Bike lane riding: Beware of the Door Zone!

Ride as far to the LEFT in a bike lane as possible to avoid car doors that might open suddenly, aka the door zone. Check out this video for a demonstration on exactly how far that needs to be. Getting doored is unfortunately very common. Drivers often do not check their rear-view mirrors before swinging their doors open; legally if you get doored, it is always the driver’s fault (unless it’s dark out and you don’t have a front light and they say they didn’t see you). Don’t forget: cyclists have the legal right to take up the full lane of traffic if conditions are unsafe! That means that even if there is a bike lane on a street, you are not legally obligated to ride in it. Especially when the bike lane is being obstructed.

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