Dutch reach? Yeah, nah, she'll be right, mate

Thursday, 18 January 2018

There are calls for Kiwis to adopt a safer way of opening their car doors.

OPINION: Getting New Zealand drivers to have to check and change their driving habits to achieve the 'Dutch reach' simply won't work.

That's because the vast majority of drivers don't believe they are bad drivers - it's others who are causing the problem.

It's an attitude that won't change any time soon - no matter how frustrating that may be.

It seems simple to do, but the Dutch way of checking for cyclists would cause many drivers to have to radically change their mindset.

Yesterday's call for the introduction of the method from abroad demands that firstly Kiwi drivers become contortionists and secondly, that they shift decades of ingrained behaviour.

**READ MORE

Most of us seem to inhabit a world of selfishness the moment we get in our cars.

* Calls for introduction of Dutch reach method

* [NZ's horror road toll will continue

*](https://www.stuff.co.nz/the-press/news/100293316/new-zealands-horror-road-toll-will-continue-unless-drivers-change--aa) Associate Transport Minister promises greater road safety focus

* AA calls for upgrade of country's most dangerous roads

* New Zealand's road toll worst in years**

Demanding that they fight their natural instinct to use their right arm to open the car door and use the left while simultaneously looking over their shoulder to see if any cyclists are coming perhaps asks more of those on the road than is humanly possible.

It's not that many motorists don't have the basic awareness and wherewithal to be considerate (though one can already see a myriad of commenters vehemently disagreeing), it's just that most of us seem to inhabit a world of selfishness the moment we get in our cars.

Believing ourselves to be completely invulnerable from the world around us, encased as we are in our metal boxes on four wheels, there are already many examples of how ignorant we are on our roads.

From our appalling road toll over summer (which is mirrored it appears by our Aussie neighbours) to our frankly insane attitude to being out on the roads when it rains, we've spectacularly demonstrated that we're unable to grasp the concept of others on the roads and their needs, let alone new ideas.

My grandfather used to tell me when I was younger and out driving with him, that courtesy costs nothing and patience made the difference when you were on the road.

It's an attitude that stuck with me throughout my formative years and one which has become ingrained in my driving, no matter what the conditions are and no matter if I'm running late to my destination.

Though the more I went out with him and drove him around, the more he lamented the loss of what he termed the 'knights of the road' who would give way, would allow you to pull in front if it was safe or even allow you the courtesy of merging like a zip rather than trying to ram you from behind.

So asking drivers to change ingrained habits and twist their bodies to open a door differently, no matter if it's taught at driving school from an early age, simply won't work.

The fear is that people will do what's necessary to pass their test and the moment they have the tick to drive, they'll forget and decide it's no longer my responsibility.

Until we improve our overall driving etiquette and start to have a mindset of being considerate on the roads or being open to new ideas, there's no hope in hell that New Zealand's driving habits will even begin to change - no matter if the ideas appear good or could save lives.

What do you think? Do you believe NZers will adopt the method or are our bad driving habits something we have to accept? Tell us in the comments below!

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