The Chainlink

Is "shoaling" cars permissible or rude?

There is the shoaling other cyclists thread, but what is the opinion of doing it to cars sitting in traffic?  

I commute fairly often and the section of Milwaukee can back up well over a 1/2 mile, of which I have no interested in sitting huffing someone's tail pipe on my bike.  The sidewalk is off limits because it is in Niles and I have been politely told that I shouldn't be on the sidewalk unless I am a kid or a little old lady.

I feel, not in an elitist way, that moving to the front of non-moving traffic is permissible as a cyclist.  I will safely make my way up through traffic as it sits still, but should we be sitting in traffic and waiting with the cars because it could garner more respect?

Or, as quoted below (because I couldn't have said it better), shoal them cars?

EDIT - In cases where this is no bike lane, because when we have our lane it's different.

J.A.W. said:

We will shoal the f#ck out of that car if you know you can fit between cars to get to front of the line.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 28, 2013 at 11:57am

I used to walk that stretch when I was 18 or so (to get from ~Oakton/Nordica to the N Milwaukee bus-- 18 minutes at speed-walk). Is the White Eagle still there? How about Cock Robin Ice Cream?

Tom Dworzanski said:

I guess I've only ever driven the stretch in a car, never on bike, so I haven't gotten a feel for it like you have. I would almost think of using the sidewalk next to the cemetery (illegal, I know) but if you've got the room, that's great. They should really put in a narrow bike lane there. The good thing is Niles cops patrol the area often and aren't afraid to pull speeders over so traffic stays at or below the speed limit.

The part in Chicago also brings the risk of getting doored if you stay too far right.



Chitown_Mike said:

It's between Harts Rd and Devon.  In Niles the lane is more than wide enough for me to stay right and have about a 3' space between the car and me.  It is the section from the border where Chicago starts to a block from Devon that it is barely wide enough for a 18 wheeler to pass, or bus, let alone me on a bike and a car.  I will stay right unless I can't, and then filter SLOWLY between the stopped cars until I can get free.

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on August 28, 2013 at 5:01pm

I got a "You shouldn't be doing that" warning by a Niles cop.  And the Chicago sidewalk is atrocious. 



Mike Fiasco said:

I've got zero problem riding the sidewalk next to the cemetery.  I hardly ever see people walking on that side of the street anyhow.  The cemetery entrance is a famous cop stop, and I've never had one of them bother me about riding on the sidewalk.

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on August 28, 2013 at 5:01pm

The White Eagle is still there, but no Cock Robin.  Unless they moved and I don't know where.

h' 1.0 said:

I used to walk that stretch when I was 18 or so (to get from ~Oakton/Nordica to the N Milwaukee bus-- 18 minutes at speed-walk). Is the White Eagle still there? How about Cock Robin Ice Cream?

Tom Dworzanski said:

I guess I've only ever driven the stretch in a car, never on bike, so I haven't gotten a feel for it like you have. I would almost think of using the sidewalk next to the cemetery (illegal, I know) but if you've got the room, that's great. They should really put in a narrow bike lane there. The good thing is Niles cops patrol the area often and aren't afraid to pull speeders over so traffic stays at or below the speed limit.

The part in Chicago also brings the risk of getting doored if you stay too far right.



Chitown_Mike said:

It's between Harts Rd and Devon.  In Niles the lane is more than wide enough for me to stay right and have about a 3' space between the car and me.  It is the section from the border where Chicago starts to a block from Devon that it is barely wide enough for a 18 wheeler to pass, or bus, let alone me on a bike and a car.  I will stay right unless I can't, and then filter SLOWLY between the stopped cars until I can get free.

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on August 28, 2013 at 5:13pm

Hmmm...the internet says it expanded to the suburbs but all closed recently.

Time-suck alert-- great photos of establishments passed:

http://www.craigslostchicago.com/lost-eateries.php

There used to be a Hawaiian place near White Eagle... Shangri-La?

