How the Dutch Reach Saves Lives | Outside
ฝัง
- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 3 ต.ค. 2024
- We asked our editors if they'd ever heard of the Dutch Reach (trust us, it’s not what you’re thinking). Watch to see how this simple technique may just save a cyclist's life.
It might sound like it’s NSFW, but trust us - the Dutch Reach is not only safe, it’s encouraged. Get into the habit of opening your car door with your right hand before stepping out: this way, you’re forced to turn your head and body to check whether an oncoming cyclist (or even another car) might be passing by. Do this both by looking in your rearview mirror and over your shoulder behind you. Hailing from the bike-laden streets of the Netherlands, this tactic is an easy way to prevent injury and accidents both to yourself and others sharing the road.
Click on the link below for more tips and hacks from Outside:
www.outsideonl...
Subscribe to our TH-cam channel for updates and new videos each week:
/ outsideonline
Like Outside on Facebook: / outsidemagazine
Follow Outside on Twitter: / outsidemagazine
Follow Outside on Instagram: / outsidemagazine
Subscribe to Outside: subscribe.outsi...
As a cyclist in the US, I live in terror of car doors and always give a wide berth to cars and trucks: enough to ensure a motorist can't open the door and hit me. There are so few cyclists in the US, particularly where I live in Texas, that there's no real awareness of cyclists or even pedestrians, and if they're not conspicuously located and well away from potential contact, they are almost by definition in danger of being hit by someone who likely has no expectation they're near. Even as a motorist, I sometimes catch myself only considering the possibility of cars... this video is a great "public service announcement" and one for all of us to internalize as an added awareness of the growing number of non-motorized road users.
We have the Filipino Close Your Window technique. This technique allows you to avoid getting your stuff stolen by closing windows after doing the Dutch Reach. Hope this helps!
Added bonus point for realising that by using the opposite hand you are pulling the door handle in line with your arm (strong and controlled) instead of levering it with your wrist.
Because we have so many cyclists and are ones ourselves we tend to just look before opening the door. I actually was taught to do this "Dutch reach thing" during driving lessons, but never use it. I always look before opening the door though. Automatically.
I'm Dutch don't use the Dutch reach but are very aware of the danger. Had a near accident while on my bike. I try the Dutch reach next time
I got hit by a car door while cycling ,couldn't stop it was immediate , it was a dutch elderly person who didn't check well, i cried it was so painful, i am dutch as well and i didn't get to learn this either in driving school. I guess its more of a recent thing that they teach this. Its good tho and should be adapted world wide to prevent accidents.
Sorry to hear. For background on the Reach trick in NL see: www.dutchreach.org/reach-method-really-dutch/
As a Dutch person i can confirm they do teach us to leave our car as a normal person, be aware of your surroundings. It's the first time I see this dutch reach though. I never saw anyone i was driving with use as well.
Maar je zakt voor je rij-examen als je niet over je schouder kijkt voor het uitstappen. En als je deze methode gebruikt, doe je dat automatisch.
been doing this my whole life because I am right handed, guess I am saving lives. woo.
@@kurtgodel6075 yeah but how does it save lives, if a cyclist hits your door they arent going to die, they will fall to the ground and cry.
@ 4 people were killed by doorings in NYC over 2018-19. Also in 2019 one death in San Francisco, one in Vancouver BC, one in Toulouse FR in 2020. Germany averages 2 dooring deaths a year. 20% of doorings in Germany reported to need hospital attention or hospitalization. See Dooring Statistics: www.dutchreach.org/dooring-problem-prevalence/
List of found reported deaths: docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1NUFnRpcavvW3ggjM1cvmpfd91BDwXnQ6DpSsVXf31lg/htmlview#gid=1434525243
99% of the world is right handed. But opening the driver's side door is usually done with the left hand.
The very first topic on my first driving lesson in the Netherlands some decades ago. Something I have never forgotten! Becomes second nature!
I do not do the Dutch Reach but I always check my mirror before opening the door.
Could you edit out the first 45 seconds as it's irrelevant.
No sorry I cannot as I did not upload this video
Yes please
Ok
I marked them in SponsorBlock
I'm Dutch.
We get taught to also hold the door with the left hand whilst opening it with the right. This is because of the wind and so as to not make the door just slam open
There is a technique of adjusting the wing mirrors so that you an see the "blind spots" on either side of your car when driving. I think this will also work when exiting a parked vehicle.
