A tragic cycling fatality in Queens highlights the ongoing threat of "dooring" - the sudden and catastrophic collision between cyclists and car doors left ajar. Cristian Villafuerte Vasquez, 26, suffered severe head trauma after crashing into an open car door while riding his bike on North Corona streets around 6:30 p.m. Monday night.
Police report that the victim had been traveling in the direction of traffic when the BMW driver's door swung out as he exited the parked vehicle at 108th Street and 38th Avenue. The cyclist was unable to avoid the collision, which has left his family reeling with grief.
Surprisingly, the driver remained on the scene but faced no charges stemming from the incident. This decision may raise questions about accountability in cases where drivers fail to notice or check their surroundings before exiting a vehicle.
The phenomenon of "dooring" remains a persistent hazard for New York City cyclists, who are often forced to navigate roads without dedicated bike lanes. According to NYPD data, traditional bike collisions have declined slightly this year, but e-bike-related crashes have surged by 36%, with over 700 incidents reported as of October.
As the city mourns another traffic fatality - Queens has seen more than 170 deaths so far in 2025, down from 200 at a similar point last year - officials are urging increased vigilance among drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. With daylight saving time ending this Sunday and shorter days ahead, the risk of accidents will only intensify.
Police report that the victim had been traveling in the direction of traffic when the BMW driver's door swung out as he exited the parked vehicle at 108th Street and 38th Avenue. The cyclist was unable to avoid the collision, which has left his family reeling with grief.
Surprisingly, the driver remained on the scene but faced no charges stemming from the incident. This decision may raise questions about accountability in cases where drivers fail to notice or check their surroundings before exiting a vehicle.
The phenomenon of "dooring" remains a persistent hazard for New York City cyclists, who are often forced to navigate roads without dedicated bike lanes. According to NYPD data, traditional bike collisions have declined slightly this year, but e-bike-related crashes have surged by 36%, with over 700 incidents reported as of October.
As the city mourns another traffic fatality - Queens has seen more than 170 deaths so far in 2025, down from 200 at a similar point last year - officials are urging increased vigilance among drivers, pedestrians, and cyclists. With daylight saving time ending this Sunday and shorter days ahead, the risk of accidents will only intensify.
. drivers need to be super aware of their surroundings, especially when getting in/out of their cars. no one's too busy to check for cyclists, right? 
we should all take responsibility for our actions on the road and respect each other's lives... let's make a pact to be more observant and kind to one another 
. Can't believe the driver just left the scene without a scratch – sounds like they were trying to set a new record for least responsibility 
. All I know is that Cristian (RIP) was just trying to enjoy a ride home and got swooped by an open car door... talk about a bummer 
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. and yeah, the fact that the driver didn't get in trouble for leaving his door open is just crazy... what kinda world are we living in? 
. anyway, i hope this incident makes people more aware of "dooring" and they take necessary precautions to avoid accidents like this again 
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. I remember when bike lanes were first introduced back in '03 - my friend had one of those old-school inline skates and would ride along with me to school. Those were the days... 
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and yeah, e-bike incidents are getting crazy - I've seen those stats too 
. the thing is, cyclists already have to be super aware of their surroundings all the time, so adding "dooring" to that mix can be super scary. I mean, can you imagine not being able to ride because someone's door swiped out from under u? 
it's just not right 
how can someone just leave their car door open like that? i was riding my bike to work yesterday and saw a guy do that too... it's like drivers think cyclists are invisible or something 
we need those bike lanes stat! and daylight saving time ending is like, the final nail in the coffin of road safety... who even thought this was a good idea? 
. I'm so done with these "dooring" incidents. Can't we just get some dedicated bike lanes and some common sense from our drivers already? 
. we need better safety measures for cyclists for real, like designated bike lanes and more enforcement of the rules 
. this is just another reason to be hyped for those #bikelanes and why we need to make our roads safer 4 all 
how can someone not even notice their door is left open? 
shouldn't they be held accountable for putting someone else's life at risk? it's just not fair to the victim's family or to the rest of us who are trying to share the roads.
and sadness right now thinking about Cristian and his poor family.
. We need to hold people accountable for their actions on our roads.
That's crazy. And what's with the lack of dedicated bike lanes in NYC? It's like, we're supposed to just navigate through traffic without any protection or infrastructure. Not cool 
It's not that hard to notice if someone's riding by and you just open the door without looking... 
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e-bike crashes are up by 36% 
what's goin on here?! we need dedicated bike lanes ASAP 
. Another life lost because someone wasn't paying attention. It's just so senseless