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news
Broken bike (CC licensed image by garryknight, www.flickr.com)Police investigate as London cyclist killed after crashing into car door
A London cyclist died in hospital after she crashed into a car door in Haringey last month, police have said.
The cyclist, a 65-year-old woman, was treated by paramedics at the scene of the crash which happened at around 4.40pm on the afternoon of Friday 28 May, but she died in hospital two days later.
In a statement, the Metropolitan Police Service said that the victim had been riding on Coleridge Road, N8 “when she collided with an open car door.”
There was no mention of whether the door had been open for some time, or whether it had been opened as the cyclist approached, and officers are appealing for witnesses and information.
Police said that the driver of the parked car is helping them with their investigation, and they do not believe there were any other vehicles involved.
Anyone who saw the crash or has any dash cam footage or CCTV is asked to call the Serious Collision Investigation Unit at Alperton on 0208 246 9820.
Police added that their enquiries into the circumstances of the crash are continuing.
Under the Road Vehicles (Construction and Use) Regulations 1986, it is an offence to “open, or cause or permit to be opened, any door of a vehicle on a road so as to injure or endanger any person.” The maximum penalty is a £1,000 fine.
After the death of Leicester cyclist Sam Boulton in 2017, Cycling UK joined his family in calling for a new offence of causing or permitting serious injury or death by car dooring to be created, with tougher penalties for those convicted of committing it.
> Family of cyclist killed when taxi passenger opened door launch safety campaign
The taxi passenger who opened the door into his path, causing him to fall into the path of a van, was fined £80, while the driver was fined £300 and lost a subsequent appeal against his conviction.
The charity has also campaigned for the Dutch Reach technique for opening the door of a vehicle to be incorporated into the driving test and the Highway Code.
> Consultation launched on proposed changes to Highway Code
In its consultation document published last year outlining potential changes to the Highway Code, the Department for Transport said:
The Highway Code already makes clear that you must ensure that you do not hit anyone when opening your vehicle door. We are recommending that a new technique, commonly known as the 'Dutch Reach', is introduced to this chapter. This advises that road users should open the door of their vehicle with the hand on the opposite side to the door they are opening. This naturally causes the person to twist their body making it easy to look over their shoulder and check for other road users. This will help to reduce the risk to passing cyclists and motorcyclists, and to pedestrians using the pavement.
Simon joined road.cc as news editor in 2009 and is now the site’s community editor, acting as a link between the team producing the content and our readers. A law and languages graduate, published translator and former retail analyst, he has reported on issues as diverse as cycling-related court cases, anti-doping investigations, the latest developments in the bike industry and the sport’s biggest races. Now back in London full-time after 15 years living in Oxford and Cambridge, he loves cycling along the Thames but misses having his former riding buddy, Elodie the miniature schnauzer, in the basket in front of him.
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Same thing happened to my dad at 16 on a club run in Leicestershire, chap opened a van door as he passed at around 30mph on a hill, dad says he took the door clean off its hinges as he went through it, thankfully the window was down. Still managed to knock most of his upper teeth out in the crash and scalp himself at the same time. Worn falsies and had a bald patch ever since.
I am reminded of a fatal collision of a well known club cyclist that occurred about 30 years ago. The incident was on the South Circular near Forest Hill. The driver was acquitted and the reason given summarized by the Judge: because the cyclist was riding on a 'racing cycle' he must have been travelling too fast.
That sounds like one hell of an assumption for a Judge to make.
I don't have full recollection of the exact details. Most likely it was the defence who argued, the cyclist was travelling too fast because he was on a racing bike.
The phrase too many Judges have been reported saying that really makes my blood boil: "no sentence will bring back the Victim". Which is usually accompanied by the revelation of a ridiculously lenient punishment.
immediately proving that 'no sentance' did not in fact bring the driver back afetr all.
A simple device such as a hydraulic restrictor, that limited the speed which a door could be opened, would significantly reduce these incidents.
I think it might just slice the victim in half. I have been on the receiving end of a full open door slung open in my face. What would have happened if I had struck the edge of the door? Hmmm... No dooring at all is best.
If the door can only be opened slowly, it gives the cyclist time to see and avoid the hazard.
“when she collided with an open car door.”
I know it might appear as splitting hairs, but more accurate would be, “when she collided with an opened car door.” Because whether it had been opened earlier and left in that state, or was in the act of being opened, either way it did not open itself. There needs to be at least a suggestion of human involvement.
So car drivers that collide with houses can claim 'someone' built a wall in their path?
Condolences to the family and friends.
While the powers that be don't seem able to pass a new law for causing death by opening a car door, they had no such reservations when considering a new law of causing death by dangerous cycling.
Still, I'm sure the comprehensive review of road laws will sort it all out; if they ever get around to it.
Condolences to the victim, her family & friends and thanks to the responders and medical staff who dealt with the injuries.
Without knowing the circumstances of this particular incident, it is a reminder about door zones.
Out of interest, what would be the legal situation where the motorist already has their door open, or has left their door open, into the 'traffic lane' (or onto the footpath, for that matter) and someone walks/rides/drives into it?
Sounds like they're not looking where they're going. Yes, the motorist might be inconsiderate, but there's a reasonable expectation that people should avoid obstacles (excepting the forum thread of drivers hitting stationary objects).
Guess so. Dying seems like a pretty harsh punishment for not looking where you're going...
We'll have to wait and see if any witnesses turn up, I suppose, to find out what happened.
I was meaning in general and not commenting on this particular incident (condolences to the bereaved).
But yes, human life is fragile and people can lose their life through simple mistakes.
indeed. I'm mindful of this as part of my morning ride is past my local train station, and the cabbies have developed the habit of sitting in their cars with the drivers door partially open and the window down - I'm willing to bet that none of them would look before pushing the door the rest of the way if they needed to get out...
I think that would be a good bet.
Anecdata:
I had a bloke reverse into me with his car when I was being a pedestrian, one time.
I came out of a footpath along a side road up to a more main road, cars parked everywhere (including illegally close to the junction); I checked the road for moving traffic, standing behind a parked car, which promptly reversed into me. Didn't injure me, but did make contact.
I told the driver (rather strongly!) that I thought that he ought to be looking where he was going. He claimed he had, and that there was nobody there.
I said that since I was there, and since I'd been stood there checking traffic, I wondered whether he was continuing to look while reversing, or whether he'd had a quick look in his mirrors and then started moving without actually looking in the direction he was travelling...?
(My personal opinion is that he'd checked his side mirror for other cars on the road, not for anything smaller or closer than that).
Is it common to encounter cars just sitting there with an open door? Because pretty much everywhere I have been in the UK, an unattended and open car door is an invitation for the car or it's contents to be nicked.
We don't know that it was unattended. Maybe someone was loading/unloading?
But it's unclear at this stage whether the door was 'just' open or whether it was opened...
(But I agree with your general point
)