Riding home from work tonight, I'm biking past 10-12 cars stopped at a red light approaching Westmoorland Street on Chain Bridge Road. Suddenly a passenger in an SUV throws open the door. About 0.5 - 1 second later I strike the door at 10mph with my bike helmet and my left shoulder. I end up lying face down on a sidewalk staring at my bleeding thumb. The driver in the car behind the SUV summed it up "you got clobbered."
The results:
- Bike helmet (Bell Slant) gets 5 stars for limiting damage to bruises on my forehead
- Front fork bent out of line with handlebars
- Several minor broken parts on bike
- Silhouette of SUV door imprinted on my shoulder
- SUV door hinges bent and unable to close
The Good Samaritans
On the positive side of things, many people stopped to help me out and serve as witnesses. A doctor pulled over to help. A lawyer on her way home gave me her business card to be a witness. One guy in an Audi offered to give me and my bike a ride home. After putting my trashed bike in his pristine Audi somebody from my neighborhood showed up on the scene and drove me home.
The Question
The cop on the scene asked the SUV passenger and driver, "Why the hell did you open your door?" The 50 year old woman and her 18 year old daughter (passenger) had no answer - which is a little bit suspicious. Here are theories that various folks have provided:
- Daughter was mad at mother and threatened to walk home (explains abruptness of door)
- Daughter was opening door to throw out trash (why not just roll down window)
- I looked like the daughter's ex-boyfriend
- A cicada flew into the car and they were trying to get it out or escape.
Scary.
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