To ask you to try a Dutch reach when opening the car door?

[LikeDylanInTheMovies]

Another weekend bike ride and a near miss because a driver flung open a door without looking. Normally I try and give a door's width gap, but this isn't always practical on narrow streets with cars either side.

The number of people who fling open a door without checking for a cyclist is scary. I can't do more to make myself visible. Flashing light front and rear hi-viz in daytime and reflective material for night riding. I've come to the conclusion that it is a case of people not looking rather than failing to see me.

On getting back home I discovered the 'Dutch Reach' taught by Dutch driving instructors. You open the car door using the hand furthest away from the handle. In doing so you twist you body slightly and into the line of vision of the wing mirror. I tried it this morning on my drive to work and it really works! I am usually hyper vigilant when it comes to cyclists when I'm out driving, but this is a really useful failsafe check and such an easy habit to get into.

Can I ask you all to give it a go?

who on earth opens a car door without checking the mirrors?

Oh, my comment was aimed at opening my door onto a path, etc. Not a road. Of course I do then because a car or cyclist could be coming.

I'm going to try this. What I tend to do as well as looking is open the door a crack and hold it. It warns both cyclists and cars that someone is about to get out and gives me chance to double check.

big - lots of people don't look. I think it's because as a driver you are in a small warm bubble and the transition out of it can be a bit of a surprise. Esp if your mind is miles away from what is going on around you.

Door corridor isn't a nice place at all when riding.

On getting back home I discovered the 'Dutch Reach' taught by Dutch driving instructors.

Let's be honest, like many techniques taught by driving instructors it's unlikely the vast majority use it once the test is past.

Use you mirrors and open the door slightly and glance back, common sense don't need to be taught it!!

If you can get into the habit of opening a door in a way that forces you to see a car or bike coming, surely you can get into the habit of just actually checking.

This! Although I tried it and found it didn't actually force me to see anything. it's no use at all unless you actually look

I think I might start a campaign called "Just Fucking Look" it would be so versatile!
D

I notice that most here seem to wear hoodies on the basis that they are cosy and practical rather than for their looks - I think that is the main difference to how I dress now.

WTF?
How did I end up back on this thread

I've never heard of this and I live in the Netherlands. I think what happens here is that as a driver a) you probably have a bike and bike regularly and b) are used to cyclists. I have recently learnt to cycle (in the Netherlands) and during my theory and practical exams I was taught to keep a doors width away from cars and it was drilled into me about the blind spots of lorries, busses and SUVs.

As a pedestrian and cyclist, fellow cyclists and not drivers are the bane of my life; cycling without lights, cycling while texting, cycling while walking their dog etc.

I've long thought that before you were allowed to learn to drive you should be forced (exceptions apply if you really, really can't) to learn to ride a bike or motorcycle. If you have been on the receiving end of people not looking then you might just be a more aware and better driver.

And I love when people say "oh my SO rides a bike so I'm much more aware", I've been in a car with someone who said this then not 10 mins later nearly hit a motorcycle.

I've been opening car doors from a young age; in fact have done it since before I was 17. Learnt the skill of checking from the back seat so can do it even without mirrors!! Rarely ride a bike though.

Cyclists should not be coming within a car doors width.I hate cyclists sneaking through tiny gaps to try and get in front of the traffic.
I have never seen a cycling lane next to a row of parked cars! Do you mean on their driver side or passenger side?

Whether they should or shouldn't come within 1 metre of a car door is irrelevant everyone, whichever car door they are opening, should check it's safe to do so.

Yes it's terrible that cyclists do sneak through tiny gaps, but it's best to let anything that might happen to them because of this be thier own doing and not caused by you.

Hmmm...you've never actually ridden a bike in heavy traffic have you a7mints?

I have never seen a cycling lane next to a row of parked cars

Not sure I have either, usually the cars are parked in the cycle lane.

I have never seen a cycling lane next to a row of parked cars

You need to get out and look more carefully.

There's plenty of them near me with the arrangement shown in the photo below: pavement, on street parking bays, cycling lane and then the ro, well within the door zone.

