When exiting a car, get into the habit of popping open the door and holding it just a couple inches open, let it linger ajar for a couple seconds, then open it fully. The movement of the slightly cracked-open door, and the dome light gives a signal to fast-moving cyclists to get out of the way in time.

That's just common sense so that a car doesn't rip your door off, much less to be aware of bicyclists as well.

If you are biking, give yourself a buffer zone. If your driving, after looking, try opening your door an inch, and then look again. If there is a biker in your blind spot that you missed, they will have another chance to make you aware that they are there.

If you're driving...

why doesn't the government just mandate bicyclist to get licenses like drivers? and then make them get insurance like drivers? and have cyclist register and get plates for their bikes?This way both bicyclist and drivers will be conscience of each other. The government gets a new tax revenue. and in this case the driver would've been more thoughtful before opening the door and the cyclist more thoughtful before zooming by doors that might open. I mean drivers are careful of other drivers because of this, and if bicyclists share roads with drivers then they should have same rights and responsibilities!

If drivers who have licenses continue to door cyclist's, making bikers get licenses isn't going to magically make drivers pay more attention.

yeah, it was the bicyclist's fault here. like I said before, it will all balance out in the end.

"yeah, it was the bicyclist's fault here. like I said before, it will all balance out in the end. "

maybe it was. were you there? for all we know the biker was hugging the cars and was in the drivers blind spot.

no matter how carefully you bike, there is really no way to ride in a bike lane and be safe from someone illegally swinging their car door open at any moment. this death is particularly tragic because it was caused by something so stupid and thoughtless. the driver IS to blame. the police are also to blame for not enforcing the bike lanes (flagrantly abusing them themselves) and not ticketing people who do this. and YES, the bike lanes absolutely need to be redesigned immediately to have a buffer zone. people should not be attacking Janette Sadik Khan. She is a cyclist herself and the best person we've had for this job. She inherited the bad system and is working to improve it. We now have the beginnings of a protected bike lane on Columbus Ave on the UWS.

emergency vehicles are exempt from the vehicle and traffic law and parking rules when responding to emergencies or radio calls. therefore they have the legal right to "abuse" bike lanes by parking in them when responding to a job or while on official business

Bikers - I'm a very happy city biker myself and I know the bike lanes save lives, but we have to bike defensively. Whatch out for car doors. Its the city, things jump out in front of you.

Be aware of how long it takes to break your bike at a given speed, and use restraint in crowded areas. In this instance, bikers can learn from responsible drivers. Sometimes an individual traffic lane gets violated no matter how much right you have to operate within it. Don't speed through congested streets.

That said, maybe the other poster was right and manslaughter charges or wrongful death suits will end up being brought forward. I'm not saying this particular individual did anything wrong. Condolences to his loved ones.

And be CERTAIN to EXECUTE the driver of the EVIL AUTOMOBILE by THE MOST CRUEL MEANS POSSIBLE!!!!

After all, he ACTUALLY OPENED A CAR DOOR!!!!

meds, bitch. meds. it's too early today to start with your bullshit.

Seriously. You *do* understand the driver broke the law by not exercising due caution before opening his car door... right??

I'm not criminal prosecutor, but it sounds like the driver could be charged with criminally negligent homicide. They may have acted negligently (by opening their door without looking) in a manner the caused the death of another person (homicide).

NY Penal Law Section 15.05 defines criminal negligence:

A person acts with criminal negligence [...] when he fails to perceive a substantial and unjustifiable risk that such result will occur or that such circumstance exists. The risk must be of such nature and degree that the failure to perceive it constitutes a gross deviation from the standard of care that a reasonable person would observe in the situation.

(Emphasis added, pointing out the passages that would be under contention in a trial.)

Simply no way any prosecutor, judge, or jury would see that as applicable to this case.

Bikers: please be careful and always prepared for opening doors!

Car drivers: please always look for cyclists before opening the door!

Things like this is why I feel much much safer riding in the streets rather than in bike lanes because of things like this. People actually look before crossing the street or opening doors. When somebody is getting out of their car into a bike lane, most just don't have the mindset to be careful and look for oncoming bikers.

you have a point, but car drivers are carelessly opening their doors anyway.

I got doored while riding on a regular street. Thank god I wasn't fast, so I didn't fall, but I had a deep dent in my muscle for a while, and a bruise for about 2 years. And I think the veins around my calf are somehow damaged.

The car driver didn't even apologize.

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