News Archive: July – December 2017

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Chronicle Live, UK

8 things that SHOULD be on the driving test but aren't

Essentials that new motorists aren't taught

4. The Dutch reach
Here’s a serious suggestion - every single motorist should be taught a technique to keep cyclists safe known as ‘the Dutch reach’...

By Sean Seddon  9 OCT 2017   (Article with video)

Toronto Cyclists vs Dooring: 2005 to Present...

 

TO City Councillor Gets It

Toronto, ON, Ca: BlogTO

CityNews - Toronto

Cyclists push for a motion to reduce 'dooring' collisions

by Faiza Amin  Nov 25, 2017 - Article, video.

Dooring Motion before TO Public Works Committee

PW25.13 Motion to Reduce the Number of “Doorings” in Toronto submitted by Toronto Board of Health for Public Works Committee hearing 29 Nov. 2017.

Click image for motion PW25.13 to be heard 29 Nov. 2017.

Toronto Sun - Opinion

BRAUN: Cyclists and drivers need to step up their game

In Holland "people practise what’s called ‘the Dutch Reach’ when opening their car doors."
by Liz Braun   Nov 19, 2017

British Columbia promotes Dutch Reach

British Columbia's Transporation Minitry and ICBC, the provinces' Royal Crown corporation which provides road, car, auto, vehicle liability & accident insurance for all BC road users also now promotes the Dutch Reach far hand anti dooring method to protect cyclists from door danger.

Insurance Corporation of British Columbia Advises Far Hand 'Trick'

“Open with your hand farthest from the door. It makes you twist a little in order to reach the door and remind you to do a shoulder check before proceeding.” - ICBC / Cycling Canada.

See ICBC's Cycling Safety webpage accompanying ICBC video at right.

ICBC Safety Video

d Logo for DDOT Washington DC

DDOT Launches #DCReach

On Oct 27, 2017, District of Columbia DDOT announced #DCReach  a November-long anti- car dooring campaign to promote the Dutch Reach. High crash incident streets will be targeted for intensive retraining of motorists when parking. Social media outreach will be emphasized using hashtag #DCReach.

Washington DC Govermment Logo

Vision Zero District of Columbia, Washington D.C. Dutch Reach graphic: Reach with the Right to Save a Life, with illustration of a child looking back swiveled, over his shoulder to view on-coming cyclist before opening car door, thus avoiding injury to the cyclist or himself or herself.

Dutch far hand reach anti dooring method video produced by Stylist Magazine for facebook. Video is montage with captions in English expalining the technique to avoid dooring cyclists or stepping out into on-coming traffic by use of the hand opposite the door to exit the vehicle.

Click image for Stylist Magazines's facebook video.

SOUTH AUSTRALIA STATE GOV'T ADOPTS DUTCH REACH

To view the SA's official Dutch Reach advisory, click here & scroll down. Click image below for video & article.

South Australia's government adots Dutch Reach in anti dooring cardooring campaign, October 2017.

Minister of Road Safety of South Australia Chris Picton demonstrates the Dutch Reach. Click image for article & video.

 The new technique that could stop cyclists colliding with car doors

By Tom Angley • Reporter, 9News.com.au, Oct 19, 2017

SIGN 'DUTCH REACH' !

Caution Reach Man on yellow

Dutch Reach Parking Alert sign 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. Design by New York Bicycling Coalition & Dutch Reach Project.

MA 'Moving Together'

At Moving Together 2017 held in Boston, Massachusetts' Registrar of Motor Vehicles described new bicycle safety measures introduced by MassDOT. The Dutch Reach was featured. More here.

PSDP Share the Road Topics & Link to Manual

List of topics covered in the Share the Road section of the Parent's Supervised Driving Program for teaching teen drivers and permit holders how to operate motor vehicles safety under Massachusetts' state law, and how to share the road with bicycles, pedestrians and other vehicles. The Dutch Reach for safe exiting of vehicles to avoid doorings of bicyclists, door damage and possible collision with exiting occupants is now included in the guide for parents instructing their teenagers with learners permits.

Click on image to enlarge. Click here to view &/download complete MA PSDP guide. See pages 40 & 41 for for the "Share the Road" section which now includes the Dutch Reach.

