A bicyclist and pedestrian on bicyclists’ peeves about pedestrians

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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on February 9, 2012 at 10:10am

Cute article. My pet peeve are the runners/joggers using the bike lanes on the street as their personal jogging path- especially when the sidewalks are ice-free and practically deserted at times. That, and the roller bladers (which I first didn't believe were still around, until one was blithely skating in the bike lane on Wells one morning during my commute).   I usually pass them while yelling "bike lane, bike lane". They can't hear me, of course, because of the I-Pods in their ears, but it makes me feel better for some reason. 

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Permalink Reply by koala on February 9, 2012 at 11:39am

For a while there, "squirrel-destrian" was my pet name for pedestrians that abruptly changed direction and into my path without looking.  Now I think that it is unfair to the squirrels.  The squirrels may act, well, squirrely, but at least they demonstrate some awareness of the their surroundings and instinct for self preservation.

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Permalink Reply by Rich S on February 9, 2012 at 10:21pm

I gotta say the pedestrians that walk on the east side of Wells just north of Division where there's construction are nuts. Especially when walking with your back to traffic like the gents below. All it would take is one person texting while driving or distracted in some other way for a real bad accident. 

Then again we ride in that same bike lane with our backs to traffic ...

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Permalink Reply by Adam "Cezar" Jenkins on February 10, 2012 at 9:48am

I see no problem with roller bladers

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Permalink Reply by Naomi Ruth Jackson on February 10, 2012 at 12:34pm

The worst time is right after school lets out around 2:30 or 3:00pm. High school children are loitering every where, streets, sidewalks and trails and they do not want to move. Then as soon as you pass by they shout some smart-ass remark at you for politely saying "On your left" 

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 10, 2012 at 2:28pm

"squirrel-destrian" was my pet name for pedestrians that abruptly changed direction and into my path without looking.  Now I think that it is unfair to the squirrels.  The squirrels may act, well, squirrely, but at least they demonstrate some awareness of the their surroundings and instinct for self preservation.

Good one.  ;)  Yesterday I encountered plenty of the street variety of "squirrel-destrian" in the Loop, Streeterville and River North - morons darting out against the light right in front of me, when I was running out of green light time to get across the intersection.  It did not make my day.

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Permalink Reply by wig [ isaac ] on February 10, 2012 at 4:57pm

I could go on for days on this topic.... good read thanks

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on February 10, 2012 at 6:35pm

But these pedestrians don't have mirrors to see what's coming.

Rich S said:

I gotta say the pedestrians that walk on the east side of Wells just north of Division where there's construction are nuts. Especially when walking with your back to traffic like the gents below. All it would take is one person texting while driving or distracted in some other way for a real bad accident. 

Then again we ride in that same bike lane with our backs to traffic ...

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