As a cyclist, one risk that you want to be wary of is getting doored. This term refers to the type of accident where someone in a parked vehicle swings the door open and the cyclist collides with that open door. This most often happens because the motorist opened the door into a bike lane. But it can also happen simply when cyclists are riding on the right-hand side of the road, near parked cars.
If something like this does happen to you, it’s a very dangerous type of accident. Part of the risk revolves around the fact that you typically don’t see it coming. It all happens very quickly and you don’t have time to slow down or avoid it.
Additionally, you don’t really have any good options to avoid it, even if you do anticipate a problem. If you had time to swerve to the left, for instance, would that really be a better option? You would end up riding your bike into the traffic lanes and potentially even into oncoming traffic. In some cases, cyclists will even collide with the door and then end up in the travel lanes during the course of the crash.
Dealing with severe injuries
This type of cycling accident can lead to severe injuries, such as traumatic brain injuries or spinal cord injuries. These can change the entire course of your life and may even make it impossible to ride your bike again.
They can also be incredibly expensive. Make sure that you know about all of the legal options you have to seek the compensation you deserve.
