This is probably old hat for most of us, but this article–”How to Ride Your Bicycle Safely on the Street“–is a pretty good read nonetheless. The author is out of Los Angeles, but his advice applies to any cyclist.
Here’s one excerpt:
You must not ride closer than 4 feet from parked cars. This area is known as the door zone because you can crash into a door that suddenly opens in front of you. While it is the drivers and passengers responsibility to make sure they open the door when it is clear to, one mistake can result in a horrific, if not fatal, accident.
Poorly designed bike lanes often create the illusion of ensured safety. They are often improperly placed right next to parked cars, almost entirely within the door zone. Ride on the left side of the bike lane to avoid the door zone if you need to.
To check out the rest, head to this page.