“A young woman on a bike killed by a lorry”: that’s the title of an article I saw on my social networks last week. So I simply clicked on it to find out more (I always encourage you to click on articles you see on the platform with the blue logo and an F).
Surprise… the investigation reveals that neither the cyclist nor the lorry driver were at fault (amazing, a catchy headline). However, the lorry driver will carry the burden of this young woman’s death for the rest of his life.
But then… what was the source of the problem in this accident?
From my point of view, the source of the problem is quite simply the design of roads for cyclists and users of electric mobility devices (scooters, gyroroues, etc.). In most French towns and cities, cycle paths are located between car lanes and parking lanes.
Can you see what I’m getting at?
So what was the real cause of this tragic accident?
I know it, you know it, we know it. Sometimes we’re tired, distracted, upset, elsewhere… and we don’t look in our mirrors or in our blind spots (they’re aptly named here). So we park, we answer a phone call, we open the door to get out of the car and there it is: a cyclist narrowly avoids our door…
Can’t you see what I’m getting at?
Let’s go back to the article entitled ‘Young woman on bicycle killed by lorry’. The accident was in fact the result of a combination of three factors (again in my opinion):
1. Cycling facilities unsuitable for cyclists.
2. A door opened without checking the blind spots.
3. A lorry passing at the wrong time.
That’s a lot, isn’t it?
Could this tragedy have been avoided?
➡️ Yes, thanks to a simple technique called the ‘Dutch Grip’.
The “Dutch Handle”
What is Manon?
The ‘Dutch grip’ is a road safety technique that involves opening a vehicle door with the opposite hand (right for the driver’s door, left for the passenger’s). This gesture encourages you to turn your body to check whether a cyclist or other road user is approaching, thereby reducing the risk of an accident. This method is commonly taught in the Netherlands and could become compulsory throughout the European Union, including France. Indeed, the European Union is considering including this practice in the highway code in order to improve the safety of vulnerable road users, such as cyclists and pedestrians’ (thanks ChatGPT).
My conclusion?
This tragic accident highlights the crucial importance of better infrastructure for cyclists and users of soft mobility devices. The current configuration of roads, in particular the creation of cycle lanes between traffic lanes and parking spaces, exposes cyclists to avoidable dangers. The ‘Dutch grip’ technique, which is easy to adopt, could considerably reduce these risks by encouraging motorists to check their blind spot before opening their door. It’s vital that measures like this are included in the Highway Code to prevent further similar tragedies and improve safety for all road users. 🤞
I know this article probably hasn’t brightened your day (and I’m sorry about that), but it may have saved a few lives, don’t you think? So, dear readers, adopt this technique now and become discreet road safety heroes.