Originally Posted by
Clyde1820
Had it instead been an oncoming car that struck that blindly-opened door?
Don't know the specifics of the "lane" involved in the situation you describe, above. But if it's a lane for vehicles and the cyclist is just another vehicle, then it's hard to blame the oncoming vehicle for being where it's supposed to be. No matter the type of vehicle.
Here was the situation.
Two lanes eastbound. Stopped car in the right lane. Bicyclist or other vehicle should move into the left lane to pass the stopped vehicle. Bicyclist elected to stay in the right land and squeeze by the stopped vehicle. Door of stopped vehicle opens and bicyclist runs into and is catapulted off the bicycle and over the door. Had the bicyclist been a motor vehicle he's have been in the wrong for not moving into the adjacent left lane in order to pass the stopped vehicle.
Like I said, it seems to me that the blame for the crash here is shared 50/50 by the driver and the bicyclist. Incidentally, the bicyclist was suing originally for $1,000,000 but settled for the $500,000 because the case was dragging on for a long time.
Cheers