Orange on white Dutch Reach Figure Logo Icon; reduced resolution png file

DOORED? FEAR IT? TEACH the REACH! TELL EVERYONE! IT'S MUCH SAFER!

>> Reach, Swivel, Look out & back, Open slowly. <<

Dutch Reach Caution Sign: Yellow diamond sign with black silhouette of driver performing far hand anti dooring method to open latch, turned & to look over shoulder to scan for on-coming bicyclists or traffic. Figure is in ISO international standards organization's style. Design by New York Bicycling Coalition & Dutch Reach Project.

Drivers & passengers each use far hand to open car door. 

Reach across for the door handle.

Forced to Swivel, you automatically Look out, at mirror & easily back for bikes & traffic.

All clear? 

dutch-reach-illustratn-thk-91416lh-3-5x3

 Then Open slowly to exit while remaining vigilant.

Dutch kids learn it from parents & in school.

It’s taught in drivers’ ed, and used to pass their driving test.

It's been Dutch commonsense for 50 years. Time we thought so too!

Tip: Tie ribbon on latch as reminder... & practice! 

Dutch Instructor Teaches Reach

RoSPA How to do the dutch reach start video cover art w button

United Kingdom Will Teach "Reach'

Click image or here for coverage.

UK Deft for Transport adds CSafe Pass & Dutch Reach anti dooring advisories to HIghtway Code to protect cyclists & other vulnerable road users.

Dutch Reach Guide for Instructors, Officials, Advocates

We instruct the Dutch Reach for Officials, shows state drivers manuals, Berlin germany & road safety RoSPA org endorsed taught far hand reach method to avoid dooring.

A Guide for Dutch Reach Instruction: explanations & examples for road safety officials, experts, driving instructors & advocates. Add to YOUR state Driver's Manual too! See Bike League's: Dutch Reach Bicycle Friendly State advisory. Explore this website for tools & resources.

MassDOT Video

Note: Excellent but artistic liberty taken with open window!

Dutch Reach Signage

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Dutch Reach Parking Alert sign for UK with Black silhouette of driver & approaching cyclist on on black figures on white background. Driver is turned facing back with far hand on door latch, doing the Dutch Reach technique, using far hand anti dooring method to open latch, turned & to look over shoulder to scan for on-coming bicyclists or traffic. Figures & bike wheels are in ISO international standards organization's style.No logos. Design by New York Bicycling Coalition & Dutch Reach Project.

More graphics? Click image. Also: (A), (B).

Red, black & white verticle format sticker of driver inside car using far hand reach across method to scan for aproaching cyclist seen in white on black background. Created by Nick Moore of MA, donated to Dutch Reach Project for public use.

DIY Dutch Reach Campaign graphic or sticker: as PNG, JPG, CMYK or RGB file. Download, adapt, print & share. More here, here & here! Credit: Nick Moore.

Washington 3rd State to Adopt 'Reach'

Español Spanish 中文 Chinese - 한국어 Korean - Русский Russian - #Việt #Vietnamese - & 日本語 Japanese.

Washington State adds 'Dutch Reach' to 2019 Driver Guide - in 7 different language editions. See Chapter 3-p 27 - Parking.  Click image to enlarge.

MA DRIVER'S MANUAL GOES DUTCH!

Illinois Adds "Reach' to Code & Test

Dutch Reach anti dooring technique move, habit or measure is now officially part of driver education in Illinois USA.

Illinois: 2nd US state to adopt 'Reach'. Click here for IL Driver's Manual pdf p. 43.

VIDEO: THE DUTCH REACH - SAFE FOR WORK

Video transcript in English, française

View additional Dutch Reach videos & animations:  in English  or  12 Other Languages

Der Holländischer Griff GIF! von Stadt Berlin de

Click image for advisory.

10 Reasons why the Dutch far Hand Reach method for exiting vehicles to avoid dooring is safer for cyclists and car or vehicle occupants, dirvers & passengers when they open car door to exit. These reasons include: Curbs wide flinging; turns one to view side mirror; enables direct view after mirror view is lost; partial opening can warn cyclists; far grip allows fast retreat & closing; works for all exiting occupants, drivers & passengers front & rear; steps you out facing traffic; replaces flawed near hand practice; becomes an automatic muscle-memory habit, not just advise.

