ANYONE WHO RIDES A BICYCLE knows it’s a case of Russian Roulette when riding beside stationary vehicles. At any moment, a driver or passenger may unexpectedly open a car or truck door straight out into the path of an oncoming cyclist and the results can be catastrophic.
Unfortunately, most drivers and passengers simply aren’t “cyclist aware” and it isn’t hardwired into their brains to check before opening a door, especially on the near (or passenger) side.
In the UK, a simple habit is being encouraged by the Department of Transport that increases cyclist awareness by car and truck passengers and drivers.
Pioneered in the Netherlands, the “Dutch Reach” is a simple habit to get into. It is a method of opening a door using the hand furthest from the handle (in other words, open left hand or nearside doors using the right hand and right hand or offside doors using the left hand).
It works because this action forces a person to swing their upper body around and look over their shoulder, making them far more likely to see an approaching cyclist and delay opening the door until the cyclist is safely past.
The only drawback for senior drivers is that we become less limber as we age, so turning the upper body is not as easy as it once was. However, if you can, it’s a good habit to get into (and regular twisting exercises when opening doors may improve your flexibility).
No matter how frustrating it can be having to share the road with cyclists, we all have a responsibility to consider their safety. The Dutch Reach is one way we can do that.