I rode Dearborn today...anyone else?
I just missed the press conference and just hung out at lunch to see how it would all work. It seemed easy enough, so I took Dearborn as my starting route home to Roscoe Village. Normally I hit Franklin to Orleans then north to Lincoln.
I have to say, it was pretty easy and relatively safe. The ambassadors were helpful with the the auto traffic. The walkers were easy enough to avoid. I had to chuckle at two riders riding side by side in the lane.
What I didn't see was any oncoming traffic; southbound riders. I am guessing that will come in time or at other times during the day.
Way to go Mayor RE! This is really making a statement.
Who else rode the new path?
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Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on
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I too have noticed this and have seen many a pedestrian get yelled at by a cyclist who had the green and had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting them.
They were doing this while the lane was under construction. I'm hoping that this is just a carry-over from that and people will eventually figure out that if they continue to stand in the bike lane that they might get hit by a less than forgiving cyclist.
Sarah Lewert said:I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.
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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on
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This is a good use for a bell. It is kinda hard to yell with a bell!
Adam Herstein said:I too have noticed this and have seen many a pedestrian get yelled at by a cyclist who had the green and had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting them.
They were doing this while the lane was under construction. I'm hoping that this is just a carry-over from that and people will eventually figure out that if they continue to stand in the bike lane that they might get hit by a less than forgiving cyclist.
Sarah Lewert said:I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.
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Believe me – I've tried that. Most people don't get the hint until you yell at them to move. People that don't normally ride a bike don't seem to register a bell as a warning. I'm not just ringing my bell for my own amusement.
Tony Adams said:This is a good use for a bell. It is kinda hard to yell with a bell!
Adam Herstein said:I too have noticed this and have seen many a pedestrian get yelled at by a cyclist who had the green and had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting them.
They were doing this while the lane was under construction. I'm hoping that this is just a carry-over from that and people will eventually figure out that if they continue to stand in the bike lane that they might get hit by a less than forgiving cyclist.
Sarah Lewert said:I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.
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Permalink Reply by Cheryl on
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+1
Lisa Curcio said:The police officers in the bike lanes anywhere are the most disheartening thing I see. Everyone else irritates me, but it seems that CPD is just thumbing its nose at cyclists, at the Mayor, and at the city when police officers so blatantly disregard the law. Is it something they learn in the academy--they are better than the rest of the world?
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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on
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A colleague at work handed me the Dec 17 issues of Crain's which has a piece by Greg Hinz which discusses, in part, the new Dearborn bike lane. I thought some here might find it interesting. Here's the online version: Watch it, buddy, I'm pedaling (driving) here
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From: Watch it, buddy, I'm pedaling (driving) here
Another reality is that bike riders often are responsible for their own carnage, bobbing and weaving and racing through red lights and pretty much playing the bull to the motorists' toreador.
Is this guy John Kass' more eloquent cousin? He is putting the blame solely on cyclists and completely fails to address the bull in the china shop – the fact that cars are the most dangerous devices on the road and motorists need to behave in a safe manner. He states that "39 Chicago bikers were killed in crashes from 2005 to 2011", but far more people were killed by cars in that same time period. Driving without regard for the safety of others around you is the unsafe act, not biking.
Skip Montanaro said:A colleague at work handed me the Dec 17 issues of Crain's which has a piece by Greg Hinz which discusses, in part, the new Dearborn bike lane. I thought some here might find it interesting. Here's the online version: Watch it, buddy, I'm pedaling (driving) here
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I don't know. Just passing it along. He does seem to be a bike rider. Look at the few comments to his piece and you'll maybe get an idea that his audience is closer to Kass's than we are. Also, it's not like cyclists are never to blame. I have encountered some Darwin award wannabees over time.
To put the shoe on the other foot, which drivers to you remember most, long after the fact? The thousands of courteous, law-abiding, ones? Or the jerks who buzz you, park in your bike lane, cut you off at intersections? I imagine it's the same for drivers.
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I make an effort to thank motorists who stop for me or let me in, but I see your point. I just don't understand what this guy is trying to say. He seems to me to be one of those guys that claims to be a cyclist in Chicago, but only rides the Lake Front Trail in June in sunny 70° weather, etc. and drives his car 99% of the time.
Also, I tried to read the article again and got paywall'd.
Skip Montanaro said:I don't know. Just passing it along. He does seem to be a bike rider. Look at the few comments to his piece and you'll maybe get an idea that his audience is closer to Kass's than we are. Also, it's not like cyclists are never to blame. I have encountered some Darwin award wannabees over time.
To put the shoe on the other foot, which drivers to you remember most, long after the fact? The thousands of courteous, law-abiding, ones? Or the jerks who buzz you, park in your bike lane, cut you off at intersections? I imagine it's the same for drivers.
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Keep in mind that I was comparing his writing to that of a grown adult who writes at a 2nd grade level.
Cameron Puetz said:I wouldn't call him anyone's more eloquent anything.
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Permalink Reply by Jason W on
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Awesome, keep up the good work!
Charlie Short said:Good feedback Lisa. We've actually had the Dept. of Finance out giving tickets between Wacker and Dearborn, but we recognize that we're going to have to be vigilant there. I've chased out about 10 cabs myself since Friday and it doesn't stop them coming back. I had a guy tell me they'd have to tow him out of the lane, and that I didn't scare him.
We'll have Ambassador staff out everyday this week, and then after the holidays. We're using every available resource to do outreach.
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The answer to that is yes. Have you ever checked out this piece of work? http://secondcitycop.blogspot.com/ Yes, cops thumb their nose at the mayor, at their superintendent, and at the city. Oh, and that's not nearly the worst chicago cop blog out there. They took down one whose name I can't even say as I think it breaks forum policy.
Lisa Curcio said:The police officers in the bike lanes anywhere are the most disheartening thing I see. Everyone else irritates me, but it seems that CPD is just thumbing its nose at cyclists, at the Mayor, and at the city when police officers so blatantly disregard the law. Is it something they learn in the academy--they are better than the rest of the world?
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So my two cents... I rode it for the ceremony, and commutes Friday, Mon, and today. I like it a lot. I can take varying routes, and this is an improvement over any of them. It is so nice not to have to worry about the cars as much.
A lot of people are complaining about peds waiting to cross in the bike lanes. They do this a lot where there aren't bike lanes too. They will walk out one lane into traffic because most of the cars are in the center lanes, and block me in the right most lane. So basically, that is annoying, but nothing new.
Oh, BTW, I saw a cop fly up the bike lanes with his lights on, probably hitting 40mph, right in front of me as I was waiting to cross. It was really reckless. We are definitely going to need a hard object (like a metal pole others mentioned between the lanes) at intersections.
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