As someone who lives in a city with a veritable arse load of cyclists, I live in constant fear of hitting one with a car door. But no more, for there is an easy way to make sure this tragedy never befalls you or your friendly neighbourhood bike enthusiasts.
It’s called the “Dutch Reach,” and all you have to do to execute it is open your car door with your hand that is farthest from the door.
This motion forces you to twist your body towards the street, letting you see if there are any oncoming cyclists. It’s a quick trick that takes no extra time at all, and could literally save a life.
This story has been updated since its original publication.
Comments
4 responses to “Use The ‘Dutch Reach’ To Avoid Hitting A Cyclist With Your Car Door”
Great idea. Could have saved me some scarring, enabled me to scuba dive (a no-no with certain post collapsed lung conditions), an uneven shoulder height and some significant amounts of titanium.
We should promote this in Oz!
Or you can use your mirror! It detects cars and trucks as well.
or you know, look in the side mirror
Wing mirrors have blind spots!
Cars are expected to leave a 1 metre gap when going past cyclists.
What if cyclists were expected to do the same for stationary cars?