Ambassador demonstrates the 'Dutch reach'

You've parked your car at the curb and you're about to exit.Which hand do you use to open the door?

The vast majority of drivers here would say the left hand the one closest to the door. But in the Netherlands, where cycling is very common, many use their right.

Why?

To avoid opening their door into the path ofpassing cyclists, of course. By twisting their body to reach the door handle, they'repractically forced to look at the side mirror, and the door's swing is limited by their right arm's shorter reach.

Here'sKingdom of the NetherlandsAmbassador Henk van der Zwanwith a demonstration:

"As youare making this movement, your body makes a half turn, and this will enable you to watch behind if there's someone coming there, a cyclist or something. So that is the safest way of doing it,"van der Zwan explains.

"Absolutely, it's counter-intuitive. But thenyou have to realize that you're not the only road user. Cyclists, by nature, because they're not surrounded by some metal frame are more vulnerable."

In North America, it's called the "Dutch reach," but in the Netherlands, they don't even need a name for itit's that common.

"It's in our DNA kids grow up with it," van der Zwan said.

"I think here in Canada, you have a distinction between car drivers and cyclists. In Holland, it's all the same."

So. How do you feel about the Dutch reach? Will you useit? Why or why not? Let us know in the comments below.