Riding along on a bicycle can be an absolute pleasure, and it is one that many folk enjoy. Yet, all too often, a cyclist’s joy is curtailed when their life is drastically altered or ended due to a careless driver.
One of the ways this frequently happens is known as dooring. It means when the driver, or one of their passengers, opens their door without checking that it is safe to do so, and they open it into the path of an oncoming cyclist. If the cyclist is lucky, they may stop in time. If not, they may ride into the door and land badly or fall into the path of another vehicle.
One simple trick
The thing is, there is no need for dooring accidents to ever happen. All it takes is a little care by those inside vehicles before stepping out. One tip that can really help and is now being taught by many driving schools is to open the door with the other hand.
Most people naturally open the door with the hand closest to that door. This allows them to exit the vehicle while still facing forward. If instead, they open it with the hand furthest from the door, they are forced to turn around, which gives them a far better chance of noticing an approaching cyclist. Of course, they could still miss them if they are not paying attention, but the chances of missing them are less.
This method is known as the Dutch Reach. It costs a driver or passenger nothing and could potentially save a cyclist’s life. If someone doors you, it stands to reason that they were negligent and therefore owe you compensation for your injuries and more.