Here’s The Latest Reason Why Boston Is Dangerous For Bicyclists

It’s happened again.

A bicyclist was traveling lawfully on a street in Cambridge when she was “doored” by someone coming out of a landscaping truck. The woman was thrown from the bike and into traffic where she sustained significant injuries.

We need, as a community, to come up with common sense bike paths that will keep riders safe. Alternatively, or in conjunction with that initiative, we need to better educate the motoring public to look in their rearview and side mirrors before opening their vehicles’ doors. Without raising public awareness of this very serious situation, this pattern is bound to repeat itself over and over again.

Perhaps urging lawmakers to get behind public service messages that go beyond “Click or Ticket” and directly deal with this issue is long overdue. The Boston Cyclists Union has done an incredible job of making cycling a mainstream option for commuters and continues to push the envelope in that direction. But the more bicyclists who choose this as an alternative form of transportation, the more imperative it becomes to educate motorists of the inherent dangers of sharing the roadways with these very cyclists.

Most likely, by the description of the accident, this poor woman will have suffered life-altering injuries that could have been wholly avoided if someone had merely taken a second to check their mirror before swinging their door open. Please be mindful and pass this sentiment along.