It sounds as if it should be a contraceptive method but rather than stopping lives it's about saving lives. And I had no idea about it until I happened to read it in a magazine that Husband left in the toilet.
Apparently a new rule has been added to the Highway Code - along with those giving pedestrians and cyclists more rights of way which I did know about. The new rule is encouraging people to adopt the Dutch Reach method of opening car doors, which also makes it safer for cyclists and walkers.
This means, if I understand it correctly, that you use the arm furthest away from the door to open it (when you're in the car that is.) To do this you have to turn more in your seat and are more likely to notice bikes or pedestrians or cars approaching, and open the door with care.
It's not a law so you don't get fined but sounds like good practice.
But probably needs to be advertised a bit more.
3 comments:
I've never heard of the Dutch Reach before but it's a good idea! Cyclists can get killed running into a suddenly open car door.
I'm familiar with this. And another habit which I practice -- open your door just a few inches first. This alerts walkers, runners, cyclists, of which we have quite a few, before you swing it all the way open.
What a great idea! I rarely park in areas that have many cyclists, and most pedestrians walk against the traffic or on the sidewalks, so it would take me a long time to make this into a habit.
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