Bicyclists share the road with many other vehicles, and they already have an increased risk of getting into dangerous situations.
To that end, it is important that they understand dooring and the potential outcomes that may stem from it.
Understanding dooring
We Love Cycling discusses the dangers inherent in dooring. First of all, what is it? Dooring occurs when a person parked on the side of the road opens their car door into the bike path, thus hitting the bicyclists or providing a sudden obstacle that they cannot swerve around in time.
The risk of impact
One of the biggest issues with dooring is that a cyclist often does not have time to react to the sudden door. Thus, they crash directly into it. This can cause impact injuries.
A person may even end up launched off of their bike and over the door itself, which can cause further damage. Bruising, lacerations, road rash and even fractured bones may occur as a result. Head injuries are not uncommon, too.
The risk of falling into the road
Another big problem is the possibility that the door may knock a cyclist into a busy street. In the same way that the cyclist could not avoid the door, it is possible that other cars on the road will not have the time or maneuverability to avoid the fallen cyclist.
This can lead to catastrophic or even deadly injuries. Thus, ultimately, dooring could cause permanent damage or even death to the victims that get tangled up in it.