The Chainlink

'Walk your bike on the sidewalk' sting operation...I got a ticket as did others

Corner of Michigan and Monroe..last couple of blocks before lakefront path

Just wishing they would pick a more clear cut spot if they wanted to enforce some of the many traffic violations that bikers are responsible for.  

There's really no good choice here (in my opinion).  Cars are going faster past Michigan going East on Monroe and there's not a lot of room for bikes on the side.  Many if not most bikers, ride on the sidewalk here for this reason.  

According to the grumpy cop who wrote my ticket, he doesn't care and I can call my alderman. Yay.  

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I am so familiar with that stretch- it's awful.  I seriously try to ride on Michigan, but I feel really out of place in the street- it starts around Jackson. Cabs, busses, and speeders.  I was thinking the other day it's wide enough in some spaces they probably could designate part of the sidewalk for bike traffic.  Or the street for bikes.  Or SOMETHING.  I have walked my bike or ridden suuuupeeer slooowly and apologetically, depending on pedestrian traffic.  

Sorry about your ticket!  

I never would have expected it in this neighborhood, but I encountered such a "sting" a few minutes ago at 19th and Western.

I don't bike on sidewalks and I have no problem with cops cracking down on behavior, even if it's just to collect money (I say that now at least...). But whether the goal is revenue or pedestrian safety, I would think a crosswalk sting would be a much better use of resources.

What do you mean by that?


Jordan Schlife said:

I would think a crosswalk sting would be a much better use of resources.

Where exactly were you riding? I'm pretty sure it's perfectly legal to ride on the sidewalk if you're in a Chicago Park District park, including Grant Park. The distinction is a little murky around Grant Park, but you should be able to bike on the sidewalk through Grant Park or along the east side of Michigan Ave., as long as you are yielding to pedestrians and riding on the right-hand side per park rules. Though Millennium Park is excluded and prohibits biking. It wouldn't surprise me if the cops didn't know exactly where the sidewalk riding rule change happens, since it's a confusing mess of rules.

You aren't allowed to ride on the sidewalks over the age of twelve, unless otherwise posted.

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

When I take the route, I'll hook onto Monroe at Dearborn and take a lane from there to the LFP. It is very intimidating, but my approach typically means I'll catch a break in traffic - a lot of the Loop traffic peels off before or at Michigan - and will be nearly at Columbus by the time the next wave (I assume from NB/SB Michigan) of heavy car traffic catches up. 


Jason Mc said:

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

I ride on the street on Monroe & Michigan everyday, morning & evening commute. For me, this is the easiest, most direct route to the LFP. The traffic can be fast, but I've had little to no confrontation with drivers here. I totally understand reluctance to use this route though. A PBP would be a fantastic addition here. 

Simon Phearson said:

When I take the route, I'll hook onto Monroe at Dearborn and take a lane from there to the LFP. It is very intimidating, but my approach typically means I'll catch a break in traffic - a lot of the Loop traffic peels off before or at Michigan - and will be nearly at Columbus by the time the next wave (I assume from NB/SB Michigan) of heavy car traffic catches up. 


Jason Mc said:

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

They are no longer supposed to take your license.  The law changed very recently and it is no longer proper for them to do so. 

http://wqad.com/2014/08/11/no-more-giving-up-your-drivers-license-i...

Davo said:

Illinois is weird like that. This is the first place I've ever heard of that takes your driving license when being ticketed. If you are driving a car, couldn't they get you for driving without a license after they ticket you?

Sorry to drag a prior discussion into this one, but this thread is a good illustration that the current technical limitations of the NING platform do indeed affect how discussions flow. It is just too clunky to read a whole thread for most people before responding, so you have discussions going around in cirlces and repeating elements after not vey long. I am confident this will be improved in Chainlink 2.0.


I ride Monroe from Michigan to LFP a lot and the stretch between Columbus and LSD is aweful for cycling.  The traffic moves very quickly getting to LSD and in order to reach the path, you need to move left to the center lane as there are 2 right turn lanes. I've had many cars that refuse to let me over or pass too closely or honk, so often I will turn "left" at Columbus and take the sidewalk down that 1 block. This used to be the posted bike route before the Maggie Daley park construction began. 

The street that I believe would most benefit from a bike lane/fewer car lanes is Columbus/Fairview. By creating a North/South route from oak street beach you would have a winter alternative to the iced over "s" curve and avoid all of the LFP tourists in the summer. 

Ryan Stahlman said:

I ride on the street on Monroe & Michigan everyday, morning & evening commute. For me, this is the easiest, most direct route to the LFP. The traffic can be fast, but I've had little to no confrontation with drivers here. I totally understand reluctance to use this route though. A PBP would be a fantastic addition here. 

Simon Phearson said:

When I take the route, I'll hook onto Monroe at Dearborn and take a lane from there to the LFP. It is very intimidating, but my approach typically means I'll catch a break in traffic - a lot of the Loop traffic peels off before or at Michigan - and will be nearly at Columbus by the time the next wave (I assume from NB/SB Michigan) of heavy car traffic catches up. 


Jason Mc said:

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

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