Why is it always the drivers fault? Parked up engine off mirrors checked opened my door and hit a cyclist, no injuries apart from bruises where he hit the door and the floor but the police are going to fine me for me negligence, he was wearing a helmet thankfully but no reflective gear just in a black suit wizing down in my blind spot. I’ll admit I should have stuck my head out of the window and checked but he didn’t help him self by not making himself visible. Am I in the wrong or am I just trying to pass blame?
Frost89:
Why is it always the drivers fault? Parked up engine off mirrors checked opened my door and hit a cyclist, no injuries apart from bruises where he hit the door and the floor but the police are going to fine me for me negligence, he was wearing a helmet thankfully but no reflective gear just in a black suit wizing down in my blind spot. I’ll admit I should have stuck my head out of the window and checked but he didn’t help him self by not making himself visible. Am I in the wrong or am I just trying to pass blame?
The cyclist may not have done all they could to make things as safe as possible BUT you opened the door which impeded their progress
Its a bit like saying - In the middle of a shopping mall I took 30 seconds to put on boxing gloves in full view of everyone then suddenly started to shadow box when another person walked into my fist - its their fault because they should have anticipated what I was going to do …
I understand, just wish cyclists would make them selves more visible and ride to the code
Yep afraid its your fault, although if blame percentages where used probably 80 / 20.
Cyclists are taught (‘taught’ might be the wrong word here) to leave a good gap from parked cars incase a door opens, I understand this may not always be possible. Think they call it adopting a ‘primary’ position thats when they just cycle down the middle of the road being a nuisance, although rare instances like this help cement their point of view somewhat.
In busy cities cyclists should in theory be the fastest road user and also the most vunerable so extra care is needed.
When leaving my vehicle and a cyclist approaches who is far to close I like to open the door a little bit to panic them into a wobble, this will help them in future to leave a safe gap, I may also do this in traffic for sport.
Should have put the mirror in after you exited and shut up shop.
Because there tossers they shouldn’t be allowed on the road unless they have insurance and proper licensing and testing there a pain simple ! rant over and horsees they have no place on modern roads just my opinion you understand
bjd:
Because there tossers they shouldn’t be allowed on the road unless they have insurance and proper licensing and testing there a pain simple ! rant over and horsees they have no place on modern roads just my opinion you understand
+1
An opinion that is shared by a fast majority of road users no doubt.
I have no issues with horses though as following them usually lets me oggle a nice tight pair of buttocks, the riders aint bad either 
Dipper_Dave:
I have no issues with horses though as following them usually lets me oggle a nice tight pair of buttocks, the riders aint bad either
that’s just wrong if its a fella 
nick2008:
Dipper_Dave:
I have no issues with horses though as following them usually lets me oggle a nice tight pair of buttocks, the riders aint bad eitherthat’s just wrong if its a fella
Nothing wrong with that
Your fault, should always check the mirror before opening the door, and serves you right for getting the fine, maybe it will teach you a valuable lesson. I dont get this anti cycle thing, they were here long before you were, so why keep insisting they should be banned, should pay tax, should have insurance, should be registered, yet i bet the majority had bikes when you were younger like most of us had, i dont ride now, and havnt done for years, but i always am courteous to other road users, yes cyclist are annoying at times, balancing on the pedals at traffic lights for eg, not waiting at a red light, riding on the pavements, but not all are bad, same as not all drivers are bad, and i think your anger towards cyclist, could be well spent on chilling out and being patient, or are you in a hurry to an early grave, as stress is one of the biggest killers.
Most cyclists are ignorant riders who think they have right to do what ever they like , now you may agree or disagree but after 30 odd years on the road in my experience its a fact plain and simple its not about being in a hurry its about there attitude and there responsibilities to drivers as much as ours to them !
