Car Doors and Bikes: Not Funny at All

By Joanna Miller in News on Apr 6, 2006 3:37PM

We have to admit, when we read about the Chicago Police Bicycle Unit officer who was struck by an opening car door yesterday, we giggled a little. Not because we don’t care about the police officer or anyone else who is injured while biking – we know it’s a serious issue.

But if our TV and movie addictions have taught us anything, it’s that people flying over car doors while riding bicycles is funny.

Of course, no one gets hurt when this happens in a movie or a cartoon. In real life, they do, which is not so funny. Thankfully, the officer suffered only scrapes and bruises. Others haven’t been so lucky. Which is why motorists and cyclists need to use caution. So, please, be sure to do that.

Chicagoist witnessed its first bicycle vs. car incident as we were moving into our first apartment in the city when a cab veered into a bike lane and hit a cyclist. Of course, the cab fared worse than the bike and its rider after he cracked the cab’s windshield with his helmet in a fit of rage and rode off. But, frankly, it scared us enough that, when we do dust off the old bike, we restrict our cycling to the lakefront path. Then again, that’s no picnic either.

If you ask us, the cartoons are to blame. Let’s just ban them right along with the violent video games.

No? We’ll just have to keep stifling our giggles then.

Photo via www.bv.com.au