Ow.

[godream]

Entirely-too-exciting discovery of the day: when getting doored (http://google.com/search?q=doored for those who haven't had the pleasure), the really fun part actually isn't the split second where you see what's about to happen, or the flying through the air or even the hitting the ground... it's actually the moment afterwards where you realize: oh, okay, now I am prone in exactly the oncoming traffic that I was trying to stay out of. Awesome.

My solution (shrieking more or less non-stop till I got myself out of harm's way) seemed to work, although it kinda disconcerted the dude who doored me.

I walked away -- rolled away, even, on my bike, though I'm bruised and shaken and it's misaligned -- but we are both more or less intact, which I gather makes me very lucky. Whew. More taking the lane for me in future.

Comments

[blueeverglades.livejournal.com]

holy crap! where did this happen??

i wonder whose considered at fault in a dooring situation, anyway?

[liz-factorial.livejournal.com]

if there's a bike lane it's the car...if not the biker. I think that the idea for the second is that the biker has the whole car lane, but I'm not entirely sure.

[godream.livejournal.com]

Not in MA, as of '07. :) http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st02/st02573.htm

But the laws vary a lot from state to state and I've read a couple of horror stories where even in states with stricter laws, cops on the scene did some very liberal interpretation of them...

[godream.livejournal.com]

Laws vary a lot from state to state, but in MA we have a so-called "door law" so it's generally the car's fault. (It's not a very punitive law though...)

SECTION 12. Said first paragraph of said section 14 of said chapter 90 is hereby further amended by adding the following sentence:—
No person shall open any door on a motor vehicle unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, including bicyclists and pedestrians. Whoever violates the proceeding sentence shall be punished by a fine of not more than $100.
http://www.mass.gov/legis/bills/senate/185/st02/st02573.htm

[kaigex.livejournal.com]

Eeek. I know too many people who have gotten doored damn it. Huzzah on being basically okay.

[liz-factorial.livejournal.com]

hope you're doing ok ... I think that your solution is awesome! Disconcerting the dude is totally awesome, by the way.

<3

[godream.livejournal.com]

He totally earned some disconcertment. :) I have pretty-colored bruises but am a-okay.