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Got doored today?

thomas

The Crank Engine
Nov 1, 2005
2,085
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I guess it has to happen to each urban commuter once (and I hope only once!): to get "doored" by a motorised vehicle. I know the daunting stories of two friends who have worked as messengers in Tokyo and had their close encounters with car (usually taxi) doors opening right in front of them. And it is Ash, I believe, who has a similar story to share.

Anyhow, today was my turn, but it was a bus in my case. I was riding down Route 1 heading to Shin-Kawasaki when I reached a red signal somewhere close to Magome. A huge "Sankyu" bus had stopped in front of me. Since it wasn't a regular public bus and there was no station indicated, I intended to pass between the bus and the shoulder of the road. Just as I was about the pass the bus the front door swung open. I was only doing 25km/h, but there was no way I could have avoided the unexpected obstacle. I got blown off my rig and landed on the sidewalk. No damage to the bike, I only suffered a few abrasions and bruises, but my right index finger hurt badly (until now). What made me really, *REALLY* furious was the bus driver's reaction: namely zilch!! No offer to help, no question whether I was hurt, no apology. He just kept staring at me sheepishly, while I hurled my limited amount of Japanese invectives at him. I was in a slight hurry, so I had no time for the usual game of police and ambulance and also forgot to take a pic with my keitai camera. しょうがない, no ginger! :mad:

Have you ever been doored?
 
Bad luck. Hope your bike is OK! :D
I only overtake buses on the driver's side. Why did he open the door? To let someone off or on or to just take you out Cobra kai style?
 
Close Call

Sorry to hear you were shown the door by a merciless - but sheepish! - bus driver, especially since you hadn't even boarded his bloody bus yet!

But seriously, I hope you're okay. I've had a few close ones with taxis, and I live in mortal fear of a repeat of my childhood encounter with a door, which sent me unconscious to the hospital.

Glad to hear the bike's okay and that you have only minor scuffs n scratches.

Andrew
 
I only overtake buses on the driver's side. Why did he open the door? To let someone off or on or to just take you out Cobra kai style?

Yes, the driver let a passenger get off along the road. I usually overtake at the driver's side too, but as the traffic was waiting at the red signal I wanted to move in front of the bus to reach the stop line.
 
Doors

I've been doored once while commuting. I was coming up to a red light at about 30k and had slowed to 25 or so when a taxi door popped open. The taxi was a good 3 car-lengths from the light and should have seen me coming.

Got pretty banged up. Thankfully I was riding a steel bike. The rear wheel was destroyed and the front fork twisted. Cost 7,000 yen to rebuild the wheel with a new rim and I was able to bend the fork back into shape using my body:weight: I wedged the bike in a doorway, put both feet against one fork and pulled on the other with both hands. Kind of like rowing. Try doing that with carbon.

I have also been sidewinded by a left-turning car while passing on the inside and knocked over by a car doing an illegal lane-change while passing on the right. You cannot win.

This is why I hate 246 and do not find lane-switching rushes through traffic even remotely "fun." It is also why I go to great lengths to find senic detours away from traffic.:bike:
 
One door closes....

another opens !

Bad luck Thomas. It seems you did very well to control your emotions as well given the ignorant reaction of the bus driver. I might have been tempted to give him a very body panel rearrangements to think about :D

So far this has not happened to me but I have stopped commuting now and really prefer to get to the open spaces first by train and rinko so I guess I am reducing my risk exposure somewhat.

I am touching wood as I type !

Hope to see you back on the road soon and it sounds like you are none the worse for the experience.

Best,

Charles aka chazzer
 
Thomas, that's really unlucky mate and I'm glad you're OK.

Don't get offended by this, but passing a bus on the inside is probably illegal, or at least I'm sure it is for motorbikes anyway. The bus driver is not to blame in my opinion, but it still doesn't excuse him for his reaction to your mishap. It's just a case of being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

If you get knocked over by a car opening it's right side doors then they are absolutely 100% in the wrong.

I often pass traffic on the left side too, but when I come to an intersection I always give way to the car turning left as they have the right of way if I'm trying to sneak up on the shoulder of the road.

Take care mate, none of us want to see you get injured.
 
Take Care

Thomas, you are clearly going through one of those purge-all-your-bad-luck-at-once periods.

Take care until you are through the rough spot.
 
Just WoW

WOW Doored by a bus ! That is at least a darn good story. I have a great scary mental image of a wall of glass and steel suddenly appearing right before my bike. I got doored by a bus in my VW beetle once and even that was not pretty. I am still a bit off my game from the adjustment to right hand drive over here. Glad you survived. TODO

PS> O yeah my point was, the pedestrians are MUCH more bike savvy here.

PPS. I LOVE urban Traffic surfing.
 
...and you didn't even offer him any free dental treatment? Impressive.

Now you've got an excuse for some new parts.
 
Door Beeps

I was out riding the other day and a service trucks driver opened the door. A beeping beeped. I therefore think that some trucks have a opening door alarm. Cool eh ? You'd still be toast if your were moving fast though.
 
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