WBEZ's Afternoon Shift Discusses the Biker/Driver Division in "Pet Peeves"

If you aren't listening right now (27 July, 2-3 pm) or didn't hear it, check out the Pod Cast here! Am I the only one or has this whole "War on Cars/War on Bikes" appeared out of nowhere? Seems like it's a rehash of the usual arguments by the usual characters.

Share the Road:  Rahm Emanuel has said that he wants to make the Windy City “the bike-friendliest city in the country.” We may be getting closer to that goal; earlier this year, Bicycling Magazine rated Chicago the fifth most bike-friendly city in the nation. Still, anyone who has braved the streets in a car or a bike knows that sharing them is often easier said than done.  We ask drivers and cyclists to weigh in with their experiences of co-existing on the roadways. Plus, Chicago Department of Transportation Bike Safety and Education Manager Charlie Short will be on-hand to clear up any discrepancies on cycling rules.

Is it the slow summer news cycle? Is The Afternoon Shift trying to establish its hip creds?  What's up?

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Permalink Reply by globalguy on July 27, 2012 at 8:22am

And don't miss the program's blog comments here!

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 27, 2012 at 8:24am

It seems like for at least a year or two various local news places have run some kind of bike troll piece, seemingly to drum up controversy and get clicks.

Permalink Reply by globalguy on July 27, 2012 at 8:28am

It's also fascinating that the show has only one outside guest, Chicago Department of Transportation Bike Safety and Education Manager Charlie Short, and the other two panelists are WBEZ employees. Seems like The Afternoon Shift has cheaped out on its in-depth, hard-hitting research ...

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 27, 2012 at 8:32am

what in the world, they're saying bicycles shouldn't pass cars on the right? Whaaaat

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 27, 2012 at 8:42am

Charlie City Bike Policy Representative is saying a lot of weird things which don't seem to indicate a great deal of actual experience in getting around town.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on July 27, 2012 at 8:48am

In general, that's good advice. Bicycles are part of traffic.  Partricipants in traffic should try to pass on the left.  There are times when this cannot happen but is is the better option in most cases.
 
Peenworm Grubologist said:

what in the world, they're saying bicycles shouldn't pass cars on the right? Whaaaat

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 27, 2012 at 9:07am

I'm not seeing the benefits to weaving back and forth across the lane as opposed to staying in a predictable straight line. It *seems* like the thing to say if you're going on the mantra of Bikes And Cars Obey All Of The Same Rules but the differences between bikes and cars are fairly significant and this is one difference that's pretty conspicuous.

Plus like Clint points out - there's this lane, for bikes, on the right. Passing cars is gonna happen a lot, because during periods of high traffic we're not the slower vehicle.

David Barish said:

In general, that's good advice. Bicycles are part of traffic.  Partricipants in traffic should try to pass on the left.  There are times when this cannot happen but is is the better option in most cases. 

Permalink Reply by David Barish on July 27, 2012 at 9:08am

The bike lanes are on the right because in general the cars are faster.  This is not an iron clad rule.  On Lincoln just south of Irving Park the cars usually line up as vehicular traffic stalls and bikes usually pass on the right as they can keep moving. However, in general if a vehcicle is slowing or stopping its best to move around them on the left after ascertaining that its safe to do so. The same goes for bikes. We want to be passed on the left. Neither drivers nor riders expect to be passed on the right and are more likely to misinterpret or make a mistake. Is it a sin to pass on the right? No. But overall its a better idea to do most of your passes on the left of whatever you are passing.

Permalink Reply by globalguy on July 27, 2012 at 9:12am

I don't know where I saw this but there are some municipalities overseas that have the dedicated bike lanes running to the left of the car traffic moving in the same direction, essentially putting bikes in between oncoming and going traffic.  I like this because it seems to better facilitates bikes making left and right turns onto other streets.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 27, 2012 at 9:19am

I'm sorry but this is bananas absurd. On many streets this means jutting around the cars to come into the incoming lane, or at least ride the double yellow, where no one expects a bike to be. Passing cars is pretty common in the city, particularly when there's any amount of traffic, because the cars are backed up in ways bikes aren't. Following this as a "general guideline" would be absurd.

David Barish said:

The bike lanes are on the right because in general the cars are faster.  This is not an iron clad rule.  On Lincoln just south of Irving Park the cars usually line up as vehicular traffic stalls and bikes usually pass on the right as they can keep moving. However, in general if a vehcicle is slowing or stopping its best to move around them on the left after ascertaining that its safe to do so. The same goes for bikes. We want to be passed on the left. Neither drivers nor riders expect to be passed on the right and are more likely to misinterpret or make a mistake. Is it a sin to pass on the right? No. But overall its a better idea to do most of your passes on the left of whatever you are passing.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 27, 2012 at 9:23am

Certainly it would facilitate left turns, but right turns? Really?

da' Square Wheelman (aka garth) said:

I don't know where I saw this but there are some municipalities overseas that have the dedicated bike lanes running to the left of the car traffic moving in the same direction, essentially putting bikes in between oncoming and going traffic.  I like this because it seems to better facilitates bikes making left and right turns onto other streets.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on July 27, 2012 at 9:28am

Yeah, everything that just got said here...

Peenworm Grubologist said:

I'm sorry but this is bananas absurd. On many streets this means jutting around the cars to come into the incoming lane, or at least ride the double yellow, where no one expects a bike to be. Passing cars is pretty common in the city, particularly when there's any amount of traffic, because the cars are backed up in ways bikes aren't. Following this as a "general guideline" would be absurd.

David Barish said:

The bike lanes are on the right because in general the cars are faster.  This is not an iron clad rule.  On Lincoln just south of Irving Park the cars usually line up as vehicular traffic stalls and bikes usually pass on the right as they can keep moving. However, in general if a vehcicle is slowing or stopping its best to move around them on the left after ascertaining that its safe to do so. The same goes for bikes. We want to be passed on the left. Neither drivers nor riders expect to be passed on the right and are more likely to misinterpret or make a mistake. Is it a sin to pass on the right? No. But overall its a better idea to do most of your passes on the left of whatever you are passing.

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