Permalink Reply by Tom Dworzanski on August 28, 2013 at 5:25pm

There are a few large bars and a sports-themed nightclub near White Eagle. The owner of White Eagle is mayor of Niles now.

h' 1.0 said:

Hmmm...the internet says it expanded to the suburbs but all closed recently.

Time-suck alert-- great photos of establishments passed:

http://www.craigslostchicago.com/lost-eateries.php

There used to be a Hawaiian place near White Eagle... Shangri-La?

Permalink Reply by Mike Fiasco on August 28, 2013 at 11:45pm

Can you pronounce his last name?

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on August 29, 2013 at 1:58pm

Sure I can, Is Andrew P, the rest of the letters are silent.  hahaha!  My family came over from Poland a couple of generations ago, my grandfather had the foresight to "Americanize" my last name.  By that I mean he took some of the weird letters out and added some in.


Mike Fiasco said:

Can you pronounce his last name?

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 29, 2013 at 3:01pm

People drive their cars onto the bike boxes, anyway. I try to ride as far to the right as is safe, but many streets have half-full street parking, causing me to swerve back and forth constantly. I shoal cars on streets that have no bike lane because it's better to get over at the red light than having to merge into moving traffic.

Sarah D. 1-3.3 said:

What if you're shoaling cars to protest the lack of bike boxes in our infrastructure and be sure to be safe and visible in an otherwise badly designed, bike lane/sharrow-disappearing intersection? 

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 29, 2013 at 3:15pm

I think it was posted earlier, but bikes have a legal right to pass cars.  If anything, the problem is usually that motorists aren't giving us the 3 feet of clearance we are legally due.  If someone is driving less than 3 feet from a curb or a parked car, I don't see how they can be anything but technically in the wrong; they are either illegally passing another car on the right, or are driving in a space that is not marked as a lane.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

People drive their cars onto the bike boxes, anyway. I try to ride as far to the right as is safe, but many streets have half-full street parking, causing me to swerve back and forth constantly. I shoal cars on streets that have no bike lane because it's better to get over at the red light than having to merge into moving traffic.

Sarah D. 1-3.3 said:

What if you're shoaling cars to protest the lack of bike boxes in our infrastructure and be sure to be safe and visible in an otherwise badly designed, bike lane/sharrow-disappearing intersection? 

Permalink Reply by Barry Niel Stuart on August 29, 2013 at 4:11pm

Don't even think of "shoaling" a county bus here in Milwaukee, it's so dangerous,it's illegal.

Permalink Reply by Tom Z on August 29, 2013 at 9:07pm

I always ride that sidewalk along the cemetery without incident. I have yet to encounter someone walking on that sidewalk. I usually hop off the NBT at Harts road and go to Milwaukee. I ride the sidewalk until the side-street (Imlay, I think) in Chicago then merge with traffic at the Red Apple, riding in the street.

When going North I find it easier just to take the NBT starting at Devon rather than deal with the sidewalk or traffic on northbound Milwaukee.

Permalink Reply by Chitown_Mike on August 30, 2013 at 9:40am

In the morning going north the right lane of traffic isn't too bad, the sidewalk on the northbound side is a pain because of 1) the nursing home residents and early morning walks, and 2) there are light poles all over the place.  So I take it to the streets.  But I have little to no problem with cars, the PACE bus, however, likes to tango down the street.  I haven't felt the urge to report it because it isn't every time.

I find that I can get away with riding in the street for most of Milwaukee but end up sometimes taking the sidewalk from the end of the cemetery to the Golden Apple (great Polish buffet...Mmmm), but the Niles copper that mentioned I shouldn't be on the sidewalk was last year and haven't seen once since but don't want to chance it because I am fine in the street.

However this winter the sidewalk will be my choice I'd imagine.



Tom Z said:

I always ride that sidewalk along the cemetery without incident. I have yet to encounter someone walking on that sidewalk. I usually hop off the NBT at Harts road and go to Milwaukee. I ride the sidewalk until the side-street (Imlay, I think) in Chicago then merge with traffic at the Red Apple, riding in the street.

When going North I find it easier just to take the NBT starting at Devon rather than deal with the sidewalk or traffic on northbound Milwaukee.

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