The Chainlink

Are pedestrians allowed in the Kinzie bike lane?

On the East bound side there is no sidewalk for a portion of the lane, but there is a sidewalk on the other side of the street.  Sometimes there's pedestrians there; this morning it was a person with a water bottle getting their power walking in.

I'm I correct in thinking that she should have been on the other side of the street, on the sidewalk?  Or are pedestrians welcome in the protected lane?

... and what's the legality of lance-mounted tasers?  Because I totally want one now.  Ugh.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on October 22, 2012 at 12:07pm

I don't see this lane on a typical day, but if this is a regular occurance I would take it to mean the same thing that it means when you see cyclists riding on the sidewalk-- that there's an infrastructure need that's not being met.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on October 22, 2012 at 12:27pm

You mean a sidewalk?

It's there on the other side of the street; people are just to lazy/stupid to cross the street and use it.  It is not a lack of infrastructure it is that people are ignorant. 

I guess, if you wanted to stir the pot, you could bitch there is no sidewalk on the south side of the street but there is also no room of a sidewalk, bike lane and the actual road itself...

h' said:

I don't see this lane on a typical day, but if this is a regular occurance I would take it to mean the same thing that it means when you see cyclists riding on the sidewalk-- that there's an infrastructure need that's not being met.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on October 22, 2012 at 12:32pm

If memory serves me correctly, the south side of Kinzie along the Merchandise Mart got it's fair share of eastbound pedestrian traffic prior to the installation of the protected bike lane. They may have perfected their pedestrian rights through adverse possession.

notoriousDUG said:

You mean a sidewalk?

It's there on the other side of the street; people are just to lazy/stupid to cross the street and use it.  It is not a lack of infrastructure it is that people are ignorant. 

I guess, if you wanted to stir the pot, you could bitch there is no sidewalk on the south side of the street but there is also no room of a sidewalk, bike lane and the actual road itself...

h' said:

I don't see this lane on a typical day, but if this is a regular occurance I would take it to mean the same thing that it means when you see cyclists riding on the sidewalk-- that there's an infrastructure need that's not being met.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on October 22, 2012 at 12:34pm

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to weaken your "people suck" message.

Carry on.

notoriousDUG said:

You mean a sidewalk?

It's there on the other side of the street; people are just to lazy/stupid to cross the street and use it.  It is not a lack of infrastructure it is that people are ignorant. 

I guess, if you wanted to stir the pot, you could bitch there is no sidewalk on the south side of the street but there is also no room of a sidewalk, bike lane and the actual road itself...

h' said:

I don't see this lane on a typical day, but if this is a regular occurance I would take it to mean the same thing that it means when you see cyclists riding on the sidewalk-- that there's an infrastructure need that's not being met.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on October 22, 2012 at 12:35pm

I don't ride Kinzie regularly, but I encounter non-bike users in the lanes on about 50% of my trips there.  I hate seeing peds and joggers in our lanes.  They don't belong there.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on October 22, 2012 at 12:39pm

Leading the argument by example...

h' said:

I'm sorry, I didn't mean to weaken your "people suck" message.

Carry on.


Permalink Reply by Adam Kitzmann on October 22, 2012 at 6:29pm

I find screaming "NO BRAKES. AAGHHHHHH! LOOK OUT" really loud tends to get peoples attention and scare the shit out of them, hopefully enough to not be in the bike lane, or if they are, at least watch the fuck out. 

Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on October 22, 2012 at 7:58pm

hahaha....Im going to have to try this one...good one.

Adam Kitzmann said:

I find screaming "NO BRAKES. AAGHHHHHH! LOOK OUT" really loud tends to get peoples attention and scare the shit out of them, hopefully enough to not be in the bike lane, or if they are, at least watch the fuck out. 

Permalink Reply by John Wirtz on October 23, 2012 at 8:02am

Pedestrians were definitely walking in the roadway long before the bike lane was installed.  I would think the pedestrians are in less jeopardy from the bikes now than from the cars before though.

Kevin C said:

If memory serves me correctly, the south side of Kinzie along the Merchandise Mart got it's fair share of eastbound pedestrian traffic prior to the installation of the protected bike lane. They may have perfected their pedestrian rights through adverse possession.

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on October 23, 2012 at 10:56am

I think it's actually the opposite. Previously, they were on the side of the road, essentially out of the path of traffic. Now, they are smack in the middle of the traffic lane.

John Wirtz said:

Pedestrians were definitely walking in the roadway long before the bike lane was installed.  I would think the pedestrians are in less jeopardy from the bikes now than from the cars before though.


Permalink Reply by Tim S on October 23, 2012 at 11:30am

It's annoying and I have raised my voice once or twice as I have traversed that stretch. When it comes down to it it looks like we may have to live with it as it's plenty wide... as long as they keep way right or way left in the striped zone. I see why they are doing it as it is a pain in the butt to cross and re-cross, why there was no sidewalk installed initially on the south side of Kinzie.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on October 23, 2012 at 11:45am

Because of the way it is laid out without a walk on the S. side of the road the peds are going to continue to traverse the bike lane -even if there were big "no peds" signs painted into the lane.   

But at least if there were "no peds" signs painted there maybe the peds would be a little more aware that they were breaking the rule and keep an eye out for bikes.  Now they often walk in groups, spread-out and blocking the entire lane. I'm not a regular commuter at regular hours so I don't see it during the rush commuting periods.   Perhaps the peds can't get away with this group zombie shamble along the merchmart with heavy bike traffic.  

When I ride by it's usually an off-peak time and there are very few other bikes on the protected lane.   This is when I see the hoards of suits that totally block the lane and completely obstruct it.   It's like Critical Mass of peds taking back their "sidewalks" from us evil bikes.   So when this happens I just move left and take the auto lane.  Sh*t flows downhill I guess.  


Tim S said:

It's annoying and I have raised my voice once or twice as I have traversed that stretch. When it comes down to it it looks like we may have to live with it as it's plenty wide... as long as they keep way right or way left in the striped zone. I see why they are doing it as it is a pain in the butt to cross and re-cross, why there was no sidewalk installed initially on the south side of Kinzie.

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