Bicyclists face dangerous conditions when attempting to travel through congested urban areas. From distracted drivers and impaired drivers to drivers who simply aren’t paying attention, a cyclist can suffer serious injuries. In severe cases, a collision can prove fatal. In an attempt to shield cyclists from heavy traffic patterns, city officials have designated nearly 30 miles of protected bike lanes in the past several years. Unfortunately, the positioning of much of this dedicated space opens cyclists up to a different hazard – Dooring.

What is dooring?

Urban areas typically demand that bike lanes must run in the space between parallel-parked vehicles and moving traffic lanes. Unfortunately, it is not uncommon for a vehicle occupant to open their door directly into the bike lane without checking for a passing cyclist. Generally, dooring refers to the cyclist crashing into the open car or truck door. The meaning behind the term has recently been expanded to include the times when a bicyclist, attempting to avoid a dooring collision, veers into a traffic lane opening themselves up to even worse injury. Moving to avoid a collision is a natural tendency, and the cyclist often makes the decision in a fraction of a second. Sadly, avoiding one type of harm often opens them up to another.

Is there a way to prevent this?

Many European cities and numerous states have adopted something called “The Dutch Reach Method” into driver training materials. Developed by Dr. Michael Charney, the Dutch Reach is a simple twisting movement that, when used properly, can prevent dooring collisions. Essentially, the maneuver requires the driver or passenger to reach across his or her body with the hand furthest away from the door and pull the lever. This action twists the torso and causes the vehicle occupant to first look at the sideview mirror and then over his or her shoulder to see any cyclists who are in close proximity. This movement expands the field of vision and can alert vehicle occupants to cyclists who might otherwise be unseen at the rear of the car or truck. Cyclists can suffer devastating injuries following any type of vehicle collision. From the initial impact to being driven over, these serious crashes can lead to catastrophic injury or death. In a busy metropolitan area, it is crucial that everyone pay special attention to the safety of all road users.