• CAR-DOORING is clearly a great risk to cyclists and is always entirely the fault of the driver (or passenger) but the so-called “Dutch reach” is not a universal solution and it is right that the new Highway Code does not make it compulsory.

I have experimented using it in own car and looking behind while opening the door with my left hand gives me a clear close-up of my seat belt and door pillars, and a very narrow, partial, view of the road.

A look in my wing mirror, however, with an additional look in my rear view mirror, gives a full picture of the road behind and outside my car.

I drive a hatchback and it is clear many other cars will present the same limited view using the Dutch reach.

JOHN BRYER
Great Percy Street, WC1