Cyclist's family urges 'Dutch reach' after crash

The family of a cyclist killed when he rode into an open car door is urging drivers to adopt the so-called Dutch reach, to prevent further tragedies.

Martin Walczak, 65 and from Tenterden in Kent, died four days after the crash in nearby Rolvenden on 24 March.

The Dutch reach sees drivers using their opposite hand to open car doors, giving them extra time to see approaching cyclists.

Plans to introduce it to the Highway Code were announced in 2022.

Kent Police said the car had been stationary and investigations into the incident were ongoing.

Invented in the Netherlands, the Dutch reach is now common across Europe.

Jonathan Walczak, Mr Walczak's son, said: "We have to safeguard one another, that's what we should be reflecting on, how can we best look after one another on the road.

"The Dutch reach makes you prioritise your opposing hand, so the natural action is to turn one's shoulders.

"Your periphery vision then opens up to the blind spot."

Jonathan said it was hard to accept his father had gone.

"We half expect him to pop his head round the corner and tell us he's been out on holiday," he said.

"The most important thing is that we value the 65 years that he did get to spend on this earth, and he valued every single one of those years."

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