bhop

Holy ********!.. I challenged death and came out on top..just got doored in Hollywood. Luckily I wasn't going very fast, so no damage to all three parties (me, bike, car..also my undies are clean)..but it still scared the crap outta me.

Didn't think it'd happen to me, or that i could scream that loud. It was mostly my own fault honestly, I shouldn't have been in the door zone.

Forget what they say about 'aiming for the soft flesh' because there's no time to do anything but crash.

The ride home the rest of the way was pretty fast though.. lots of adrenaline to power through..some of which is still flowing.. man, i need a beer..

longbeachgary

Glad you're OK.

rex_kramer

Glad you're okay.

My friend's son was doored last week. He was moving pretty good when he hit. Apparently it was timed in a way where he caught the edge of the door, not fully open. Cringe?

bhop

Yeah, i got the full door panel.

FunkyStickman

Consider yourself warned... be careful out there!

gerv 

Glad your OK. This almost happened to me in my quiet neighborhood last week. I was riding with my trailer attached to the grocery store and suddenly about 10 feet ahead a door came suddenly open. It seemed like the lady must have shouldered it because it was pretty abrupt. Luckily I was going slow enough that I could brake, check for cars and then pull around. But if I didn't have the trailer on...

I screamed loudly "Hey careful" and the lady looked at me like I had two heads.

bhop

For sure, it was a wake up call and I feel pretty lucky that all I have is a little bruise on my arm.

gerv 

You should stay out of the door zone... yes, but it's still technically the fault of whoever opened that door.

bhop

That is true too..

SouthFLpix

Statistically that's actually the most dangerous type of accident because you can easily be 'thrown' into traffic that way. So you should feel a bit lucky that you made it out ok.

I would say that I personally have to be a little bit more careful about being in the 'door zone' myself, as it's easy to get pressured by our ******* South Florida drivers. They literally honk you to death until you get in the door zone or try to squeeze by you and run you off the road. It pretty much sucks here for cycling.

A woman even hit 3 bicycle cops today, even though they had a support vehicle in front of them with flashing lights. https://www.nbcmiami.com/news/local/M...130781548.html

SlimRider

Hey there Bhop!

I'm happy you're in good health and have been spared to cycle yet another day!

- Slim

PS.

Just out of curiosity....

Were you wearing a helmet?

Does this event color your opinion about the wearing of helmets?

bhop

Yes I wear a helmet when I commute in angry Los Angeles rush hour traffic so I had it on. No, me being doored didn't affect my opinion of helmets. I am on the 'free choice' side of things so I don't begrudge people that don't want to wear one. Depending on the situation, I don't always wear mine.

I didn't hit my head on anything just my arm.

SactoDoug

I look at it this way: that driver is lucky you were not a car or they would be buying a new fender, door, and hinge plus unibody repair.

I am glad you are OK. I try to avoid the door zone too but it is very difficult in traffic and tinted windows really suck.

SlimRider

I hear ya Bhop!

I'm the same way! I really do believe that helmets can safe lives and all. However, occasionally I don't wear mine either. Yeah...I'm totally about free choice, too.

It's amazing to me though. I've been in a bunch of minor accidents and only just this pass July 3, did I almost get creamed near the head area. I fell off of my bike going down Divisidero Hill in San Francisco. My handlebars were slightly lose. When my front wheel crossed a crack in the road, my handlebars got twisted at some angle. I still thought that they were straight. When I went to turn my handlebars straight, the front wheel was actually crooked. I tried to jerk the bike back in line and a wound up going over and off to the right of the handlebars. As I landed, I could see that my bike was right behind me. I hit the concrete and broke the fall with my left hand, just as I heard a car's screeching brakes. Just about when me and the bike had stopped sliding, there was this Mini-Cooper's bumper, just above my head only a couple inches away.

I haven't left my helmet behind since then!

- Slim

Cyclaholic

Winning the door prize is surely one of the least pleasant methods of dismounting your bike.... I'm glad you're OK.

I-Like-To-Bike

Really? What credible or relevant "statistics" support your opinion about the relative danger of riding in the door zone vice riding in the adjacent traffic lane?

I-Like-To-Bike

Obviously for some true believers, it was the helmet that saved your life.

Surrealdeal

+1

canyoneagle

Man,
Glad to hear you came away from it unharmed.
Riding in the door zone pretty much sucks. I specifically choose a route that minimizes my exposure, but I still have sections where I have to be wary of doors.

One thing I can say with certainty about helmets:
Wearing one while NOT on the bike will pretty much guarantee immunity to sexually transmitted diseases.

vol

That's why I never ride too fast when there are vehicles close by, whether they are running or parked. There is always the possibility that something unexpected happens.

Seattle Forrest

I'm glad you came out ok. I almost got doored not too long ago, too.

no motor?

Glad you're OK! Did you ride today?

bhop

Yeah. I'm the type of guy that just gets on with things. The ride was good. I did stay out of the door zone.