Help! I Got "Doored"!

Driving around the streets of Los Angeles, you are bound to notice bicyclists riding around town (or at least you should).  Whether it's for exercise, leisure, or both, the City of Angeles affords great weather for cyclists to enjoy the outdoors and share the road with motorists.Unfortunately, sometimes accidents happen.  As a Los Angeles bike and car accident lawyer, I can tell you that cases of bicyclists getting "doored" are more common than you think.What does it mean, you might ask, to get doored?Simply put, it's when a bicyclist collides with a car door opened unexpectedly.   The culprit is usually someone who didn't check his or her mirrors first before opening said door.  And yes, there's a rule for that too!The Vehicle Code prohibits anyone from opening a car door on the side available to moving traffic unless it is reasonably safe to do so without interfering with the movement of traffic.You might occasionally be driving on a busy street, and notice an oblivious driver open his door, and leave it open for what seems like an eternity.  That's prohibited too.Getting doored can cause serious injuries.  A bicyclist will have very little time to react and will hit the pavement.  Hard.Please check your mirrors and blindspots before opening your car door.  You might prevent a serious accident.And bicyclists should be familiar with strategies on how to avoid getting doored.For questions about your case, the Rabbi Lawyer is one phone call away.