Exited as soon as the Yahoo logo appeared.

regards

I'd like to know why the cyclist in the photo is riding on the footpath!

If you open a door in front of a cyclist (or any other person), what difference does it make what hand you use? Another example of useless rule making.

Seems like the 'footpath' is now the norm for cyclists & E-scooters.

Tony

Over here, we are allowed to share the path with cyclists/shooters/scateboards ect as long as we dont get in their way or slow them down too much.

I do my best, but I always seem to get my walking aid in the way. Silly me !

I always understood that the idea behind this was to reduce the risk of drivers, in particular, opening their door in the path of a cyclist coming up behind. In which case it is a laudable aim. But, I would ask, what about that item, usually attached to the door which comprises a highly reflective surface, commonly called a mirror? Shouldn't the aim be to train drivers to use that device?

And what about drivers with mobility problems? I for one suffer from a problem which restricts my ability to twist which means that attempting to open a right-hand drivers door with my left hand is extremely difficult. (And yes, before anyone asks the obvious question, I do use an additional mirror for that offside blind spot.)

Now about the nearside. Who is going to be responsible if a passenger opens a door as a cyclist is passing on that side? The driver? After all, the driver is not responsible if a passenger over the age of 14 refuses to wear a seatbelt, so why should the driver accept any responsibility for adult passengers?

In a similar manner, who is responsible if a rear seat passenger opens the offside door? Are we to find that registered keepers/owners/drivers become responsible for naming passengers in the event of an accident caused by a less than careful passenger? Eg as already exists for some motoring offences.

I wonder, as well, if the car owner would have any recourse to gaining funds from a cyclist for repairs to the vehicle if it could be shown that the cyclist took no steps to announce his/her presence, eg using a bell etc.

I see so many problems arising.

Peter G. Shaw

p.s. As a matter of interest, and triggered by the Yahoo picture, I wonder what the legal situation would be if a pedestrian, legally walking on the pavement, accidently or otherwise, managed to knock a cyclist off their bicycle when said cyclist is illegally cycling on a pavement.

If a cyclist gets hit by a car door they must be natural born stupid, if they cycle close enough for a door to to hit them then it should not be a surprise when it eventually happens.

Mike

Makes me think a new series of Interesting Cases could be based on the Highway Code. Members of a certain age will probably recall the series.

I wrote to the Chief constable of my local police force asking him how many cyclists have been fined for riding on the pavement or footpath, or without lights. No reply as yet.

If a car door is opened and a cyclist without lights riding after dusk hits the car, who is to blame? In our area street lights are now LED and provide little illumination apart from under a lamppost.

Motorists will now have to give way to pedestrians intending to cross a road that you are turning into and don't forget to look out for cyclists on your near side as well as cyclists on the pavement about to shoot across the junction. All makes sense if everyone sticks to the rules but that will never happen.

I have invested in a front and rear view dash cam.

As both motorist and cyclist I can see both sides but a nearby local authority somewhat forces your hand if cycling. A cycle lane 1m wide, hoorah, on the left side are parking bays for cars, on the right side very busy, nose to tail, traffic. Much as I would like to give the parked vehicles plenty of clearance I have nowhere to go. I could of course cycle on the pavement! That in fact happens a bit further down the High Street as the cycle lane suddenly disappears from the road and is diverted up onto the pavement to play with the pedestrians and then back onto the road about 20m further on. Whoever designed it is definitely not a cyclist and probably not a motorist either.

John

You were lucky! Round here if you are stopped at traffic lights at a crossroads as your lights change to green the guys on bikes are still appearing from nowhere and crossing in front of you.

As a matter of interest does the 'wrong hand rule' still apply if the door opens backwards as it does on many older cars and a few (including some Rolls Royces!) today?