By Cycling Maven (Twitter @cyclingmaven) Plank?ing is so 2010. Dooring?s where its at? At first I was like WTF? Then my ini?tial ana?lysis (google) lead me to believe that it has sim?ilar con?nota?tions to ?glassing?, ?mug?ging? ? just gen?eral shit you do to other people. I first saw this video of a grumpy old man, sport?ing his gayer than christ?mas red skivvy ? on bikes?nob three weeks ago. Appar?ently, this quasi ex PRO believes that it?s? and I quote?
?always the fault of the driver? if people get ?doored??
If you were too lazy to watch the video. This guy would have you believe that as a cyc?list, you are com?pletely devoid of any blame for your actions. Free as a bird to flut?ter about the traffic, relin?quish?ing all respons?ib?il?ity for your own per?sonal and the safety of others. Oh, and motor?ists (Ummm? you and I) or other crit?ters of the auto?mot?ive world, are wak?ing up in the morn?ing and say?ing to themselves?
?woah, what a crack?ing day! I think I might door some mother fucker cyclist!?
Appar?ently it?s awe?some to see how far you can bend the door back on you brand new Mer?cedes. Yes , the evil motor?ists (Them) are going around ?door?ing? poor defense?less cyc?lists (Us). And it?s always the motor?ists fault! Hangon? whats that Gary? So the prob?lem is
?worse where you have lots of new riders?
BUT
?it is always the motor?ists fault?
Slight con?tra?dic?tion and I just love the smug look he gives.
Your road safety is not some?body else?s responsibility
And neither motor?ist nor cyc?list are ?to blame?. Improved edu?ca?tion (for every?one) and appro?pri?ate infra?struc?ture is a bet?ter solu?tion than pun?ish?ment, fines and the slag?ging match which is cur?rently tak?ing place. The prob?lem is ? Who?s respons?ib?il?ity is this? It?s not my job? both are tire?some, expens?ive and hard work.. When I say edu?ca?tion ? you as a cyc?list need to be mind?ful of the dangers on the road. Like?wise, motor?ists need to also be mind?ful of their respons?ib?il?ity to not run your ass over or integ?rate you into their vehicle. In twenty + years of rid?ing and racing bikes, I?ve never hit a car door. I?ve had plenty open in my path, I just always allow enough room to avoid them. If I had a dol?lar for every time I?ve been in a bunch and seen guys in front of me ? passing parked cars at 40+k/hr ? so close, they don?t even need to shave their legs,? I?d be fuck?ing loaded right now. If you?re passing cars that close ? at that speed ? you?re ask?ing for trouble. It?s your res?pos?ib?il?ity to allow enough room to not get cleaned up by the unex?pec?ted door open?ing. If you ride bikes, it?s going to hap?pen! get used to it. The faster you go? the more atten?tion you need to pay. This is where you need to ride. Also, look through the back win?dow to see if someone is sit?ting in the drivers seat. I do this on EVERY ride. If someone is in the car, it?s likely they?ll open the door without even think?ing about cyclists. 
We need to stop this US vs Them mentality
Whilst we con?tinue this us vs them men?tal?ity, there will always be a great divide. Gary can cam?paign ?till he goes blue in the face, but whilst we take this aggress?ive approach to motor?ists, they will always resent us. Whats your thoughts?
