@aol.com
Posted by John Schubert]]> Wed, 19 Nov 2008 13:15:49 -0800 Portland Mercury
Be advised that Mr. Schubert has much broader agenda to assert. While tempting, that pungent nectar known as Vehicular Cycling is just old fashioned kool-aid spiked with his preferred form of cultism: everything will be just fine so long as bicyclists behave like car drivers. Too bad bikes and cars are so radically different. Ask the Dutch. Or the Danes. Or the Germans. They have old people on bikes, too, John. Except they aren't rabid white guys with an axe to grind. They're grandmas and grandpas and everyday people going where they want to go by bike. And they aren't trying to behave like a car. They're riding on facilities designed for bikes.

Well, always a pleasure to see your familiar comments, Mr. Schubert. Tell me, how's the bicycle mode share out there in Coopersburg these days?

Posted by Words Matter]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2008 12:52:28 -0800 Portland Mercury
Whenever I have to ride in a bike lane, I keep an eagle eye on every car I pass to make sure noone is sitting on the driver's side. I bet you will now too. I've never even had it happen. It just seems like the most painful, and yes, awkward, thing I could imagine. Frankly, there is no way to trust what a car will do next on the road. We just have to bike like our lives depend on it.
Posted by Valentij]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:16:53 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Johnny]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2008 11:12:25 -0800 Portland Mercury
I have some advice that would be non-controversial if you weren't in Portland:

Do NOT ride in the door zone. As "A cat" pointed out, you should claim a space that is outside the door zone. Then you risk of dooring drops to zero.

This is controversial in Portland because in Portland, your government likes to take the most dangerous part of the street -- the door zone -- and tell you you're supposed to ride there. But in Idaho, Arizona, Florida, Pennsylvania and Ohio, the state bicycle driver's manual tells you to ride outside the door zone. That is a FAR better alternative.

Of _course_ people who are opening car doors should look before opening their doors. But that's not a perfectly reliable solution. People forget. One bicyclist I know was doored by a motorist who was wearing a bike helmet, because the motorist had just gone for a ride. (There goes that pesky "awareness" argument.) Another person I know nearly doored a rider because the rider turned onto the street and came into view during the brief time interval after the motorist looked in his mirror.

When people ride in the door zone, there will always be failures, and there will be injuries and an occasional death. (There were dooring deaths in Illinois and New Jersey earlier this year, and quite a few nationwide over the last decade.) You'll have a driver to blame, as many posters have noticed, but that's cold comfort if you're dead or paralyzed.

Ride outside the door zone and you won't get doored, and you won't have (or need) anyone to blame. It's a MUCH better alternative.

My detractors, and I have more than a few in Portland, will tell you that you have to be a superhuman athlete to ride outside the door zone. Bunk! I'm 56, a wee bid pudgy, and no athlete, and I do it, as do many of my similarly non-athlete riding friends (of both genders).

I'm glad you weren't seriously injured, so you could continue. Now, you can be far, safer, and you'll find it less stressful too. Ride outside the door zone.

John Schubert
Coopersburg, Pennsylvania
schubley@aol.com
limeport.org
Posted by John Schubert]]> Tue, 18 Nov 2008 06:34:46 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by kmcdade]]> Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:18:22 -0800 Portland Mercury
I biked the half-block to work, started to tell someone "I almost got hit by a car," and just burst into tears. I was shaky the rest of the morning.

Hits and near-hits are fucking scary. I'm so sorry. :^(
Posted by aprilstarchild]]> Mon, 17 Nov 2008 18:03:51 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by scallawag]]> Mon, 17 Nov 2008 17:48:55 -0800 Portland Mercury
Just so we're clear:
Lightning hits tree and tree falls on you = Accident.
You fail to follow the rules of the road and impact someone's vehicle and/or their person (especially if causing injury or death) = Crash.
What's the difference? RESPONSIBILITY.
Posted by Words Matter]]> Mon, 17 Nov 2008 13:44:06 -0800 Portland Mercury
At first I was mystified by your reaction of embarassment-- after all, it wasn't your fault. But then I remembered how I felt when a rototiller landed on my finger and tore the end off of it-- I was embarassed too. Do you think we are embarassed because of our human frailty?

Steve K
Posted by SteveK]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 10:19:09 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by ROM]]> Thu, 13 Nov 2008 00:20:42 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Sahar]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:12:49 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by Sahar]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 14:12:34 -0800 Portland Mercury
Trying to comfort the driver was a surprising thing I did as well. I actually apologized to him for the hassle of him hitting me with his car.

If your driver is nearly as nice as mine was (and because you were nice to him), you shouldn't have any problem getting things taken care of if you end up with anything worse than bruising. Again, glad you're okay, and yay helmets indeed!
Posted by old lady]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 12:33:27 -0800 Portland Mercury
When I got doored last year I did stand right up and rip the driver a new one, though, so I should get points for that, right?
Posted by susan]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 11:48:27 -0800 Portland Mercury
Posted by Diver]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 10:30:41 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by miguelaron]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 09:53:41 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by DLS 3.0]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 08:15:11 -0800 Portland Mercury My people have a saying that roughly translates,
Go fast-Take chances!

Posted by Diver]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 05:02:01 -0800 Portland Mercury When riding 'long 'side stagnant, steel machines:
A happ'ning that can only end in tears,
And sometimes broken bones; these treacherous scenes
Are caused by you, the careless motorist,
Who, lost in thought, starts opening your door,
Not noting the approaching bicyclist.
As t'ward this sudden obstacle I soar,
I swerve as to avoid an early death
As your metallic monster opes its gill,
Just like a fish about to take a breath,
But risk another passing current, still.
May I request you take the time, at least,
To look when exiting your armored beast.

~Sarah Foote Burghardt

Hearts and flowers, hon. It is no fun.
Posted by Sarah Bear]]> Wed, 12 Nov 2008 03:52:35 -0800 Portland Mercury
Let he who is without sin cast the first stone...
Posted by valkraider]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:27:25 -0800 Portland Mercury
Nice work.

Bp
Posted by Bpaul]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2008 20:26:47 -0800 Portland Mercury
No, no, no!

People need to pay attention when they open a car door. Dude needs to be taught a lesson for his lack of awareness, not apologized to.
Posted by lostInPdx]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:44:37 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by LawyerPepper]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:06:42 -0800 Portland Mercury Posted by MG]]> Tue, 11 Nov 2008 19:02:28 -0800 Portland Mercury