The safety of cyclists has been highlighted by a recent case at the Old Bailey in which an individual had a car door opened into them and was subsequently pushed into the path of another vehicle. The verdict was that the man opening the door was innocent of any wrongdoing, but almost all agreed that this was simply due to the fact that there were simply no applicable laws to actually prosecute the man.
Whilst this may be an abnormal case, more and more people are finding that they do not really understand the laws that govern the use of bikes on the road. Just as there is no legal test that individuals need to take to ride a bicycle on the road, those driving are also not always sure of what their legal obligations are where cyclists are involved.
‘Dooring’ is one of the most common accidents for cyclists to be involved in throughout Europe and more needs to be done to tackle what can be a serious – and in a few rare cases even fatal – problem.
For cyclists, it will be important to have the right helmets, pads and Assos cycle clothing, whilst motorists should be offered more information on how to play their part in keeping cyclists safe. Whilst cycling remains fairly safe for most, it is important than individuals are aware of the risks and do all they can to avoid such problems, from wearing appropriate padding and Altura cycling clothing to make sure they are visible to actually just paying attention at all times.
