{"id":7594,"date":"2022-01-31T17:17:18","date_gmt":"2022-01-31T17:17:18","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/?p=7594"},"modified":"2022-01-31T21:31:40","modified_gmt":"2022-01-31T21:31:40","slug":"how-the-dutch-reach-became-mandatory-in-the-uk","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blogs.transparent.com\/dutch\/how-the-dutch-reach-became-mandatory-in-the-uk\/","title":{"rendered":"How The Dutch Reach Became an Official Recommendation in the UK"},"content":{"rendered":"

Since last Saturday, the UK Highway Code explicitly includes a recommendation for the Hollandse Greep <\/em>(Dutch reach)<\/a>. And this can be a live-saving move – if you open your door and hit somebody, you can be fined a \u00a31,000! So what is this Dutch reach, why did it become a recommendation now, and – the usual question in this series on “Dutch”-terms – what makes the Dutch reach Dutch?<\/p>\n

For other terms in this series of \u201cDutch\u201d words,\u00a0check this link<\/a>.<\/strong><\/p>\n

More safety for pedestrians and cyclists<\/strong><\/h1>\n
\"Dutch<\/a>

Photo by Lien Van Win<\/a> on Unsplash<\/a><\/p><\/div>\n

The newly introduced rule is mostly there to protect pedestrians and cyclists. When you park your car and want to open the door, you might be opening onto a walkway or cycling path. If you didn’t check for incoming traffic, opening that door could lead to\u00a0het<\/em> ongeluk\u00a0<\/em>(accident), with potentially fatal consequences.<\/p>\n

One father who spearheaded the recommendation of the Dutch reach in the UK is Jeff Boulton, whose son Sam died after a sudden opening door knocked him into the path of traffic in 2016.<\/p>\n

So how can the Dutch reach achieve more safety?<\/p>\n

Dutch Reaching around<\/strong><\/h1>\n