Phil Fall Down, Go Boom

Dear Drivers:

Please don’t park in the bike lane.

Also, if you choose to park in the bike lane, please don’t suddenly open your door in my face when I’m about to ride past you.

Sincerely,

Board Game Bike.

Quick Safety Tip For Drivers: The Dutch Reach

Basically, what happened is this guy wasn’t paying attention and opened his door right in my path. In retrospect, I probably had time to brake and maybe ask him not to try and kill me in the future, but I swerved to go around him instead.

Of course, on Lancaster Ave in West Philly, there are trolley tracks that go down the middle of the road, which just so happened to catch my wheel causing the bike to slip out from under me.

I’m alright - my hip is a little bruised, but overall I’m fine. Of course, it could have been a lot worse. So please, as a personal favor, watch out when you open your car doors!

Also, if you’ve ever been mad at a person on a bike because they were riding down the middle of the lane instead of off to the side next to all the parked cars, this situation is the exact reason that happens: we don’t want to get smashed in the face with a door. It’s also why bike lanes that run along street parking aren’t our favorite.