Bike Lanes

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on November 19, 2011 at 9:47am

This is a tricky situation, a double edged sword.  If a cab driver lets passengers out from outside the bike lane, cyclists in the bike lane get doored, as passengers generally are even more clueless about looking behind them than cabbies are*.  If a cab driver pulls up against the curb, blocking the bike lane, cyclists are forced to either stop or merge left and pass the cab on the left, probably a safer alternative for cyclists.  And cyclists still need to pass on the left outside the door zone, as both cab doors may fly open simultaneously, if there are two passengers.  It's one of the biggest problems with the design of the older bike lanes, that are on the left of the parked curbed cars.  The newer (Kinzie Street style) protected lanes fix this.  Hopefully the newer design bike lanes will roll out quickly.  Sorry to hear about your injuries.  

*I have no proof on how often or not taxi passengers carefully open doors on exiting, just my general observation.  They're in a cab because they're late for a meeting, they throw open the door...

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Permalink Reply by dan brown on November 19, 2011 at 10:39am

I agree with Thunder Snow here.

 

Also - I have often wondered how hard it would be to mount a campaign to affix a sticker inside every cab

that says something along the lines of :

"PLEASE look behind and beside the cab before opening door. There may be oncming traffic (bicycles, pedestrians, etc.) coming up behind you and injuries can be very serious".

 

anyone else have thoughts ?

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on November 19, 2011 at 2:52pm

Dan, a sticker may be helpful.  But on the other hand, the last time in a cab, how much of the posted signage did YOU read? 

A stopped taxicab, with riders, is simply something I won't pass unless I can make a safe really WIDE (outside the door zone) left pass in the oncoming lane.  I'd rather stand behind the cab for thirty seconds while a passenger gets out than take a chance. 

I know, when I ride in cabs, I'll often unexpectedly jump out while sitting at a red light, rather than wait for the taxi to go forward 60 feet to drop me at the corner, and I expect others do the same.  If you don't regularly ride a bike, looking for them on either side of a taxi before you get out is kinda like looking for low flying helicopters that may smack you in the head--it's just not in your consciousness.  With more bikes on the road, this will change in time.  I almost wish the cabbies had a door lock switch that only they could open, not the passenger, as I think a cabbie will be more watchful in mirrors than any passenger will be.

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Permalink Reply by DANNILIZ on November 19, 2011 at 10:11pm

As important as making sure to not get doored by people leaving a car/cab my main concern is the cab being in the bike lane when they are not suppose to be. If they weren't in the bike lane I would not have been forced to ride in the 2nd lane. Which then I had to ride back to the bike lane, look behind me to not cut off a fellow cyclist or get hit by a cab pulling away to only get T-boned by a cab pulling out of the service drive. NOW ~ the service drive there has a light and if there wasn't a light and a stop sign instead the driver would be forced to stop, look left (since it is a southbound one way) before pulling out. There is the law in Chicago to ticket any vehicle in the bike lane. Why o why is this not enforced and how can we get the city to start enforcing it? I mean if the city is so hard up for money ~ this happens all day long everywhere in the city. Just frustrated that more isn't done for us cyclist and the bike lanes for safety.

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Permalink Reply by Jeff Markus on November 19, 2011 at 10:44pm

Then the arguement would be the about passengers hopping out without the knowledge of the driver, and the screaming of the neo-conservatives about 'nanny state'.

I insist that bikes need to use the same action as drivers when a bike is forced to stop on the street...if you can't fit 'THEN STOP'.

We are all ultimately responsible for our own safety especially when it comes to our position in the roadway. The truth is we are moving way faster than an object our size is expected to be moving by the half asleep and distracted drivers that share the road with us. And this would not change if we were the only users on the street...it would just change the threat from autos to other bikes. While a metal cage might be bigger a bike driven poorly can hurt just as well.

So if we need to slow down to be able to see the conditions of traffic...maybe that is our education which is just as important as the education of the other road users.

Jeff

The Chicagoan

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on November 19, 2011 at 11:12pm

DANNILIZ.  Yes, cabs come over in to the bike lane.  And if they do not signal, or they cut you off, that's not right.  But as far as dropping and picking up, it is preferable for them to use the bike lane in my opinion.  

This is a part of sharing the road.  But on that note, coming down Milwaukee tonight and a cab was sitting in the bike lane, I was moving at the same speed as traffic.  Yet two in an SUV almost pushed me over after I signaled I was coming over.  They kept yelling "use the bike lane" as we went along the same speed.  They couldn't see the cab blocking my way from way up there??

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on November 19, 2011 at 11:12pm

+1

Jeff Markus said:

Then the arguement would be the about passengers hopping out without the knowledge of the driver, and the screaming of the neo-conservatives about 'nanny state'.

I insist that bikes need to use the same action as drivers when a bike is forced to stop on the street...if you can't fit 'THEN STOP'.

We are all ultimately responsible for our own safety especially when it comes to our position in the roadway. The truth is we are moving way faster than an object our size is expected to be moving by the half asleep and distracted drivers that share the road with us. And this would not change if we were the only users on the street...it would just change the threat from autos to other bikes. While a metal cage might be bigger a bike driven poorly can hurt just as well.

So if we need to slow down to be able to see the conditions of traffic...maybe that is our education which is just as important as the education of the other road users.

Jeff

The Chicagoan

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 20, 2011 at 9:01am

I'd love to see that in every cab.  I was doored once by a cab passenger when the cab stopped in the middle of the street - at a stop sign.

dan brown said:

I agree with Thunder Snow here.

 

Also - I have often wondered how hard it would be to mount a campaign to affix a sticker inside every cab

that says something along the lines of :

"PLEASE look behind and beside the cab before opening door. There may be oncming traffic (bicycles, pedestrians, etc.) coming up behind you and injuries can be very serious".

 

anyone else have thoughts ?

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Permalink Reply by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on November 20, 2011 at 10:01am

There is also a difference between passenger loading and unloading and sitting in the lane waiting for a fare. One is reasonable, they other is not.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on November 20, 2011 at 10:05am

+1

Adam "Cezar" Jenkins said:

There is also a difference between passenger loading and unloading and sitting in the lane waiting for a fare. One is reasonable, they other is not.

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Permalink Reply by Michelle Gregorek on November 20, 2011 at 10:13am

I have lived in the city for 3 years now and have been in a cab once!  What I do remember seeing is a sign on the driver side back window saying not to exit from this door.  Was it just a fluke that the one cab I was in had such a notice?

My wish would be to see signage under street parking signs where the driver is parking along side a bike lane.  Something like this sign.  Oh, and stickers on the pay for parking stations. 

 

Anne Alt said:

I'd love to see that in every cab.  I was doored once by a cab passenger when the cab stopped in the middle of the street - at a stop sign.

dan brown said:

I agree with Thunder Snow here.

 

Also - I have often wondered how hard it would be to mount a campaign to affix a sticker inside every cab

that says something along the lines of :

"PLEASE look behind and beside the cab before opening door. There may be oncming traffic (bicycles, pedestrians, etc.) coming up behind you and injuries can be very serious".

 

anyone else have thoughts ?

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Permalink Reply by D. Will on November 21, 2011 at 1:11am

I thought I'd throw my 2 wheels in:

You might want to go to the Police Station "House' and request to talk to what is called the Watch Commander for the police--ask for the Watch Commander. They are the manager-supervisor's that oversees the police officers on shift. If you get in good with this official or I should say have a good rapport they can direct the officers under their control to focus on that area of 'safety concern'. This could also work for complaints about officers-or commendations for that matter. (this is a retype from me as I misplaced the 1st one).

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