Bicyclist killed at Oak & Wells Friday AM
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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on
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This is an awful & terrible incident. My heart goes out to the bicyclist who was killed and the family and friends. This type of thing really drives home just how harrowing it can be driving in fast-moving traffic that has little or no respect for us -or other non-speedy modes of transportation on the roads.
The worst thing about this type of incident is that it could happen to just about any of us. A dooring or near-dooring can kill if it knocks the rider into another vehicle or under its wheels.
Be careful around the trucks out there. They have very poor visibility from the cab and almost no ability to dodge someone who falls under one even if the driver does see you fall. This whole incident just makes me sick and sad with grief. So terrible...
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Permalink Reply by Josh L. on
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How Sad. My sympathies go out to this cyclist and his family for what must be a terrible loss.
I don't know what to say about dooring. I am not clear who is at fault in these situations.
I take Wells to the Merchandise Mart every weekday at this time. This could have been me. Today I decided to take the lakefront path just to get some of that great air. First time I haven't taken Wells to work in over a month.
I would like to send a note of sympathy to the family. If anyone gets the family information let us all know.
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Permalink Reply by KatieP on
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Can someone organize a workshop on how to fall into doors safely? Or how to handle dooring? Maybe Active Trans?
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Permalink Reply by Dirke on
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So that you are clear....
Lisa Curcio said:
The Illinois Vehicle Code:
No person shall open the door of a vehicle on the side available to moving traffic unless and until it is reasonably safe to do so, and can be done without interfering with the movement of other traffic, nor shall any person leave a door open on the side of a vehicle available to moving traffic for a period of time longer than necessary to load or unload passengers.
625 ILCS 5/11-1407
jolondon30 said:I don't know what to say about dooring. I am not clear who is at fault in these situations.
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Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on
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Absolutely!
This was a great piece: http://onelessminivan.tumblr.com/post/32773614803/are-you-biking-or...
I am often terribly aggravated at the myopic and just downright stupid behavior of parents dropping or picking up their children. You would think that of all people who would know to be careful around a school, it would be the people who have kids attending there!
Cameron Puetz said:Should is the key word. School zones are very dangerous areas and a program to educate parents on how to safely drop off their kids would do a lot of good.
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Permalink Reply by Kevin on
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A couple details added to the Trib story in bold
A bicyclist was struck and killed by a semi truck on the Near North Side this morning, apparently when he swerved to avoid an open car door, authorities said.
Police at the scene said the accident happened just before 9 a.m. on Wells Street in front of Walter Payton High School, just north of Oak Street.
The bicyclist, a 32-year-old man, was in the southbound lane and turned suddenly to avoid an open car door and fell underneath the front wheels of the truck's flat-bed trailer, police said.
No other information was available on the victim. A spokesman for the Cook County medical examiner's office said an autopsy is scheduled for Saturday.The man who opened the door was cited for a traffic violation, according to News Affairs Officer Robert Perez. The man's name was not released.
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No need for a workshop. If you are doored, call 911 immediately. If you are able, take pictures with your cellphone of the car/driver/license plate. The Illinois Vehicle code is referenced multiple times in this thread and applies to all roads, not just those with bike lanes. Calling the police and filing an accident report is generally the only way to get financial recompense from the driver's insurance policy. If the driver blows you off and walks away, they can be cited with leaving the scene of an accident, which carries a much heftier penalty than opening a door into traffic. If that is the case, stay at the scene and wait for the police to arrive.
If you question this procedure, call 311 and ask them, but I assure you, they will tell you just this.
KatieP said:Can someone organize a workshop on how to fall into doors safely? Or how to handle dooring? Maybe Active Trans?
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Permalink Reply by CJ on
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tragic. scary too. had some near misses with doors, thought I was lucky bc I was able to swerve but really I was lucky that their wasnt a big truck on my left. condolences to the cyclist and others involved.
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I was thinking I'd not panic as much if I had practice falling into doors safely. It would increase the odds of doing the right thing in a wrong situation.
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Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on
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I just spent an hour at the site of the fatality speaking with media. Our thoughts go out the families of the person who was killed and the people who are involved in this tragic crash. We urge people to make safe choices while getting around, most importantly obeying the law and rules of the road.
People who are driving should look before getting out of their cars, that couple of seconds can save a life. People who are driving should also choose to pay attention, keep both hands on the wheel, look, signal, use their mirrors and drive reasonably within the speed limit and observe a safe passing distance. In IL the minimum is three feet. People who are biking should avoid the door zone, the three to four feet near where a door could be opened into your travel path. People on bikes can legally look and signal to take the lane if that is a safer choice.
We all as people, no matter how we get around, need to obey the law, make safe choices and respect each other as people not as a "car" or "bike" or "pedestrian"...we're people and we can keep each other safe.
Again, our best thoughts are with the family and friends of the person who died and won't be going home today.
Ethan Spotts, Active Trans
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Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on
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Perhaps it would be possible to coordinate some sort of educational outreach with Walter Payton High School or the other schools in the vicinity. (This is assuming the car involved was, in fact, dropping off a student.)
Cameron Puetz said:Should is the key word. School zones are very dangerous areas and a program to educate parents on how to safely drop off their kids would do a lot of good.
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I like that idea, Skip. CDOT has an anti-idling campaign that could be expanded to include awareness education. Chicago Conservation Corps volunteers sometimes plan outreach on this so it could be a potential partner.
(Note - i don't work for them, so it might not be possible.)
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