of course it's only taxis never other motoristsSTICKERS in every taxi in Oxford, reminding passengers to look carefully before opening a door into traffic, have been proposed as one solution to the problem of 'car dooring' in the city.
Simon Hunt, chairman of Oxford cyclists' campaign group Cyclox, also said driving students should be taught about the 'Dutch reach' method of opening car doors with the opposite hand, which naturally turns the body in the direction of oncoming traffic.
He and others in Oxford have spoken on the issue after a court case this summer in which Leicester taxi driver Farook Bhikhu was fined £300 for allowing his passenger to open her door into the path of traffic, killing oncoming cyclist Sam Boulton.
Mr Hunt said: "This is a predominant issue in Oxford: it happens where there are lines of parked cars and there are some absolutely classic places: Warneford Lane and Iffley Road, for example.
"I know this is something that really bothers the cyclists of the Pedal and Post freight courier service.
"Taxis and private hire vehicles are a classic example and it seems to me some visual reminder on the door saying 'watch out for passing cyclists' would be a simple way to help."
The Oxford Mail's own 'Secret Cyclist', who has been filming drivers' bad behaviour while riding around the city, recently caught a video of a driver parking in the cycle lane in front of Sainsbury's on The Plain and opening his door into the path of oncoming traffic just feet away.
He said: "Parking in bike lanes and on double yellow lines is ubiquitous in Oxford.
"If you spend fives minutes outside Magdalen College by the boats or in St Clements during the morning rush hour you will find it.
"But car dooring is unlikely to be changed unless the law allows harsh penalties on the offenders."
Since Sam Boulton's death in 2016, national campaign group Cycling UK has called for greater awareness of the dangers.
According to Government figures obtained by the group, between 2011 and 2015, 3,108 people were injured and eight were killed by the practice.
All by taxis ?Of those who died, three had been in cars and five were cyclists.
Oxford city councillor Saj Malik, a professional taxi driver, said he did not think car dooring was a 'big issue' in Oxford, but welcomed Mr Hunt's idea of stickers in cabs.
He said: "This can be very dangerous if taxi drivers are careless, but to me it is not a big issue in Oxford.
"As a taxi driver, I will always make sure passengers get out on the pavement side."
He also said he would welcome creation of more cycle paths by the highways authority, Oxfordshire County Council.
The county is currently considering proposals by Oxfordshire Cycling Network to create new cycle lanes across the city, including Botley Road, Woodstock Road and Banbury Road.
Login
Register
FAQ
