I didn't know that door handle fact............
It's quite a nice touch.
I am not sure that Rita agrees! It does give me the excuse I need, so I can't do that 'gentlemanly' act of opening the door for her

to deftly allow herself to slip into the passenger seat

....how do they do that in all the old films? (oh yes, suicide doors make all the difference). So I get in first when it's chucking it down with rain to let her in from the 'dry' inside.
