A while back a friend of mine was “car doored” on while riding on his bicycle past a parked car when the driver opened the door without looking back or in the mirror for cars or bicycles first.
Crash!!! The image of him on crutches remained in my mind when I opened my car door into traffic/bicycle lanes as I found myself more mindful of the potential to be the cause of the same injury to another rider. But more often than I’d like to admit, in a rush to exit my driver side door, I would catch myself opening the door without first checking for a bicycle or car.
I then got any idea about how to remind myself with a higher degree of compliance.
My idea was to have car owners place them in a spot on the windshield so they would see it in their line of sight as they reached to open the door.
Of course, the cling is also a general reminder to a driver to Share the Road with bicyclists and be aware at all times. How many times have you been riding in a bike lane when an unaware driver turns right across the lane? A friend of mine got injured very badly in a collision like that.
Give these clings to your friends – cyclists and drivers – so we can all Share the Road safely.
Tell us how you have used these Check For Bikes clings and about your experiences!
I was riding home from my dentist’s office on College Ave in Oakland. A guy opened his door and I swerved to avoid it. I pulled over and told him that today was his lucky day…I pulled a “Check for Bikes” cling out of my backpack and explained that it’s to remind him to look for cyclists while he’s driving and opening his door. He told me “I know there are a lot of cyclists out there. Half the time I remember to look and half the time I don’t” and thanked me. Most motorists out there want to be courteous but just don’t think about the existence of cyclists all the time. Handing these clings out to drivers is a great way to heighten their awareness of cyclists on the road!