How braindead would you be if you don't check your side mirror before you get out of your car?...
Works with rear seats also.
You might be surprised how many people don't. People get killed because of this shit.
happens all the time
You shouldnt only check the mirror. It's important that you also look over your shoulder.
like 99 % of people in america
We learned it in our driver’s education class in Illinois but Illinois is one of the strictest states regarding GDL
I love your state already
In the Netherlands you fail for your drivers license exam when you don’t look over your shoulder before opening the door.
I already learned that during my driving lessons 50 years ago!
You must not be American, coz we didn't learn shit during our driving lessons.
Where was that?
This is called "common sense" in Sweden.
It's common sense here to look over your shoulder and in your mirrors. Most people from The Netherlands probably have never heard of the dutch reach, and it is not taught in drivers ed.
It's taught in drivers ed. Not everywhere, but definitely in a lot of places. In addition, if you'll look online on Dutch drivers ed resources, all I've seen point out to use this same method.
It appears CBR doesn't test for it, but it definitely does test for over-the-shoulder checks: www.cbr.nl/downloadbrochure.pp?id=207
Common sense is not always common practice
You's think it's common sense here in Sweden, however it isn't as common as it should be. There are always the few that don't look before swinging up their door.
@@Partyaap050 They taught me to do that. Don't scheer everything over 1 kam
What a great video ... I personally almost knocked a door off of a car just yesterday of someone that didn't look into oncoming traffic ... idiot!
Yes this happens! See: www.dutchreach.org/doorings-not-just-cyclists/
It used to be you had to pay extra for a Dutch Reach but if this helps get them for free that's awesome.
In Italy this exist since at least the late 70's, when I get my driver's licence.
moro malatesta Then you have learned the Dutch Reach in the 70s. Cool
my right ear loved this video
I'm Dutch, never ever heard about this. Also it's not taught in drivers ed. We do get taught to look over the shoulders or in the mirrors before we get out though. I don't think it's because we got so many cyclists. Seems like common sense though, no matter what country you're in.
je kan in principe zakken door het niet te doen. het moet dus zeker wel voor gedaan worden door de leraar.
Not always so - its been in the ANWB Theorieboek: www.dutchreach.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/08/Uitstappen-Theorieboek-B-ANWB-p42.png
See also: www.dutchreach.org/reach-method-really-dutch/
Perhaps you could find out if it is still taught there now? Reply here if you do!
I'm Dutch don't use the Dutch reach but are very aware of the danger. Had a near accident while on my bike. I try the Dutch reach next time
I am going to have to start trying that for now on.
Using your far hand to unlock the door is indeed the correct way to unlock the door. But the proces here is incomplete. Your close hand should grab the door before you unlock it and hold it closed. This is to make sure that once the other hand unlocks the door and opens it a little bit it does not blow open completely by strong winds outside. With strong winds opening it a little with one hand will blow it open completely which would be devastating for a cyclist in the swing area of the door.
Yes, a relatively fine point and quite true - though it is windier in NL than many other places! Hence windmills. But using the near hand hold also allows rapid retraction of the door if oncoming road user is seen. I've detailed all the benefits of the method (that I know of) here: www.dutchreach.org/dutch-reach-instructions-2/
good one, sharing in my blog on cycling with due credit...
I,am dutch , and never heard about "the dutch reach", i always look in my left rear mirror , to see if it possible to open the door , but i must say , that this is also a good habit to aviod accidents!
The Dutch Rudder is still a far superior technique. So please, I implore you, learn the Dutch Rudder, and help a brother out.
Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk
Reach it like you teach it!
this move is known since at least 50 years in Italy. Any drive instructor teach it. Anyway, dutch...italian...japanese, this is not important. The important thing is that this move can really save cyclists (and even car accidents). It is not true that looking to the left mirror is enought: whatever you will do, there will always been a blind spot
Francesco: Thank you for your reporting about Italy's practice. Might you have some way to document this fact and its history in Italy if at all possible? Is it in the national highway driver's manual or code? I would like to add such info to my Project's website.
In The Netherlands this practice goes back 5 or 6 decades but is semi official only, given they way the Dutch licensing standards are written.
