It’s hard not to notice, especially if one is riding a bicycle right next to one of them, the increasing number of drivers who park their vehicles and then fling open their car doors into traffic without so much as a glance.
There are enough hazards on the road, and huge potholes make the roads themselves hazards, without adding in one more incivility from idiotic drivers. Isn’t their lust for rudeness sated by not paying attention to their own driving when they are on their cell phones? Isn’t that enough?!
Help may be on the way. State legislators, including Milwaukee Dems Josh Zepnick and Annette P. Williams, have introduced a bill that would make flagrant flinging on highways illegal and punishable by fines of $20 to $100.
Specifically, according to the Legislative Fiscal Bureau, the bill “prohibits any person from opening any door of a motor vehicle located on a highway without first taking due precaution to ensure that his or her act will not interfere with the movement of traffic or endanger any other person or vehicle.”
I thought that this was already illegal!
Anyway, many urban cyclists are sufficiently aware of this risk that they keep an eye on a row of parked cars and look for cars that are occupied in order to move to the left to avoid being doored. Yes, this is a common enough incident that it even has a name.
Larry
who rides regularly
I’ve almost been “Doored” many times, but like Larry said, you watch the line of parked cars and look for people. On the other hand, I’ve never heard of anyone being doored on a State highway. Unless that’s a typo, non-motorized vechicles arn’t allowed on the highway. Why would they write the law like that if the intent was to decress Dooring? Also, why is there a range for the fines, is it more for multiple offenses, or for blantant infliction? People are ignorant and unaware, I would rather see a Education campaign than unnecesary new laws. John