Not all Dutch Far Hand Reach advantages are obvious. 10 reasons are given above (click to enlarge). A more thorough explanation is given here.

Sequence of photos of mobile electronic traffic sign message which states: "Safer to Open / Car Door / With Far Hand" which describes the Dutch far hand Reach method to prevent doorings by heedlessly exiting drivers or passengers from motor vehicles, cars, vans & trucks into travel & bike lanes which can cause collisions with the door and result in njury or death to bicyclists. This sign first brought the Dutch Reach method message to the attention first of the Boston Globe and then national and international media as the story was quickly picked up by public radio & social media.

Mobile electronic traffic sign first 'texted' the Dutch Reach. Somerville, Mass., USA, 7 Sept 2016.  Sign triggered media coverage which led to international attention. Credit: Dutch Reach Project.

Dutch Reach diagram with montage. Boston Globe, 5/31/17. Click here for more graphics, languages. Click image to enlarge.

Dutch Reach diagram with montage. Boston Globe, 5/31/17.  Click here for more versions, languages

The Dutch Reach illustrated & instructed by The Times of London, Sept 12, 2017. Image of driver on right side of car seen through windshield with red ribbon-like curved arrows indicating left arm reaching across to door latch, head & neck swiveling to look back through partially propped open car door, and sees bicyclist approaching from behind. Two numbered texts: 1) Driver reaches for the door handle with the left hand. 2) This forces the driver to look around.

The Dutch Reach diagram for for Left-side driving countries (UK). Credit:  The Times of London. Click here for more graphics.

City of London's new Road Danger Reduction & Active Travel Plan calls for Dutch Reach training for taxi passengers. Click image for info.

"Approved by RoSPA" emblem to note the RoSPA endorsed the Dutch Reach in an advisory issued February 1, 2017 in UK.

Click image to view RoSPA's Dutch Reach safety advisory.

The Dutch Way: Bicycling and Fresh Bread, by Russell Shorto, NYTimes Sunday Review. Describes bicycling & road sharing culture in The Netherlands. Quotes technology professor & cycling historian Ruth Oldenziel who describes the Dutch countermeasure for avoiding car door crashes with cyclists.

Professor Ruth Oldenziel, Eindhoven Univ., NL confirms that the far hand method has been commonly taught & used in The Netherlands. New York Times, 30 July 2011, by Russell Shorto.  More here.

Teach the Reach Flier with BIDMC logo; not DRP logo.

Dutch Reach safety poster - Beth Israel Deaconess Hospital, Boston, MA, USA.

"Exihibit A" !

Bike cam still @ 23 sec.: Driver with far hand on propped door, head turned to look back. Click to enlarge.

Dutch Reach Overview

Dooring Dutch Reach Entry header from Wikipedia, w logo globe & Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia

For annotated summary, see Dutch Reach under Dooring in Wikipedia or click image.

 

Need Proof? Dutch Reach Spares Cyclist Despite Close Pass


Hungarian cyclist's bike cam shows driver peeking out of partly opened car door at 21-25 seconds. An overtaking vehicle prevents cyclist from takng the lane just as he approaches a parked car.  Fearing a close pass or worse, cyclist was confined to the doorzone. Note white striped sleeve as driver's right hand reaches across his body for the door latch - a 'Dutch reach'. With the door slightly open, driver gains unobstructed view back by doing a full shoulder-check. Driver sees cyclist and delays opening door further until cyclist is safely passed.

1st Study: Validating 'Dutch Reach'

Study finds far hand advantage for Dutch Reach anti dooring method.. See: Validating ‘Dutch Reach’: A Preliminary Evaluation of Far-Hand Door Opening and its Impact on Car Drivers’ Head Movements, Large, DR, et al., Human Factors Research Group, U Nottingham, UK. (PDF). Oct 2018. ICSC 2018 Conference paper. Click image to enlarge.

“The best time to plant a tree was 20 years ago. The second best time is now.” – Chinese Proverb