For info on its status in NL see: www.dutchreach.org/reach-method-really-dutch/
Francesco, Thank you for sharing your knowledge. I do the Dutch Reach Project www.dutchreach.org and would be most appreciative if you could document in some way the use and teaching of the far hand method in Italy as far back as you can find. I would then add it to the web site.
I have been able to get archival documentation of use in NL back to 1961 - but not yet from any other country - though I have heard reports of its presence in Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Germany and parts of France & Belgium predating my campaign. See: www.dutchreach.org/reach-method-really-dutch/
As you say, attribution credit is not particularly important but it's been helpful for persuading further adoption and teaching of the technique as urban cycling increases. Thanks! mc
if you needed a video for this please don't get into your car again
Its one way to make money, sharing information on yt
Do you get driverslicense with your happymeal in the US?
hahaha so many people were thinking about the dutch reach around
It seems that the Dutch Reach is also the name given to Dutch car thieves who reach into cars after people leave their car window open...
I had a bike accident in Dam square, Amsterdam because of a tourist opening the taxi door over me. The door left a wound on my leg. Luckily I was slow, otherwise the result could have been much more severe.
Interesting part starts at 0:42
Thanks for teaching us the Dutch reach.
YES, it's very Dutch, but nobody in the Netherlands does this. That's because we are born into a world where we are aware that bicyclists are everywhere and we make sure we know what's around our car and what's approaching.
The Dutch Reach is something that was introduced just a while ago. It wasn't a thing when I got my driver's license (2009).
I heard about it a couple of years ago where some driving schools taught people to use this. The thing is, it's not a mandatory thing during exams and although some hammer it in their brain, people tend to forget it over time. Coming back to my second sentence, when you are born and/or grow up in the Netherlands, you are aware of the bicycle nation and therefore don't open your door without knowing what's going on around you.
Im from the Netherlands.. never heard of it... we just check mirrors like normal ppl do also
dan heb je een slecht instrecteur/examinator gehad of je hebt je rijbewijs niet eens
Of hij heeft een goede instructeur gehad die hem vertelde dat ie z'n spiegels moet checken (wat hij hier ook zegt) in plaats van de deur openen met de onhandige hand. Het maakt niet uit welke hand je gebruikt zolang je maar je ogen gebruikt.
Good Information. Thank you
There is a special device on a door. Mirror. Using it you can see if it's safe to open the door.
You can't pass the car license exam in italy if you do not open the door with the right hand. they've taught me 18 years ago. Wake up guys! In Italy. 18 years ago!!!!
video starts at 0:44
I have never been doored in the netherlands :)
Come to the US if you want that experience.
Also teach people about the Burry Gap in South Africa - it is also a good principle to save cyclists’ lives.
Here after the Dutch reach reached Google Trends
Every fucking driver in Toronto needs to watch this video starting from 0:43.
daarvoor heb je spiegels he
Im Dutch and i aprove this message!
In Italy they teach you this in driving school. The problem is that over the 90% of italians dosen't do it.
I think it's a good idea. I'll try it! :D
"... which will force your upper body to turn around and look for oncoming cyclists"
Last I checked you don't use your upper body to look with.
Furthermore, you don't need to turn your body to reach the handle. It's quite feesable without turning around.
In my case my head is attached to my torso by my neck, so I can more easily do a full over-the-shoulder-check when opening with my far hand. Also, using the near hand pretty much 'freezes' the left shoulder, inhibiting torso rotation.
В Нидерландах велосипедисты процветают: почти у каждого жителя страны
есть этот удобный транспорт. Там, где есть активное движение
велосипедов и машин, возрастает риск аварий. Самый страшный сон
велосипедиста - резко открытая дверь авто на его пути. Это смертельно опасно. Чтобы устранить угрозу, гениальные голландцы додумались до простого, но работающего трюка.
Спасибо за ваш комментарий. Возможно, вы сможете поделиться голландским методом с велосипедистами и органами безопасности дорожного движения в России? Полная информация здесь
www.dutchreach.org/
daar ging weer een min slaaptijd
I dunno why some people are mourning about this thingy here... It saves lives, it avoids insurance claims, problems with the police, guilty feeling for having broken a family after killing (hopefully not) someone... Do not to be "pacifist lethargic Saint" but just look at the amount of pluses!
