This is a great 15-second PSA, produced pro bono for the California Bicycle Coalition by the talented people at EMRL Media Group of Sacramento. At the time I was executive director of CalBike, and hoped to raise enough money to make numerous broadcast quality videotapes, which I planned to send to broadcast outlets across the state.
Unfortunately, objections were raised by a small number of non-visionary cyclists (partisans in the so-called "paint-n-path" versus "effective cycling" battle), who considered the PSA to be harmful. They thought it would actually encourage bicycling in the door zone!
Clearly they missed the point, prompting this response from me: "The principal objection I have since heard from a small handful is that the cyclist is riding too close to the parked cars. Indeed she is. This is called a "plot device" designed to create dramatic tension and viewer interest."
Even more unfortunate was that some prominent folks on the CalBike board of directors were sympathetic to these objections, which is among the reasons I lasted a mere year as ED. But that's another story...
I continue to think it is an outstanding work. So I share it here for your enjoyment.
I had such an accident a month ago.
ReplyDeleteIt turns out a broken pinky (crushed between the handgrip and the edge of the opening door) is not that big a deal.
I wonder if it's safer for the cyclist to steer right into the open door and not the other way, into traffic.