Car passengers are being promised a new gizmo that promises to reduce the risk of them ‘dooring’ a passing cyclist.
Doors opened into the road by drivers and passengers who have failed to look behind them have potentially fatal consequences for cyclists, so Mitsubishi has developed a new car feature that projects a symbol onto the road when a door is about to be opened. However, the tech still puts the onus on the cyclist rather than on the car occupant to look properly. Given the radar technology now fitted to some cars, surely it would be better for the car to scan the road behind it and sound a warning if the door handle is operated.
For their part, should follow the three feet rule when passing parked cars. Leaving a door width between yourself and a line of parked cars is the only way to guarantee you are not at risk of being knocked off your bike in this way.
Top tip for drivers
Those in cars have a legal responsibility to look carefully before opening a door into the road. Drivers can and should open the door with the hand furthest away from the door. This forces them to look over their shoulder at traffic coming from behind. In the Netherlands this technique forms part of the driving test.
We all appreciate space. Give parked cars a wide berth when overtaking.
Dooring and the law
A passenger in my car (who has fully comp car insurance on their own car) opened my car’s passenger door into the path of a cyclist causing injury. Who is liable in the case of claim for personal injury for dooring in this way?
In most cases the other party will pursue your insurance company as the passenger was in your vehicle and your car is insured for this purpose. Your insurance company would be obliged to settle the claim. You or your insurer might then chose to pursue the passenger of your vehicle, however the passenger’s own comprehensive policy is unlikely to pay out as it is ordinarily restricted to the insured vehicle, not the insured person. In some circumstances a person may hold a comprehensive insurance policy that covers them for any vehicle; however these policies are rare in recent years.
The ethical choice
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