The Chainlink

bikes on cta trains

Hello,

I'm not a regular cyclist here in Chicago, but I joined Chainlink because I'm interested in cycling and planning issues. I wanted to pose a question to the group.

I ride the L every day (the Pink Line) and I've repeatedly seen cyclists bring their bikes on, sit down in a seat, hold their bikes in front of them, and as a result take up three seats. I just saw someone do that today on my ride in (around 9:30 AM), and I have to say I find it infuriating. It's not rush hour, but the train is still fairly full. It's not fair that three people need to stand because someone with a bike thinks it's necessary to do a Sudoku puzzle rather than stand in the door area with his bike.

Again, I've seen this happen a number of times so it's not just one random thoughtless guy. Is not sitting with your bike something that's part of regular cycling etiquette? Should I contact the CTA? Any ideas or feedback would be appreciated.

Thanks.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 2, 2015 at 1:10pm

Wasn't the escalator working?

Permalink Reply by Jeremy on December 3, 2015 at 8:22am

If I remember correctly, I felt the escalator was too narrow.  It may have been one of those one-body-width escalators.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 3, 2015 at 9:38am

Escalators at 95th are wide enough for 1 person to pass another. No way the station could handle that volume of people without the wider ones.  I've taken my bike up them many times.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 2, 2015 at 2:37pm

Lots of other folks would make use of them.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on December 5, 2015 at 8:14pm

I'm curious what other choices there are here. I took the the redline home earlier this week and got on when it was empty in Chinatown. I knew it would get crowded as after 9 the trains really fill up.

I sat down at one end pulled the bike close to me, and did cover three seats. 

I didn't see any alternative.  Standing with my bike would have taken up more space and made it really hard for people to get in and out.  

The space is too tight for me to hold my bike in the middle of the aisle. I think people would not have felt comfortable sitting that close to it.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on December 7, 2015 at 9:31am

Sometimes that's the best you can do. The number of seat spaces covered by the bike varies, depending on the length and configuration of your bike, the configuration of seats on the train, and what space you're able to get.

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on December 7, 2015 at 10:35am

This is very true, IME. I once rode a crowded red line train next to a guy that held his bike in a wheelie while sitting down. The only extra space he used was directly in front of us as it was in a small, 2-seater area and the bike wheel rested on a divider. I was impressed.

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