Are there any laws against motorists opening their doors into the path of bicyclists?
Yes. Many communities in Michigan have adopted the Uniform Traffic Code, which includes Administrative Rule R28.1498 Rule 498 (1) on page 15, stating:
“A person shall not open a door of a vehicle in a manner that interferes with or impedes the flow of traffic.”
A bicycle would be included under this protection, since a person on a bicycle ”has all of the rights and is subject to all of the duties applicable to the driver of a vehicle” (see MCL 257.657) and traffic is defined (in MCL 257.69) as follows: “… traffic means pedestrians, ridden or herded animals, vehicles, street cars and other conveyances either singly or together using any highway for purposes of travel.”
The video below explains and demonstrates the “Dutch Reach”, one of the simplest ways to ensure you don’t open your car door into the path of an cyclist. This method involves the driver of a vehicle using their right hand to open their door, not their left hand. This naturally puts the driver in position to check both in front and behind for approaching traffic.
More information on the “Dutch Reach” can be found at The Dutch Reach Project.
