Bicycle Safety: Recommendation to Uber (dooring)

Recently I was struck by an Uber door in Washington, D.C. It sent me spinning not only across the asphalt and into a parked car, but on an odyssey to consider what Uber and other automobile-based rideshare services can do to eliminate dooring.

Attached is the policy recommendation document I sent to Uber today: memo-to-uber-bicycle-safety-passenger-doors-jason-meggs-01november2019

More details of my injury, how to avoid dooring, why dooring is never the bicyclist’s fault, and what to do if you are hit by a car door, may be forthcoming but for now the focus is on changing the big players who have greatly increased injuries to bicyclists with unmarked cars making frequent passenger pick-ups and drop-offs.

I want to be clear that this advice is important for any rideshare company, not just Uber and not just in D.C. – and much of it is applicable to any passenger vehicle including personal/private vehicles, vans and taxis. Moreover certain issues are NEW to rideshare and as of Jan. 22, 2020 Uber and Lyft have NOT replied.
Please share.

THESE HARMS CAN AND MUST STOP NOW.