Almost hit by a car at Clark/Madison
Hi Chainlink,
No real point to this post other than that I almost got hit by a SB car at Clark/Madison as I was heading west on Madison. The car blew through the red light and it was a pretty close call, or, at least, it felt close to me. Strangely, it was our WB green light that was nearing the end of its countdown, so this really was just a car straight-up plowing through a red (as opposed to trying to beat a yellow and failing).
Feel pretty shaken up. Bike safe, Chainlinkers.
Views: 561
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on
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As I am fond of saying, the right of way is for suckers and their heirs. You always have to double check that traffic control devices are controlling traffic.
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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on
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I had a car whip around a corner and come at me going the wrong way on a one-way narrow side street last night (I think 13th in Cicero).
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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on
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A red light has never, ever, stopped a car.
Kevin C said:As I am fond of saying, the right of way is for suckers and their heirs. You always have to double check that traffic control devices are controlling traffic.
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I developed the habit a long time ago of looking left then right then left then right at every intersection (regardless of red/green light or right of way.)
Kind of forgot I'd done so until looking at the helmet cam video last week.... would strongly recommend it.
Kevin C said:As I am fond of saying, the right of way is for suckers and their heirs. You always have to double check that traffic control devices are controlling traffic.
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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on
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Glad to hear that you are ok Alex. Thanks for posting this. I don't think we can be reminded enough about how many bad drivers there are out there.
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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on
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Yes, as others have mentioned, be wary of traffic. Had the same thing happen to me on State and Van Buren. Car blows through an intersection on the red light as he is distracted by his passenger and his smart phone.
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Permalink Reply by dan brown on
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good reminder. to add to what others have posted here - basically I pretty much look left and right the entire time I am passing through an intersection : especially newly turned green lights, what I am learning is that the distracted nature of folks' driving lately is that the last thing they hope (expect?) to see is a bike. I think the mindset sometimes is as long as there is no police around people will continue to drive
like idiots. This morning I was coming south on Clinton at the RR Tracks just south of Kinzie; this gray-haired dude pulls out of the high-rise in a BMW cutting me off (I have the right of way) and wasn't planning to stop until he saw the METRA police car directly beside me. Only then does he wave me on and wait impatiently (and then a train came - so he had no where to go anyway). I had both hands ready to squeeze the brakes hard as I maintained constant eye contact with this j'moke.
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I'm gonna go all 500 lb gorilla on this discussion and belabor this one for the benefit of younger newer riders who may have fewer close calls under their belts...
It is extremely easy to miss something important, and potentially even not see a moving vehicle at all with only one glance to each direction. I'd like to ask everyone reading to make it a habit to scan both ways at least twice at every intersection (with head movement, not just eyes.)
dan brown said:good reminder. to add to what others have posted here - basically I pretty much look left and right the entire time I am passing through an intersection
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Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on
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May I add: scanning all of the time, not just at intersections. Today being a hot summer day I took Dearborn north instead of heading to the LFP. I saw three drivers in three different places go from one side of the street to the other with absolutely no warning, all within a distance of about four blocks.
And total non sequitur--huge wind with unbelievable gusts RIGHT NOW in Belmont Harbor. I hope no one is out on the lake.
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The bad wind seems to only have been on the leading edge, which moved through quickly... thought I'd see trees come down for a moment there.
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Permalink Reply by Steven Vance on
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Add it to the Close Calls database.
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