Toronto City Council to consider Riide Share Dooring Motion.

CHARM'd DUTCH REACH REMINDER

Tweet composite graphic of home-made Dutch Reach reminders using plastic bicycle charm or text tags describing the Dutch Reach far or opposite hand method for safer opening of car doors to exit as it forces you to look out & back for cyclists.

Do It Yourself Dutch Reach Charm & Tag Reminder - Click to enlarge. More practice aids here.

NYBC DUTCH REACH SIGN ICON

Dutch Reach Universal Sign, Figure swivels for right over-the-shoulder check for on-coming cyclists or other vehicles to avoid dooring crashes. Silhouetted iconic human figure in solid black on white background, seated but swiveled to right with right far (left) hand extended to 'door latch', head turned back over left shoulder with arrow line of sight backwards looking, scanning, for on-coming bicyclists, cyclists, vulnerable users or other traffic or vehicles which might otherwise be doored if occupant opened car door heedlessly. Doorings can result in serious, even fatal injuries to exiting drivers or passengers as well as more commonly to cyclists. The Dutch Reach method shown in the image prevents careless exiting of vehicles. This graphic symbol is intented for traffic signs, parking signs, warning to prevent and avoid doorings by exiting occupants in or adjacent to traffic or travel lanes.

Dutch Reach Universal Sign, Figure swivels for right over-the-shoulder check for on-coming cyclists or other vehicles to avoid dooring crashes. Click image to enlarge.  US driver version & more information on NYBC Dutch Reach graphics click link here.

SIGN IT! DUTCH REACH SIGNAGE BY NEW YORK BICYCLING COALITION

New York Bicycling Coalition designed a semi transparent window decal for cars, trucks, taxis, ride share vehicles to educate and prompt drivers & passengers to use the far hand Dutch Reach method or maneuver to prevent dooring crashes with bicyclists or other on-coming traffic when they exit parallel to travel lanes & bike lanes. A box of text explaining the maneuver accompanies this image of a human figure reaching for the door latch, & pivoting to look over shoulder look back & scan for cyclists. An adjacent image shows an bicyclist approaching & now can be seen by the driver or passenger.

NYBC window decal shows Dutch Reach safe exit habit for drivers & passengers. Accompanying text describes far hand method & advantages. Click image to enlarge.

DECAL'S REACH INSTRUCTIONS

Text accompanies decal, explaining the Dutch Reach method. Click image to enlarge.

road.cc - Oxford, UK

Could stickers in taxis reduce the number of car doorings?

Cities battle with the problem of cyclists struck by carelessly opened doors
Simon Hunt, chairman of Oxford cyclists' campaign group Cyclox, also said driving students should be taught about the 'Dutch reach' method...

by Sarah Barth   Oct 8, 2017

Kansas City & BikeWalk KC: pro-'Dutch Reach'

Bicyclists advocate for change in mindset as KC adds bike lanes

The city and BikeWalkKC both suggest drivers practice the “Dutch reach” before exiting parked cars.

Charlie Keegan   Sep 22, 2017

Hanover, VT, USA - Noted

Hanover Considers Bike Safety After Cyclist Strikes, Kills Woman

"... Trembly recommended that motorists adopt the so-called “Dutch reach” — a way for drivers to avoid dooring cyclists when getting out of their cars."

By Rob Wolfe, Valley News Staff Writer
October 28, 2017

A text dominated graphic advertises the Governors' Highway Safety Associations' State Farm funded study of national crash data and safety research regarding bicycle fatalities due to vehicular collisions with bicycles. Titled A Right to the Road, Understanding and Addressing Bicyclist Safety the study includes promotion of the Dutch far hand technique for safe opening of car doors by drivers & passengers.

GHSA's major new study, A Right to the Road.  It endorses the Dutch Reach to prevent doorings.

U.S. GOVERNORS' HIGHWAY SAFETY STUDY ENDORSES 'DUTCH REACH'

August 24, 2017

A Right to the Road: Understanding & Addressing Bicyclist Safety, is a comprehensive assessment of the major issues confronting bicyclists on the nations roads.  

This 75 page study analyzes national bike/car fatal crash data and describes 30 action steps to help State Highway Safety Offices (SHSOs) and local communities assess and improve bicyclist safety.

