4 ms·
I biked for many years in Boston, MA, and the advice to assume that everyone is out to kill you rings true. I've ridden along and between cars, trucks and buse
by foobarian 8y ago
I biked for many years in Boston, MA, and the advice to assume that everyone is out to kill you rings true. I've ridden along and between cars, trucks and buses always assuming they can't see me, and never had any accidents. However, what got me multiple times over time is doors opening suddenly on stopped cars (the last time on a car in a traffic lane idling at a red light, opened by an exiting passenger). So if you're riding in those conditions I think you should assume they are out to get you by suddenly opening doors :-)
It puts a big damper on bike commuting because it means you need to move very slowly along rows of parked cars, as well as stopped traffic.
- noobermin 8y agoAt the end of the day, it doesn't matter how many things and tips you do right, the biggest challenge to cycling are cars and general poor road infrastructure in US cities.
- z2 8y agoIndeed I've been doored and have had numerous close calls. What got me the first time was a false sense of security from the bike lane painted right alongside street-side parking spaces. With roads that narrow, people may actually be safer without bike lanes, so that they could occupy the entire traffic lane instead.
- avitzurel 8y agoTHE most dangerous places are driveways, exits, acceleration lanes. This is where you should assume the person in the car next to you is actively trying to kill you. When I ride (and it doesn't happen a lot) in a street that has a row of parked cars, I take the full lane and I will never ever put myself in the range or a door. I know too many people that have been doored and crashed really hard. People reversing (to me) basically go "Here I go, I don't care who's behind me".