A Quirky Idea ! The DUTCH-Reach !

As someone who cycles in the summer, I was intrigued over a story from City Hall. St Boniface Councillor Matt Allard, who thinks out of the box , has suggested a way to eliminate collisions with a sudden vehicle door opening. Hurray I say, after this happened to me. I went down in a heap and the shock was considerable. Why couldn’t the driver have checked his mirror before opening the door?

ALLARD is promoting something called the “Dutch Reach”, and he wants M.P.I. to come on board and help popularize the manoeuver. This is where a driver or passenger, uses the opposite hand  from their side to pull the handle in opening the door.  This causes a physical motion which produces a shoulder and side view mirror check before doing so. He says it ensures people in vehicles don’t fling open their doors into the path of oncoming cyclists. Council, by the way, has approved the motion. Until Winnipeg becomes a cycling city , I have my doubts that the idea will catch on. So with that in mind , I’ll wear my helmet and watch for those doors when rolling by.