Cyclists around the San Francisco Bay Area claim that they are under attack from motorists who are driving up alongside them and opening their doors in order to knock them off their bikes.
In a video of one such alleged attack, a gray Hyundai Elantra can be seen driving up alongside a group of riders. While alongside, someone on the passenger side of the vehicle opens and shuts their door quickly, in what the video’s poster construes as a deliberate attempt to hit the cyclist.
Two riders were seriously injured in these alleged attacks, and in two others, cyclists claim that vehicles simply swerved into them, rather than using their doors, reports Fox11. One rider, Ellie Mead, said she was attacked on Saturday, February 11, at around 8:00 p.m. by a passenger who doored her.
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“I have eight stitches and this big gash in my forehead,” Mead told the outlet. “There was this gray sedan. A passenger on the passenger side opened the door and slowed down the car. My bike rammed right into it. I fell to the ground. They drove away. As they drove away they were laughing.”
In all, 14 cyclists were allegedly targeted and eight hit in attacks that took place between Thursday, February 9 and Saturday, February 11. In many of the incidents, the vehicles reportedly accelerated to catch up to the cyclists in the lead up to the incident.
“Make no mistake – these were violent, targeted attacks with cars used as literal weapons,” East Bay Bike Party, the group drawing attention to these incidents, wrote in a recent post. “Last night was another frightening reminder that local governments must take immediate action to make the streets safe for everyone.”
Unfortunately, the risks to cyclists lives are very real. In 2022, fatalities rose by eight percent among American cyclists. That was a larger increase in numbers than was experienced among pedestrians, motorcyclists, or other drivers.
While police say they are investigating the incidents, the East Bay Bike Party said it will be hosting a “Solidarity Ride” on Sunday, February 19, to support and unite the cycling community in the area.