The Dutch Reach is shown in a highlighted and illustrated on page 58 as part of  a section entitled "Educating Motorists & Bicyclists".  It contains a link to Outside Online's now viral video The Dutch Reach - Safe For Work. [Note: The complete version of this video with its popular teaser may be viewed here.]

Read the GHSA Press Release.  View recorded webinar briefing (8/29/2017) & slides. Download the full study (pdf).

GHSA's study presents the Dutch Reach as a motorist education tip to prevent heedless doorings. (p. 38 of report).

Dutch Reach driver education tip (GHSA study (p. 58). Click to enlarge.

BBC NEWS Quiz: The "Dutch Reach"???

7 days 7 questions News quiz: Who, what or where is the 'Dutch reach'? 15 September 2017 It's the weekly news quiz - have you been paying attention to what's been going on in the world over the past seven days? The "Dutch reach" was in the news this week. But what's it linked to?

Dutch Reach as question posed in BBC News Magazine's weekly quiz, 15 Sept 2017.

[안전사회 캠페인] 더치리치, 함께 해요! - SamsungfireTalk


"Dutch Richie:  I'm with you! " -  You Tube
Safety Social Campaign by SamsungfireTalk
Click here for associated full article.Sept 2017.

Ride Illinois & Chicago DOT back Dutch Reach

Ride Illinois & Chicago DOT seek updates to Illinois Road Rules & Driver's Manual to teach road sharing safety practices to Illinois drivers & passengers. The Dutch Far hand method for avoding dooring of bicyclists is included. Graphic & text promote use of the far hand showing a driver using right hand to reach to door latch, swiveling left to look over shoulder for on-coming traffic before opening car door.

Click diagram for story.  27 Sept 2017

Illinois HB 5143: Fact Sheet (b)

Fact sheet on Bill 5143, Ride Illinois & Chicago DOT proposed Bicycle safety with Dutch Reach method taught in Illinois state Driver's Manual licensing exam to prevent dooring accidents, injury, death to cyclists. top
Click image to enlarge.

Illinois HB 5143: Fact Sheet (b)

Why the Bill is needed. What it does. Fact sheet on House Bill 5143, Ride Illinois & Chicago DOT proposed Bicycle safety with Dutch Reach method taught in Illinois state Driver's Manual licensing exam to prevent dooring accidents, injury, death to cyclists. bottom

Click image to enlarge.

THE GUARDIAN - 11 September 2017

Encourage 'Dutch reach' to stop cyclists' car-door deaths, says charity

Photo from The Guardian article 11 Sept. 2017 on anti dooring campaign promoting the Dutch Reach by a charity founded by parents of Sam Boulton of Leicester who died when a carelessly opened car door caused fatal collision.

Cycling UK is seeking greater awareness about the dangers car doors can pose to cyclists. Photograph: Hym/Imagebroker/Rex/Shutterstock

Cycling UK says Netherlands’ method for opening car doors with the far hand makes drivers and passengers look behind them.

RoSPA - BBC NEWS - EUROPE - 11 September, 2017

Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents UK
Video:

Young woman walks her bicycle beside a parked car, tells how she was doored, injured - follows video re-enactment of her crash / accident hitting carelessly opened car door. This sets up the short educational video How to do the Dutch Reach by the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents UK.

Click image for RoSPA Dutch Reach video presented by BBC News.

How to do the 'Dutch reach'

And how it could save someone's life.

http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-europe-41201002/how-to-do-the-dutch-reach

Cycling UK Calls for Dutch Reach in Drivers Manual

Nyack News & Views, NY, USA

Nyack Sketch Log: Survive the Road by Sharing

What You Can Do To Cycling Safer

“Doing the Dutch Reach:” One of the reasons the safe bicyclists might take the lane is “Fear of Dooring.” A frequent cause of cycling collisions on streets with parked cars are driver side doors which are thrown open without checking to see if there is anyone already in the adjacent lane. You can help by opening your driver’s side car door with a “Dutch Reach:” using your right hand instead of your left hand. That elegant maneuver will force you to look behind your car to see if there is anyone approaching in the lane.

by Bill Batson   Sept 5, 2017

EPIC! Hang in, hang on!