What was the attraction or the perceived benefit to this type of door or was it just a some kind of “perverse” fashion fad that lingered around for years !
As far as cars are concerned, it is far easier for a passenger wearing a dress, skirt or kilt to get in/out without flashing their undercrackers (or worse) at all and sundry. That’s why they are still commonly fitted on limousine style vehicles.
No idea as regards lorries, but I would observe that you can fit hinges much nearer the top of the door even with only a modest rake to the windscreen if you put the hinges at the back.
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I was told that with cars the reason was so that ladies alighting from the vehicle could do so without compromising their modesty as the driver or chauffer stood behind the door while holding it open for them. Back then very few women drove so were usually accompanied by a driver.
I suppose the Morris-Commecial FV range were the most common user of suicide doors and they were advertised as being easier to access the cab as the doors were wider.
motor-car.net/morris/item/22623-morris-fv
Pete.
But doesn`t a forward opening door provide a shield from prying eyes?
Getting up from a low vehicle, in a short dress, might provide a spectacle, no matter which way a door opens.
Limousines have lots of rear legroom, and the seat is set behind the door opening, but I dont know if that is/isnt relevant?
Citroen H Vans had suicide doors, this one snapped at Weymouth, credit to Andrew Bone for the photo.
Oily
Why are they suicide doors
atlas man:
Why are they suicide doors
You try opening one at 25 mph mate ! 
Oh ! I ■■■■■■ give up as I should have “claused” the title as “front suicide doors” as the rear opening doors of Limos and Rovers etc were not my intended subject but it seems that there is more interest in the rear open doors of cars and the protection of Ladies decorum ! Unbelievable well maybe not quite as there is always the unexpected bollox from left field ! 
Oh well mustn’t grumble ! Bewick
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Did the practice become illegal for normal cars? The P5 was used for limo purposes in some guises but had normal doors.
Interestingly (or not) tractors switched to rear hinged doors with the mid to late 70s Q cabs. This was mostly for access. Despite many modern tractors now capable of speeds over 30mph, the doors are still rear hinged, even on the very quick JCBs
The car Bergerac used on Jersey had suicide doors as I recall and the car Jack Hawkins used in that Scotland Yard film in 1958 was a little Standard convertible which had suicide doors !
CA Bedfords were for the people who were only thinking about it
Closest I can get to this would be the Morris FG (threpenny bit). Other than ladies alighting the vehicle, perhaps it’s a hangover from earlier times when the ‘B’ pillar had far more strength than the ‘A’ pillar and thus the obvious place to hang a door off.
ParkRoyal2100:
Closest I can get to this would be the Morris FG (threpenny bit). Other than ladies alighting the vehicle, perhaps it’s a hangover from earlier times when the ‘B’ pillar had far more strength than the ‘A’ pillar and thus the obvious place to hang a door off.
I’ve always understood that was the reason, the b post stronger and straight up and down.
Bernard
atlas man:
Why are they suicide doors
If you open one while the vehicle is moving forwards (even at town speeds) the airstream will whip it back so quickly that it could easily pull you bodily out of the vehicle. Suicidal, in other words.
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Roymondo:
atlas man:
Why are they suicide doorsIf you open one while the vehicle is moving forwards (even at town speeds) the airstream will whip it back so quickly that it could easily pull you bodily out of the vehicle. Suicidal, in other words.
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Thank you for that
Suicide rear doors made a bit of comeback in recent years, in many cases there being no B pillar at all with the front section of the rear door being reinforced to act as a B pillar with the doors closed, somehow i can’t see such a substitute B pillar being as strong as a welded in jobbie in the event of a side impact, but then one of our cars is a two door where the b pillar only comes up half way height, the shudder in that short pillar doesn’t leave one with much confidenec about it stopping any side intrusion.
Suicide doors are a better solution than some 2 door cars where accessing the rear seats can be really difficult, plus the 2 doors have to be longer than usual for rear access which makes access for everyone more diiffficult in narrow parking spaces, some of the more sporty designs the doors are so thck and curvy shaped that i’ve had to twist right round to get out of the driver’s seat facing backwards through a stupidly narrow opening, some narrow deck positions on transporters the only way to get in and out of the car at all was via an open window.
One benefit of the small suicide doors on FG threepenny bit cabs you could drive around with the doors wedged open on hot days, i used to drive an old Bedford CA and early Transit van around with the sliding doors open, aircon who needs it 
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