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Mary Schmich Tribune Column 10/7/12 - Is biking less safe, or does it just seem so?

www.chicagotribune.com/news/columnists/ct-met-schmich-1007-20121007...

chicagotribune.com

Is biking less safe, or does it just seem so?

Death of a bicyclist on Chicago street reinforces fears

Mary Schmich

October 7, 2012

I rarely rode my bike around Chicago this summer, which was different from all the summers before. I can't pinpoint exactly why, except to say that cycling on the city streets, which I once did as breezily as Mary Poppins, feels more dangerous than it used to.

Even with more bike lanes and more bicyclists and the mayor's vow to make Chicago a more bike-friendly city, I've never felt less safe behind the handlebars.

My apprehension may not be entirely rational, and it may have more to do with my own reflexes than with the chaos of the city's roads, but the fear is reinforced every time another cyclist dies while biking.

It happened again Friday morning, on North Wells Street on the Near North Side.

Neill Townsend, a 32-year-old attorney, was cycling to work when the door of a parked car swung open in front of him. Swerving to avoid it, he wound up in the path of a semitrailer.

"Haunted by this," a friend, an ardent city cyclist, posted on Facebook, "and all the other cyclists killed."

People die in car accidents every day, and yet the death of a bicyclist, a much rarer occurrence, tends to feel more haunting than the death of a motorist. It's certainly more newsworthy.

Townsend's death was the lead story on the websites of the Chicago Tribune and the Chicago Sun-Times for most of the day Friday. It was widely reported on TV and talked about on Facebook.

There are several reasons that the deaths of cyclists make bigger news than the deaths of drivers.

For one thing, there is a community of cyclists, and a cyclist's death in the city reverberates widely.

For another, cyclists tend to be young, and an early death always feels especially notable, regrettable, avoidable.

There's the fact, too, that it's so easy to recognize a cyclist as a person. A bicyclist is a lone human being, exposed to the elements, undefended except maybe by a helmet, no match for the metal machines that dominate the road.

The freakishness of that mismatch — the big, hard machine vs. the small, soft body — is part of what draws our attention and turns cycling accidents into bigger news than car accidents.

But the main reason that cyclists' deaths make as much news as they do, I think, is that every time a cyclist dies, a larger fight is engaged.

Even before Neill Townsend's name was known, with the facts still sketchy, his accident incited the usual blame battle:

Cyclists vs. drivers. Who's worse?

When a cyclist dies, we quickly leap to a team. Defend the virtue of our team. Decry the lunacy of the other.

Many of us, of course, belong to both teams. We drive and we bike. We're both victims and perpetrators.

Admit it, driver: No matter how disciplined you try to be about checking your driver's mirror before you open your car door into a bike path, you've blown it more than once.

Admit it, cyclist: No matter how rude drivers are to you, you've done your share of illegal, dangerous maneuvers.

Is Chicago more dangerous for cyclists than it used to be? Some people would say it's gotten better.

But there are enough bad roads, bad traffic signals, bad cyclists, bad drivers, along with good cyclists and good drivers who sometimes behave badly, that it's still too dangerous, more dangerous than it has to be.

We face that fact each time a cyclist dies. And each time, we see the shadows of the deaths to come.

mschmich@tribune.com

Copyright © 2012, Chicago Tribune

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on October 7, 2012 at 3:36pm

Until very recently, and that 100% due to a vociferous and connected community of cyclists, a cyclist's death was very much =not= newsworthy in this city.  I'll give her one point but subtract two here.

 

There are several reasons that the deaths of cyclists make bigger news than the deaths of drivers.

For one thing, there is a community of cyclists, and a cyclist's death in the city reverberates widely.

For another, cyclists tend to be young, and an early death always feels especially notable, regrettable, avoidable.

There's the fact, too, that it's so easy to recognize a cyclist as a person. A bicyclist is a lone human being, exposed to the elements, undefended except maybe by a helmet, no match for the metal machines that dominate the road.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on October 7, 2012 at 3:43pm

Magic hats don't do much at all against being squished by cars -a candle in the wind...

Permalink Reply by Albany Park Al on October 7, 2012 at 4:21pm

clp, congratulations for the near-record amount of self-righteousness you packed into that one brief post.  You should turn pro.

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on October 7, 2012 at 6:21pm

It's funny how the guy who is the most vocal about freedom from the tyranny of helmets is the guy I've always imagined wearing a magic hat made of tinfoil.  

James BlackHeron said:

Magic hats don't do much at all against being squished by cars -a candle in the wind...

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on October 7, 2012 at 8:04pm

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on October 7, 2012 at 8:23pm

I could never pass up a hug.  

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on October 7, 2012 at 8:31pm

Heaven knows this crowd has its share of porcupines! :-)

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on October 7, 2012 at 8:57pm

"I desire only this in my decrepitude, 
That I will have one more opportunity 
To serve as a gauze to my fellow man 
And that in that state of gauze can somehow disturb 
The world less often with my prickly fingers."