Y pregunto si el espejo retrovisor del auto está sólo para utilizarlo mientras el vehículo está en movimiento? En vez de dar la vuelta el cuerpo hacia atrás, no es mas fácil mirar el espejo retrovisor para ver si algún ciclista viene hacia ti?
Man, we Dutch are fantastic....if it ain't much, it ain't Dutch.
wtf is a "rear view Meer"
It's what Coulthard would call a murrur
Lol. When we moved to the US from Scotland, my aunt asked me to fetch her a meer.
- What's a meer?
- A meer!
- What does it do?
- It shows you your reflection!
- Oh, a mirror (pronouncing every single letter)!
I never see it in the Netherlands, twice I get an accident on a bike, that s what happened.
Oh that's what it is. I thought it was something more lewd!
"She had flexibility - I had reach" - Garus, Mass Effect
Unfortunately, it's not fully correctly demonstrated/explained.
The idea of the motion is not to reach for the door handle but for the still hanging safety belt buckle - your head automatically swivels in the intended direction when doing so. No one opens a car door like that...
I am Dutch all my life, and driving cars for 40 years; NEVER heard of "the Dutch reach".
See this link for its history in NL - which you well may have understandably missed:
www.dutchreach.org/reach-method-really-dutch/
Guess that's why we have bicycle lanes cause I've never heard of it.
This practice is taught in France. Never heard it has something to do with the Netherlands.
Napoleon stole the idea I think. It started as a cavalry trick to draw your sword
Yea and shift gears with your left hand
We Dutch dont look out of window. We are learned to check mirror, sidemirror, over your shoulder next to you. There is no rule which hand to use. Some instructors say you have to do it like that, but most dont. The examiner only checks if you look properly before opening a door. How do I know? I never heard of it, My kids, 1 already passed driving exam, the other is busiy with it dont have to do it. They are taught to look properly
that, or just use left mirror, like they taught you at the driving lessons.
Skip to 0:44
First half is meaningless...
The origin of this idea came from the famous Dutch cavalry. Prince Maurits drew his sword with his right hand looked back and saw the enemy coming from behind. We won the battle. This learned us the lesson of 360 degree awareness in combat and on the road.
Actual information begins at 0:50 mark.
Maybe there should be a video entitled, "How Having a Brain and Using your Side Mirror Could Save Lives"
0:43 for those who can't be bothered to watch the editors
In the Netherlands they dont have wing mirrors, or what?
this is one of MILLIONS reasons why you should use your side mirror.... -.-'
I can do that with my left hand too
what is the use of left rear mirror???
smart!
Why not use your left and and also just look out the mirror?
I bet someone will publish a version involving A SHARP KATANA....
Here in the USA we're way too selfish to be courteous or safety minded to look out for someone else, let alone one's own safety.
First 40 sec. is waiting, and waiting, ... WAITING 😢.
Could be a clip of 35-40 sec.
How hard is it for both the cyclist and car rider to open their eyes and look out before committing to any action? Am I not understanding because I am Canadian or something?
Actually quite hard. In general the cyclist should not stop for parked cars and there may be traffic behind him/her as well. The cyclist also can't see the driver and anticipate on that, like in other situations.
That being said looking over the left shoulder (after having looked in the mirrors first) in matter of fact qualifies as opening your eyes. Solely relying on the mirrors for multiple reasons, including blind spots, not.
retarded comment,hand your license in if you have one and try cycling in built up areas. then report back!
This is mostly down to the person in the car messing up. However people on bikes should also be watching for obvious signs of danger like somebnody sitting in a car they are about to pass. If they see that they should be on alert to avoid an obstacle. All you ever read is about how the driver needs to watch more but people on bikes need to pay attention more to the little things as well. They have a greater chance of injury.
In Belgium, we do that to, this is bullshrimp
ik doe da ni ze maat
The dutch reach is a good idea. Cyclist can do their part by sometimes choosing to veer into the open car and letting their bikes and bodies collide with the unprotected offensive driver with their full momentum and bicyle. Veering suddenly into traffic to avoid an illegal door opening is more dangerous for bicycle riders. It's probably safer to aim for the driver getting out as a soft cushion for your bike and body. At least they aren't moving or going to run you over. And maybe the car drivers will think more about their own safety than they think about bicyclist safety. Lets face it, a lot of drivers secretly or not so secretly wish everyone on the road besides themselves were dead. They deserve fair and equal consideration in return. Also, in any door caused collision the bicyclist wins the lawsuit since it was always the person's fault for opening the door. The driver of the car is pretty surely going to be paying for both your medical bills, so don't swerve to avoid the car door and driver only to end up being at fault and injured by swerving into traffic.
