Another cyclist hit?

This morning at Chicago & LaSalle around 10:20am. Lots of police and an ambulance. Anyone know what happened and if the rider is OK?

Is it me or is this stuff happening more?

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 5, 2013 at 10:00am

I've got the original Contour Roam that I picked up at REI for $100. With the exception of the laser/status button crapping out on me in a heavy rain (it's supposed to be waterproof), it has worked well for me. The battery lasts approximately 1-2 days of 2 30-minute commutes (2 hours total) shot at 720p.

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Permalink Reply by Bez on June 5, 2013 at 10:11am

I do my commute out in the 'burbs and get told on (at least) a weekly basis that I should be riding on the sidewalk/on the wrong street/not over far enough/in the way or some combination of these. There are 2 areas where I was not sure if I should be riding, the ring around the mall (I use it to avoid a seriously messed up major artery) and the parking lot at the Metra station, so I checked with the police and the city. Both said that I was welcome to ride there and both said thanks for helping to reduce congestion (in one form or another).

I've also been buzzed multiple times. I usually try to catch them at the stop light, very pointedly take a picture of their front license plate, and inform them that the law states a minimum of three feet. Doesn't really have much effect other than to annoy the driver, but it amuses me, so there is that.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 5, 2013 at 10:15am

There's only one problem: I bought last years model on sale, so there's a very limited – if at all – supply. I know for sure they are out of stock at the Lincoln Park REI. The current version is $200.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

That's A GAZILLION times better value then. I smell a helmet cam showdown coming.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

I've got the original Contour Roam that I picked up at REI for $100. With the exception of the laser/status button crapping out on me in a heavy rain (it's supposed to be waterproof), it has worked well for me. The battery lasts approximately 1-2 days of 2 30-minute commutes (2 hours total) shot at 720p.

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 6, 2013 at 3:00am

The nice thing about the Contour as compared to the GoPro is that you don't need a case for it. as it is already waterproof. That coupled with all the firmware issues I heard about GoPro prompted me to get the Contour.

I have no idea why the photos here always upload upside-down, but you can click through to see the proper version.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

$200 is still cost-competitive with the GoPro Silver, methinks. And if the battery life on the current model is 90 - 120 minutes at 720p, that alone might make it a better camera.

One thing about the GoPro III. It's small. Really small. Eensty weensie is the technical term. I don't know about the dimensions / weight of the Contour.

Not sure about the reliability / build quality of anything in the Contour series, but as far as local availability, I am nearly certain they stock it at Erehwon on North Ave. as well.

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Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on June 6, 2013 at 5:02am

It's not that often that I speak to motorists, but last time this was uttered to me the driver had plates on his car that read "PSYCHO".

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

I have noticed that whenever someone driving a car is lecturing/arguing with someone on a bike, they will without fail mention that they "bike all the time"

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Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 6, 2013 at 5:07am

An idiot motorist who almost runs me over, then claims he "bikes all the time" is equivalent to a person telling a racially insensitive joke, then claiming it's okay because he "has a black friend".

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Permalink Reply by blair on June 6, 2013 at 5:10am

Of course...

FACEPALM

Zoetrope said:

It's not that often that I speak to motorists, but last time this was uttered to me the driver had plates on his car that read "PSYCHO".

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Permalink Reply by WillG on June 6, 2013 at 6:47am

Adam, do you have any sample images, like from today's commute in?

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

The nice thing about the Contour as compared to the GoPro is that you don't need a case for it. as it is already waterproof. That coupled with all the firmware issues I heard about GoPro prompted me to get the Contour.

I have no idea why the photos here always upload upside-down, but you can click through to see the proper version.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

$200 is still cost-competitive with the GoPro Silver, methinks. And if the battery life on the current model is 90 - 120 minutes at 720p, that alone might make it a better camera.

One thing about the GoPro III. It's small. Really small. Eensty weensie is the technical term. I don't know about the dimensions / weight of the Contour.

Not sure about the reliability / build quality of anything in the Contour series, but as far as local availability, I am nearly certain they stock it at Erehwon on North Ave. as well.

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Permalink Reply by WillG on June 6, 2013 at 6:51am

Lowe, I envy the composure you displayed in that clip. I handled that situation much better than I would have.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

This morning a driver at the light on Lasalle (north of Kinzie) rolled down his window to tell me I should ride Dearborn, because there is a protected bike lane on Dearborn, and Lasalle is dangerous for bicycles. I explained the PBL doesn't extend that far north, and that between people stopped in the bike lane, I spend about the same amount of time in the street, but he wasn't having any of it. He told me he bikes all over this city all the time.

All the time... except... this morning, I guess. This morning, he decided to get in a 3,540 lb car by himself, burn gasoline so my children and I will have something nicer to breath than Plain Old Air, and admonish me for riding on (what I gratefully now know) is the Wrong Street.

Brian said:

Not that it's an excuse, but it's possible the bike was going east on Chicago and car was going south on LaSalle when it blew the red light. I've been hit by cars both on bike and as a pedestrian, so nothing is safe.

David Barish said:

At 1020 am there is really no excuse for this. Traffic should not have been that heavy. LaSalle is a big street and there should have been plenty of room for everybody. I was in a motorized vehicle on LaSalle during rush hour and there was very little room for bikes in between lines of cars. (I have to be out in the burbs for work this afternoon and needed a car) Most drivers seemed to be aware of the bikes. It may have been easier because traffic was so bottled up that cars could not move very fast and the bikes passed them easily. Darting pedestrians seemed to be the greater risk.