And as strictly pointed out some helpful berk will regard the cycle lane as extra parking space as they're 'only stopping ten minutes' and their need for hot fish and chips or an evening paper matters more than everyone else 's safety.

I hate cyclists sneaking through tiny gaps to try and get in front of the traffic.

Or to give it its proper name 'filtering'.

Filtering to the left hand side is dangerous and should never be attempted. Filtering to the head of a queue of traffic to the right side is a safe and recommended technique. That's what the Advanced Stop boxes with a bike painted on them at lights are for I(again assuming the motorist at the front takes a blind bit of notice and doesn't stop in the box) It is far safer for cyclists to be at the head of the line of traffic waiting to move off, rather than dotted throughout the traffic.

I think I might start a campaign called "Just Fucking Look" it would be so versatile! Yes!

Filtering to the left hand side is dangerous and should never be attempted

why's it more dangerous than on the right?

cars can turn left or right and open doors either side (although they shouldn't without checking)

There are often cycle lanes on the left of the road - (usually leading into the advance stop box you mentioned) are you saying they shouldn't be used? Personally I often prefer to slowly and cautiously go up the left with the option to fall onto the pavement than to go up the right between lanes with no escape route - or in the face of oncoming traffic. Going up the outside is really only for times when you are certain the traffic won't start moving soon. Are you actually a cyclist???

Also I've been hit by doors plenty of times whilst walking on the pavement - should people not walk on the left of stationary traffic on the pavement either?

And I don't like your self righteous attitude about the adult cycling on the pavement who got hit by a door.

Just because someone did something wrong it doesn't give you the right to injure them or endanger their life!!!

And I don't like your self righteous attitude about the adult cycling on the pavement who got hit by a door.

Just because someone did something wrong it doesn't give you the right to injure them or endanger their life!!!

why's it more dangerous than on the right?

Because along with the increased risk of passagers jumping out on the pavement side you are in a position of poor visibility for the driver who will be situated on the right side when filtering. Doubly so with HGVs and the risk of getting caught unseen Blindingly obvious really.

Are you actually a cyclist???

Yes I am. And worries me that you are if you are labouring under such a misapprehension Don't just take my word for it here's British Cycling's view on the matter

I only learnt to drive this year and this is how my driving instructor (in the UK) said to open doors

The other advantage is something about gusts of wind not breaking your wrist / breaking the door if you open them this way

Filtering - as it most things, I'd wish to avoid a prescriptive view whether it's safer on the right or left. It's safest which ever observations present thrmselves at the time and esp with the slow flow of traffic, any turns coming up, enough space to filter on the right side of the white line etc.

And yes cars parked on the inside of the bike lane ( eg in extended parking bays in front of shops) are fairly common.

Cycling on the pavemnt comment? It isn't something I'd defend as a habit, and there are two places on my commute where I do it for sensible reasons, so the 'having no sympathy' thing I thought was a bit off, tbh

I have lived in the Netherlands for seven years and have never seen anyone do this. Meanwhile, motorists are terrified of cyclists here. No matter how stupid or prattish the cyclist is, no matter what they do, if you hit them, you pay.

Thank you for pointing this out OP - I put something on my Facebook timeline about it quite recent;ly.

What I don't understand is all these people flinging their doors open with out looking - aren't they worried about another vehicle taking the door off

clearly not

Filtering to the left hand side is dangerous and should never be attempted

Agreed because most of the time, what you are actually doing, is creating an extra lane. That makes it unlawful undertaking.

Lets look at it another way. If you were driving behind me in a car, and I was indicating right, would you overtake me? So if you are riding behind me on a bike and I am indicating left, why undertake me? Just hang back and let me go.

My son has just done his level 3 bikeability and he was told not to undertake. Last week. So that's about as up to date as you can get on cycling good practice.

I have never seen a cycling lane next to a row of parked cars! Do you mean on their driver side or passenger side

Plenty of them on both sides - see picture above. And of course cars are frequently parked in cycle lanes so you have to come out of the cycle lane and go round them, and risk being doored plus all the other risks of the road.