JohnnyReggae Posted December 4, 2013 Share I suppose it had to happen sooner or later, 14 months and 4800 km's into commuting to work I get taken out by a car. At least I can say it was only the car door. Heading home with a nice tail wind for a change, I'm travelling on the inside of a line of cars stopped at a pedestrian traffic light, a passenger in a car decides that this is an *awesome* place to quickly get out and flings the car door open in front of me. No time to react and end up hitting the door quite hard and get flung onto the sidewalk which I also hit quite hard. Thankfully nothing broken, but loads of pain .... The lady who was driving the car was very apologetic and offered to take me to a hospital, doctor, home, etc... Seeing nothing was broken I had her just take me home. She offered to pay any costs and gave me her details should I need them. I initially felt very angry about the whole thing, and now despite the pain, I've let it go. I'm just going to get back on my bike, when I can , and carry on riding .... Mr Winter, Marius, ruib and 1 other 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nazmo Posted December 4, 2013 Share Happened to me, in Sea point, early sunday morning. A Jogger no less, flung his door open full blast, no warning, no checking. Considering that the person frequents sea point often, you should think they know better. Was off the bike for 2 weeks, some bad bruising. He offered to take me home/to my car, some damage to bike. Though I think the biggest cost is the nice dent in his door edge. Oufy MTB (Roadie) 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Velo Racer Posted December 4, 2013 Share OUch! Hope you heal up soon. Must give kudo's to 'the lady' too. Some people would have just driven off. She made a mistake and appologised for it. The MTBer, ADJ, Hairy and 8 others 11 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Zone Posted December 4, 2013 Share Happened to me about 15 years ago, flying along with a nice tailwind, lady dropping her kid at a crèche just opens the door and smack, leg opened up on the door's edge like a butterflied piece of fillet steak, flipped through the air and landed up unconscious in the middle of the road. woke up being loaded in the ambulance, taken to government hospital and stitched up by a doddering old fool who didnt know how to thread a needle. No contact from the lady, no-one took her details and I was in no condition to do so. Still a little hacked off about it. Super cautious about being doored to this day. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Heckflosse Posted December 4, 2013 Share Glad you are alright. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted December 4, 2013 Share Good to hear you OK, happened to me in London many years ago, has made me super cautious travelling amongst traffic. I know constantly check what is happening inside the cars now with regard to passengers. On a side note, what does the law say regarding this, who is actually at fault? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wayne Potgieter Posted December 4, 2013 Share The lady who was driving the car was very apologetic and offered to take me to a hospital, doctor, home, etc... Seeing nothing was broken I had her just take me home. She offered to pay any costs and gave me her details should I need them. Sorry to hear. Really glad to read how the lady reacted. Seemed to be quite genuinely remorseful. Glad you are ok too. Stretch and Pants Boy 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pure Savage Posted December 4, 2013 Share After the Tour de PPA a few years ago, in the nuteral zone I was pushing my father up last little climb were all cars were waiting at road works, I pushed him round the one side of the car and I went round the other side, driver swings open door and collects me. Lucky was slow, but had to get new helment etc. Guy was an old farm worker in beat up Merc, just sat there looking at me. I had cramps in legs so tried to get up as fast as possible or would have not been able to get off the ground. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ratty Posted December 4, 2013 Share Happened to me when I was a teenager. Old lady swung her door open on Lansdowne road. I had a choice to swerve into the traffic or hit the door. Ended up with a nasty slash on my shoulder and bent the handle bars on my brothers bike. Was so angry I just got straight on my bike and road away, think I would have hit her otherwise. Problem was, I got lost going home (which was only about 2km's away). Not sure if it was from shock or fear, it was my brothers bike! Was very lucky as I wasn't wearing a helmet! I didn't have my own bike and had just borrowed my brothers to go to the shops. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stretch Posted December 4, 2013 Share Sorry to hear. Really glad to read how the lady reacted. Seemed to be quite genuinely remorseful. Glad you are ok too. indeed...faith restored in car users...even if it is ever so brief Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nolipoli Posted December 4, 2013 Share When I read "Tail wind" all I can think was that the OP was travelling too fast for the situation. What would he have done if a pedestrian had stepped out from behind a car(being a pedestrian crossing)? It is for the same reason that I get hacked off by motorcycles who scream up the gap between stationary cars, and wonder why they get taken out. Ride defensively people! Disclaimer: I am not saying it is always the riders' fault. In fact, mostly it is not. BUT I would rather be the guy that avoids the accident, instead of trying to argue fault from a hospital bed. Surv0MTB 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
'Dale Posted December 4, 2013 Share Eina. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted December 4, 2013 Share When I read "Tail wind" all I can think was that the OP was travelling too fast for the situation. What would he have done if a pedestrian had stepped out from behind a car(being a pedestrian crossing)? It is for the same reason that I get hacked off by motorcycles who scream up the gap between stationary cars, and wonder why they get taken out. Ride defensively people! Disclaimer: I am not saying it is always the riders' fault. In fact, mostly it is not. BUT I would rather be the guy that avoids the accident, instead of trying to argue fault from a hospital bed.Hence my question, what does the law say, and who is at fault? So we even have jay walking laws in South Africa. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cejay Posted December 4, 2013 Share Eish Caerus,definitely not your momth,1st your bike problem and now this,can only get better,hope you heal up soon!! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Caerus Posted December 4, 2013 Share Eish Caerus,definitely not your momth,1st your bike problem and now this,can only get better,hope you heal up soon!! Happened many years ago though, I left London almost 6 years ago next year. The person that did it to me just drove off and I was left with a broken front wheel, and nobody got any details. Same thing happend at a traffic light Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fabs Posted December 4, 2013 Share Firstly JohnnyReggae , I'm glad you're OK. I'm going to go against the flow here, also being a cyclist, but you are in the wrong! Thank your lucky stars that you just probably got a "dumb blonde" that day, who is clueless to traffic laws,and was just very friendly and a good Samaritan. You are overtaking down the left hand side of a vehicle, - illegal,and overtaking close to a pedestrian crossing, - also illegal The lady could have expected you to pay any scratch dent etc, on her car door. Stay safe Wet Ears 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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