Model X Falcon Doors

[Teo]

Okay, stop. Calling people selfish because they don't agree with you is over the line.

I'm referring to arguments in recent post suggesting that it would be the cyclists fault. However the cyclists might be somebody close to you riding around the house. It isn't necessarily some stranger who might be injured. Let's not forget that. How would you feel if somebody in your family is seriously injured because of this car because the doors were left open for a while and somebody was cycling near it? I bet you wouldn't feel good. That's another risk. However let's be realistic. This might not become a serious problem. I'm just speculating here. But if there are a few stories on the news about serious cyclist head injuries, maybe then it is time to reconsider.

 

[flashflood]

Teo the photo you posted of the bike lane only emphasizes how dangerous all existing car doors are since when fully open they completely block the bike lane. In contrast, the Model X Falcon door when open is completely out of the way of any cyclist, and even while opening barely intrude into the bike lane and then only for a very brief period of time. See the graphic of the Falcon doors at Model X | Tesla Motors it's obvious from that graphic that when the Falcon doors are open there is no way a cyclist could hit them. They are clearly safer for cyclists than conventional doors.

The other key difference is that the falcon doors are presumably motorized. The biggest problem with car doors in the photo above is idiot drivers suddenly thrusting the door wide open. Any motorized door will be safer because its movement won't be abrupt. An already-open door blocking the bike lane is just a hassle, not a hazard.

On the subject of bicycle helmets, the evidence in favor is not as solid as you might think. Surely, almost everyone knows someone who's whacked their head in a bike accident and credits their now-broken helmet for their still-intact skull. And stories are powerful. But, statistically, wearing a helmet makes you more likely to be involved in an accident in the first place due to a number of factors: reduced visibility, increased feeling of safety (therefore riskier behavior), and -- this one surprised me -- more aggressive behavior by drivers, who actually pass closer because they perceive the helmeted cyclist as less vulnerable. I still wear mine because I've been so strongly conditioned to do so, and it just "feels right", but I'm reconsidering.

Cycle helmets: an international resource

 

[Teo]

there is no way you could ride your bike close enough to the Model X to hit the lower edge of the door because it is only a few inches out from the side of the car!

In reply #594 I posted a picture showing how much the doors stick out. It is more than a few inches. To me it looks like 14 inches.

 

[ElSupreme]

'doors will never open in my garage

But they won't open in my garage (with the garage door open)!

- - - Updated - - -

In reply #594 I posted a picture showing how much the doors stick out. It is more than a few inches. To me it looks like 14 inches.

If your head isn't 14" away from a parked vehicle while riding a bike you are already doing dumb crap. Heck my commuter bike would have the bars hit the vehicle most likely. 14" isn't much at all.

 

[Teo]

If your head isn't 14" away from a parked vehicle while riding a bike you are already doing dumb crap. Heck my commuter bike would have the bars hit the vehicle most likely. 14" isn't much at all.

If you had actually looked at reply #594 you would see the red line I drew that shows the estimated 14 inches is between the widest point of the car and doors. At handlebar height (somewhere around the middle of side windows) the car is not at its widest point because the windows are nowhere near as wide as the rest of the car. Therefore you can not hit the car with the handlebar in a bicycle like mine. Your legs and pedals would hit the tires first. As a side note my handlebar is 23" wide and 38" high from the ground.

 

[dsm363]

I'm referring to arguments in recent post suggesting that it would be the cyclists fault. However the cyclists might be somebody close to you riding around the house. It isn't necessarily some stranger who might be injured. Let's not forget that. How would you feel if somebody in your family is seriously injured because of this car because the doors were left open for a while and somebody was cycling near it? I bet you wouldn't feel good. That's another risk. However let's be realistic. This might not become a serious problem. I'm just speculating here. But if there are a few stories on the news about serious cyclist head injuries, maybe then it is time to reconsider.

Yep. Go through a multi hundred million redesign of the Model X because a cyclist who isn't paying attention rides within 18" of a parked car and hits their head. Got it.

 

[hockeythug]

$100 to the first person who films a cyclist hitting an opening falcon door on accident.

 

[ElSupreme]

If you had actually looked at reply #594 you would see the red line I drew that shows the estimated 14 inches is between the widest point of the car and doors. At handlebar height (somewhere around the middle of side windows) the car is not at its widest point because the windows are nowhere near as wide as the rest of the car. Therefore you can not hit the car with the handlebar in a bicycle like mine. Your legs and pedals would hit the tires first. As a side note my handlebar is 23" wide and 38" high from the ground.

And I repeat: If your head isn't 14" away from a parked vehicle while riding a bike you are already doing dumb crap.

