Do the Dutch reach for things differently than we in the USA?

Perhaps. There\’s more to Holland than canals, windmills and wooden shoes, it seems. From thence we get the \”Dutch reach\” method of opening car doors prior to exiting.

I hope you’ve never been “doored” while cycling. The possibility is why I ride away from traffic if I can, and feel nervous when I can’t avoid it.

Years ago I was reading a web site about cycling safety. It told of an incident – I don’t remember where – in which a young woman was riding a bicycle along a street. Someone flung open a car door right in front of her, and she wasn’t able to stop in time. The impact literally threw her under the wheels of a bus. I think it said she died instantly.

Drivers, please remember that there are cyclists out there. They’re trying to get to work; to the grocery store; home from work at the end of the day. They want to get where they’re going in one piece. They might be in a hurry, just like you.  Open the vehicle doors with caution. Here’s where the Dutch Reach is useful.

I can see the sense of it. Even if it takes a few seconds longer to do, those moments are worth it. You could literally save a life.