Without getting into the whole cyclist debate, which I’m sure has been done 1000’s of times already, the authorities do need to do something to crack down on un-lit cyclists at night. I regularly drive around the suburbs of Bristol at night and I’d say about 50% of cyclists are pretty much invisible. Last night I was on the A4 near Reading and so very nearly hit a cyclist on a dark stretch with no street lights, he was in dark clothing, not a single reflective item or light on his bike.
I disagree with paying for a tv licence, but have no choice ( or risk a bigger fine ) so i have to put up with it, the same as cyclists, yes they are very annoying, do stupid things, but its not going to change, so i adapt to that, and seeing as they do not have power to their vehicles, i have to allow that too, ( funny how no one seems to complain about scooters/ motor bikes they behave abysmally too ) so its a matter of getting on with it, sit back until you can safely get past them.
I will agree the amount of cyclist who do not wear any form of safety equipment, hi-viz, helmet etc, and certainly lights when dark, that is something that should be clamped down on, for their own safety as well as ours.
Frost89:
Why is it always the drivers fault? Parked up engine off mirrors checked opened my door and hit a cyclist, no injuries apart from bruises where he hit the door and the floor but the police are going to fine me for me negligence, he was wearing a helmet thankfully but no reflective gear just in a black suit wizing down in my blind spot. I’ll admit I should have stuck my head out of the window and checked but he didn’t help him self by not making himself visible. Am I in the wrong or am I just trying to pass blame?
If you didn’t look out of the window to check, how would the cyclist wearing hiviz have helped? You didn’t look, so wouldn’t have seen him anyway!
Your fault pal. Just be thankful he wasn’t brained and you aren’t looking at being sued… You still might be for the bruises and any ‘trauma’ he feels -depends on the type of person he is.
Truckulent:
Frost89:
Why is it always the drivers fault? Parked up engine off mirrors checked opened my door and hit a cyclist, no injuries apart from bruises where he hit the door and the floor but the police are going to fine me for me negligence, he was wearing a helmet thankfully but no reflective gear just in a black suit wizing down in my blind spot. I’ll admit I should have stuck my head out of the window and checked but he didn’t help him self by not making himself visible. Am I in the wrong or am I just trying to pass blame?If you didn’t look out of the window to check, how would the cyclist wearing hiviz have helped? You didn’t look, so wouldn’t have seen him anyway!
Your fault pal. Just be thankful he wasn’t brained and you aren’t looking at being sued… You still might be for the bruises and any ‘trauma’ he feels -depends on the type of person he is.
I checked my mirrors before I opened the door, just as I was taught to on my test. If he had made him self more visable I might have caught him going though the mirrors or out the corner of my eye. I agree they are highly vulnerable so why not make yourself highly visable, it’s shaken me up and made me more aware for the future but it could have been prevented by both of us with proper training, yeah I ■■■■■■ up and I admit that to the copper but I think cyclists should have a days training to ride on the road and should be shown a video from in the cab from a drivers view to see how hard it Is to see them
Hmmm, pedestrians frequently cross the road too. Are you advocating it is also their responsibility to make themselves more visible to you? You had a moments inattention and as well as the cyclist you are now paying the consequences. I’m not in any way saying that I probably haven’t done the same, just that I’ve maybe been luckier.
I agree with bad luck and partially my fault, I just Beleive people should be willing to help them selves stay safe, in a car you have to wear a seatbelt on a motorcycle you have to wear a helmet, why not on a push bike can’t they be made to wear a helmet and a reflective top
I doubt you will have knocked any sense in to the cyclist but go to court and get your point of view across
My opinion 50/50, you opened the door, but he should have been a meter from you… Hope your poor door is ok 
Having followed and partaked in many Cyclists threads on this forum I have deceided to return to my original stance of: if theres no one about and I can get away with knocking them off- so be it, if theres someone about (or cameras) then act all professional and give them plenty of room.
For all the pedantic cyclists out there if you meet me in a situation when the former is viable then no amount of internet bleating or bike cams are going to help you,…