Permalink Reply by David Barish on October 8, 2012 at 1:14pm

I think Mary hit the nerve of the more casual cyclist. There is a certain amount of claustrophobia with urban riding.  One can feel closed in and it can be scary. Most of us on this forum are used to it.  As a more casual rider she is a bit more paranoid about riding after Neill's death. This is an understandable reaction. My wife, a more casual rider, was struck by Mary's essay when she read it yesterday. I, a less casual rider, did not see anything particularly new but felt her sincerity.  I agree with Cameron that this has touched a nerve in our city. That's a good thing.  Neill did not die in vain. We are talking about safety, doorings, the relationship between bikes and cars, the fear that many have of riding city streets.  I know that does nothing for those who loved him, but at least its something.

Mary, come ride with me.  We will take city streets and help you grow comfortable with the risks and  responsibilities as well as the joys of city riding.  We will look ahead for pitfalls or other evil lurking on the lanes. We will see the eyes of drivers in the mirrors of their parked cars.  We will feel the flow of the city as we traverse its streets. Then we will stop for a cup or coffee or a glass of beer and talk about it.  There is danger in everything we do, from walking out the front door, to boarding an airplane to commuting in Chicago.  We can have our eyes open to those risks while our hearts are not overwhelmed by them...even after the horrible events of last Friday's morning rush.

Permalink Reply by paulcycles on October 8, 2012 at 1:26pm

Well said.

I've, plus MANY of my generation (WE 'boomers') RODE the mean streets of Greater Chicago back in the day,,,  My day has been since 1965 on!

Traffic was meaner, way meaner there.  I've ridden the Clark St corridor since a was a Junior @Lindblom Tech High School. I frequented Clark St. as a MAIN route from the Northside/Evanston to Archer & Kedzie, esp. were this accident happened. 

I was doored, (or near missed the dooring) WAY more frequenty since the BIKE LANE stripping.  Traffic from loud trucks like the unfortunate driver COULD have SLOWED.  He ride high from a PERCH.  25-35 mph is the standard on that stretch.

The CYCLIST swerved left into the danger. I've moved there BUT am still alive because I used to ride FASTER than most cyclists-- 15-25 mph SPRINTING to the next light S of North Ave. I was often saved and chatted up "A-hole" screening speeders and large trucks (like the this poor guy's).  I'd smile or salute. Since I also held a Teamster's card, and drove School Bus PLUS a full summer for the CTA,

I could instantly put myself up in the Trucker's seat.... & move right, &/or stop to chat up the 'a-hole, lost soul that DID the door. 

I have ZERO tolerance for folks that enter the street side, swinging out the door into TRAFFIC.  The dec'd WAS traffic.  I continuye to help the EDUCATIONAL process=>

I would and still do sound OFF.  Regardless whether I was driving a moving van, a large, old funky Clark St. CTA bus, or one of my cheap: city' bikes. 

My speed was 15-25-35 mph REGARDLESS of my vehicle.

I'm still here here, because I was ALSO a licensed IL driver.  I rode my vehicles to the limit of their capabilities and MY own.  I owned up! Right or wrong if I was at fault OR if the fault lay with clueless passengers and drivers that DOORED me. 

My first TWO were on Sheridan RD in the Northwestern campus.  Students and their families LOVED jumping out ALL doors mid block to run in to late classes or take pictures of flower or the architecture OR just to hug a fem friend.  The ACT of the hug, and their need to stop WAY out-weighed my their value of my life.


I was ON a bike, I was wrong to be on the ROAD.  I was NOT allowed to share the road. PERIOD.

Thanks GOD for the younger generation and OLD activists in our Bicycle, Motorcycle, and Professional Driving community (Teamsters & currently the non-union drivers and ALL the business owners of TRUCKS/BUSES/Scooters/PEDICABS/Bikes/Delivery services).

RIP, Mr. Townsend.

Paul Dieterle

h' said:

Until very recently, and that 100% due to a vociferous and connected community of cyclists, a cyclist's death was very much =not= newsworthy in this city.  I'll give her one point but subtract two here.

 

There are several reasons that the deaths of cyclists make bigger news than the deaths of drivers.

For one thing, there is a community of cyclists, and a cyclist's death in the city reverberates widely.

For another, cyclists tend to be young, and an early death always feels especially notable, regrettable, avoidable.

There's the fact, too, that it's so easy to recognize a cyclist as a person. A bicyclist is a lone human being, exposed to the elements, undefended except maybe by a helmet, no match for the metal machines that dominate the road.

Permalink Reply by paulcycles on October 8, 2012 at 1:30pm

Zoetrope said:

It's funny how the guy who is the most vocal about freedom from the tyranny of helmets is the guy I've always imagined wearing a magic hat made of tinfoil.  

James BlackHeron said:

Magic hats don't do much at all against being squished by cars -a candle in the wind...

Or trucks weighing on at 2-5 -or more tons.  Urban assault training and courteous

behavior DO.

Permalink Reply by Adam Torres on October 8, 2012 at 1:33pm

Wow, if the Tribune really gave a care about people, it wouldn't have published the photo it did of the accident before he was even identified-and probably his family notified. And then we get a "heartfelt" Mary Schmich column-give me a break. Its so sad we are stuck with such of a rag of a newspaper in this city. I am sorry I am so disturbed by it and I don't seem to let it go.

Anyway, riding to work today, I wonder why there aren't just road signs that warn drivers about looking before they open their door?

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