Isn't it common sense to check if there's nothing coming before you open the door?
The Dutch Reach Around
0:15 "Sounds filthy!"
No kidding! I mean a similar sounding term "reach around" pertains to sex after all!
Cyclists have a responsibility for their own safety as well. A lot of them are biking like they are suicidal ( I live in Amsterdam ).
Yes, cyclists need to be on the lookout at every moment, so that bad drivers don't kill them.
hum dunno about the Netherlands but in Belgium we have the weak-user-system. Basicaly although it's logic that cyclists, pedestrian and motorcyclists respect the Road Code, in case or accident it's always the fault of the bigger vehicle (same goes between a car and a 36T-lorry) unless it can be proven that the weak user is to blame. We also happen to have rules which is basicly that a parked car lose all priorities to others road users.... The big issue is that most of the time cycle lane are drawn closed to the parking-lane without way less than the 1 meter safety distance (which match the opening radius of the door) but the problem is that when there is a cycle lane it's compulsory to use it unless it's unpracticable (like plenty of holes or glass on it)...
I live in the Netherlands, never heard of the dutch reach. It sure isn't taught while getting your drivers licence.
I guess this guy is making it up?
Weird way for sure to open your car door like this, all dutch know that bicycles can pass, so we just look in the mirror before opening :-)
Many older Dutch citizens know of it, still use it - as they also recall a time when NL had the worst road safety record in Europe (Stop de Kindermoord). Here'the Dutch Ambassador to Canada: twitter.com/HallieCBC/status/1121374587122528256
I was TAUGHT to look before opening my door.
Even if you weren’t taught common sense says LOOK.
It's called a shoulder check..
#1 Biker stay out of the door zone! #2 Driver look in that fancy new device attached to the outside of every car, the rear view mirror! You cannot see adequately, what is coming directly behind you if you are trying to see around the B and C pillar. Having the window open and sticking your head out is not going to happen.
0:34 interesting!!
Is that Felicia McCarren in the video?
We always say, 'why can't we be like the dutch and ride bicycles more?' Then we look at the rate of bike accidents in this country. This is the missing piece of the dutch example.
Little statitic 101: acknowledging the fact that there are more bycicle in a country (and a widder use of it) you will have off course morse bike-related accident than in a country where there's a smaller use of bike.... Same apply in a country with a bigger use of cars, you'll end up with a bigger rate of cars accidents....
Adrealine they were saying look at the rate of accidents in the US for bikes, not at the Dutch rate. They are saying in the US we have less bikes on the road but a lot of accidents with them because we do not practice things like in this video. You misinterpreted the entire thing but acted like a bitch with all your ellipses trying to sound like you were pained from typing it and giving them the right info they "should have known". You were not.
..Yeah ! , how about to use the left mirror , it's out there on purpose....
I guess I'm just smart enough to look before opening my door when I'm parked on a street.
Call it the look and open reach.
Doesn’t matter how you do it: Always check before opening your door. If it was up to me they may revoke your drivers license for not doing so. At the other hand, don’t bicycle past car doors within reach of the door (unless you have no other option).
Why can't people just use their mirror or if ur window is down, signal out the window with your arm to let cyclists know you are about to open the door?
IF you are dumb enough to NOT check your mirrors before opening your car door, you're NOT going to be smart enough to open the door with your right instead of your left. It's literally a matter of _do you check your mirrors before opening a door, changing lanes, turning corners, etc_. It's instinctual to check your mirrors before exiting a vehicle because the threat of your door being torn off and/or you being smashed by another MOTOR vehicle is a very real and preventable possibility. You'll find there are WAY more injuries or death from another vehicle than there are from cyclists. My point is that safety procedures (looking before exiting) that are SELF-SERVING are practiced way more often than obscure instances of maybe "dooring" someone. By checking your mirrors, you are greatly reducing the possibility of being struck. The people that DON'T do this have a much shorter life expectancy than the average Joe and trying to change a habit like opening with the right instead of the left will have little to no impact.