Besides the widest part of a vehicle are the mirrors. Those are ~handle bar height. I would contend that you are more likely to hit your handle bars on a Model X! That or getting doored by the driver's door!

Not to mention people tend to see things that are close to eye level!

 

[Johan]

Here are my fingers being "clipped off" by the metal edge of the rear hatch (I'm assuming the Falcon door sensors will be at least as sensitive). I can assure you that I lost no fingers and I didn't even feel pain, only slight pressure.
[video=vimeo;105173274]https://vimeo.com/105173274[/video]

 

[Teo]

Like I said let's wait and see. If I'm making up things then there is no problem. If there are some cyclist head injuries then Tesla will have to come up with something. I think ideally the doors shouldn't stick out as much as they do. Maybe they will improve the design.

 

[bevguy]

Isn't it the rule of the road that motorists (and presumably cyclists) have to exercise caution and watch out for obstacles in their way?
If somebody is really worried no doubt they could rig some orange surveyor's tape on the door.

 

[ecarfan]

Johan, you have nerves of steel. ;-). Thank you for that real life demonstrating of the safety of the Model S hatch sensors! I am confident the Falcon door sensors will be just as good if not better.

 

[ckessel]

This is a refreshing change from 'snow will fall on passengers', 'we will be trapped inside in event of a rollover', 'doors will never open in my garage', 'I can't easily put things on top & destroy range', 'will I be able to tow', and whatever else I'm missing. I really didn't predict that we'd get to decapitated cyclists and fingerless children.

Just wait until you've got fingerless children falling on decapitated cyclists after a rollover in a garage. I bet that hasn't been considered.

 

[Earlian]

Come on, you cannot be serious. The top of the doors are only a small amount out of the car and you want to hit them? 1) A cyclist driving on roads, has to look in the direction he/she is cycling. 2) If you aren't a vandalist, you won't reach them without scratching the car 3) Other doors open faster, wider and even more silent. The Falcon Wing doors open pretty slow and with a warning sound.

Tesla Model X Door Opening - YouTube

You really should be more frightened about all other doors.
Why does an EV have to be better in all categories. No one would blame other manufactors for something like that, they would gratulate them.

So please get back to real issues.

Thx.

And then: We still haven't seen the production version

 

[BlueTan85]

$100 to the first person who films a cyclist hitting an opening falcon door on accident.

$100 to the first person who films a cyclist running a stop sign. Wait, that's too easy. $100 to the 1,000,000th person, that's better.

 

[bonnie]

Just wait until you've got fingerless children falling on decapitated cyclists after a rollover in a garage. I bet that hasn't been considered.

OMG. I wonder if the design engineers have thought of THAT. Irresponsible.

 

[DriverOne]

I still hope the falcon doors are optional. We'd be getting a Model X but my wife is extremely turned off by the "attention-seeking" doors

 

[bonnie]

I still hope the falcon doors are optional. We'd be getting a Model X but my wife is extremely turned off by the "attention-seeking" doors

I'm sure they will not be optional. Way too much initial expense to offer the vehicle with two different (but very integral to the structure) configurations. Perhaps a future SUV model, but I'd be willing to bet money that the X will be offered only with falcon wing doors.

 

[Johan]

I'm sure they will not be optional. Way too much initial expense to offer the vehicle with two different (but very integral to the structure) configurations. Perhaps a future SUV model, but I'd be willing to bet money that the X will be offered only with falcon wing doors.

Agreed. Bold move by Tesla? Maybe. Me I'm loving the "love it or leave it" approach. It's a luxury they can afford when they are production constrained for the foreseable future. Also did Tesla get to where they are today by being cautious, conservative and doing what everyone else in the buiseness is doing? No, they have dared to reinvent everything from drive train, car controls to financing, sales, service, cost of ownership (supercharging business model) and all this is working great. So why on earth not reinvent doors?

 

[ZsoZso]

Agreed. Bold move by Tesla? Maybe. Me I'm loving the "love it or leave it" approach. It's a luxury they can afford when they are production constrained for the foreseable future. Also did Tesla get to where they are today by being cautious, conservative and doing what everyone else in the buiseness is doing? No, they have dared to reinvent everything from drive train, car controls to financing, sales, service, cost of ownership (supercharging business model) and all this is working great. So why on earth not reinvent doors?

Indeed, they have reinvented a lot of things and made unusual designs and features. One of the few areas where they sticked to conservative design is the overall outside look of the cars and I actually regret that. I would have loved some more shouting, extravagant design, such as the i8 -- but maybe that's just me. I love the car anyway, but I find it "blends in" a bit too much.