Cyclist Gets Doored, Calls Cops, Gets Tickets

Rodney Seymour (Courtesy Streetsblog)

Here, have a cup of outrage: On the morning of March 22nd, one Rodney Seymour was riding his bike by 10th Street on Third Avenue when the door of a box truck swung open, knocking him to the street. Unlike last month's tragically fatal cyclist dooring in the Bronx, Seymour survived, but he hurt his shoulder and head in the fall. "I was in a little pain and the truck driver suggested I call the cops," Seymour tells Streetsblog. "He was very cooperative." Care to guess who wasn't so cooperative?

When Seymour told cops at the scene that he wanted an accident report—which Seymour's attorney says is necessary in order to get the motorist to pay a victim's medical bills under New York's no-fault law—the unidentified officers were irritated. "He got very upset because I was insisting on having a police report," said Seymour, who claims one officer asked him, "You want a report? You want a report? I'll give you a report!" :

The officer then walked back to his vehicle, Seymour said, returning ten minutes later with the report in hand. But that wasn't all. He'd also brought over two summonses. The first was for riding a bike without a bell, which Seymour admits he lacked. The second cited Seymour for riding without reflectors on the wheel. According to Seymour's lawyer, the law only requires reflectors on new bikes for sale. Seymour noted that his bright orange reflective vest and reflective helmet should have made him perfectly visible—that and the fact that it was just before 10 a.m.

That's what you get for making them fill out paperwork! "Dooring" is against the law in New York state, but according to Seymour the driver didn't get a summons, just a "sorry for your inconvenience" from the officer. Transportation Alternatives spokesperson Wiley Norvell tells us, "Filing reports at the scene of a crash is the most basic element of traffic enforcement. When an officer doesn’t take something like 'dooring' seriously, it reverberates down the chain. People can’t pay for getting injuries treated. Crash statistics get thrown of whack. And people start questioning the purpose of calling 911 at the scene of a crash in the first place."

The worst part of Seymour's story? Wwhen he "got back from Beth Israel hospital to pick up his bike, which he had locked up before getting into the ambulance, it was gone—stolen."

Contact the author of this article or email tips@gothamist.com with further questions, comments or tips.

By John Del Signore in News on April 1, 2010 3:20 PM

Comments [rss]

Jesse

Man, this guy has some real bad luck.

dev

take the subway.

dgeee

Rather than call a cop, the next time you're doored, drop your bike through the rear windshield of the car that doored you. It will certainly put a smile on your face.

harrisgraber

The NYPD hates bicyclists. Every experienced cyclists knows better than to complain to the police. They aren't going to enforce the law, not for bicyclists, only against them.

This is terrific publicity for the police in their war against bicycles. No one on two wheels should ever expect any better from NYC finest.

LB

agreed ! I've taken the city to court eight times and been settled with as many times because of reckless drivers,and false claims made by cops when I was riding my bike . I'm about to take another stupid ass cop to court soon for harrasssing me,by cutting infront of me on purpose .

Spook

Thank you! "taking the cup of outrage and throwing it at the wall, hard! WTF! Who do these "cops" think they're working for Putin? Hell it can't be Saddame cause he's dead!

macdaddynyc

I got doored last week on Lexington in Midtown. I wasn't hurt badly, but I was really pissed, so I called the cops. They were there in less than 5 minutes. They issued 2 tickets to the driver of the limo that doored me. They included the passengers name because he was the one who actually opened the door. They were nice and respectful. They offered to call an ambulance. My story is NOTHING like this guy's ordeal. WTF! This city's police force is so fucking inconsistent.

inoyourider

Under the badge they're only humans with some law enforcement training.

fishfryin

reminds me of the time a cop summonsed me for "riding a bicycle on the sidewalk" and when i protested since it was a complete farce, she threatened me with summonses for the bell and reflector thing unless i shut up. another day in the life.

LB

Farce you say ? How so ? Were you riding the bike on the sidewalk ? Were you straddling the bike while on the sidewalk ? ( I say that Because four years ago this dumb-ass cop((I think he was one if them "Over thinkers with way to time on his hands)) gave me a summons for that claiming straddling the bike while on the sidewalk was the same as actual riding of said bike !) You can ride on the sidewalk as long as it's a driveway, or sanctioned area designated for motor vehicle traffic or a sidewalked bikelane .

jaycjay

Just curious: why was it a farce? Were you not on a sidewalk?

cxb

Well, only a psychopath like Bloomberg believes cyclists should ride in traffic with killer cars.

Of course, I'm willing to do tests with you where I hit you with a car and you hit me with a bike.

Are you game, or do you actually not believe a word of your own rhetoric?

[jclay thinks of some ad hominem insult to change the subject and avoid CXB's legitimate challenge...]

Pålægpåtoppenafsmørrebrød

Why would it be dangerous to ride bikes with "killer cars". You're going to have to cross the street sooner or later, better to get visible than to pop out of nowhere and right hooked in the blind spot of an intersection.

vespavirgin

Dude, you know Bloomberg's admin has created new bike lanes in New York City, including a separated one on 9th Ave. But still, each day I almost get hit by cyclists on 8th Ave, ignoring traffic lights and traffic rules, riding against traffic and not in the provided lane, acting like they have the right of way.

jaycjay

What rhetoric? I took no stand, but asked a question, looking for clarification. While I retired from bike racing a few years ago, I still ride and so of course am very much aware of the danger that cars represent.

Feel free to find an ad hominem insult in that response.

H.J. Simpson

Black people and cops dont mix, just ask Wiggum and Carl..

gothamguy

"'Dooring' is against the law in New York state..."

Yes, it is. But, it has to be intentional. Sometimes accidents are just accidents.

entropone

No, that's not right at all.

http://www.health.state.ny.us/nysdoh/ems/pdf/srgvat.pdf

To wit:

Section 1214. Opening and closing vehicle doors. No person shall open the door of a motor vehicle on the side

available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonable safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the

movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of the vehicle available to moving traffic

for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.

jaycjay

That's an applicable state law, but in NYC the DOT Traffic Rules are more direct:

Section 4-12(c)

No person shall get out of any vehicle from the side facing

on the traveled part of the street in such manner as to interfere with the right of the operator of an approaching vehicle or a bicycle.