Close call, thank you spidey sense.

Most of us on here have had this happen at least a few times. Today it happened to me for the first in a few years. Riding home on Grand I came up to Ogden (about 5ish?), light was green on way to yellow as i ride through (I know this light like the back of my hand). See a car looking to turn left onto Ogden. On my right side hear the noise of someone about to gun it. Light goes yellow, car on my right speeds through. Just react to what I know is about to happen, swerve left hard. CRASH. Ride across, get on phone and call 911. Stay for a bit, make sure people are good, have a smoke and calm the nerves.  Had I not know this street, the light patters, the traffic flow, I could have been toast, burnt and crispy. A close call for sure, but biking every day saved my ass today. Knowing your surroundings, understanding and being part of the city, in all it's chaos, it's not just what makes riding fun, sometimes it can also save yours ass. Be careful out there folks, and keep your head up. 

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Permalink Reply by Thunder Snow on September 7, 2012 at 12:59pm

Wow, congrats on making it through all that.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on September 7, 2012 at 1:32pm

Daniel, I disagree.  Driving, cycling, walking in traffic all require paying attention to surroundings and anticipating possible problems in order to remain safe.  I have a brother-in-law who has been in many auto accidents, none of which were "his fault", but many of which could have been avoided if he had been paying attention and had anticipated possible problems.  What good does it do to be right if you or your property are damaged?  Adam is clearly a "defensive rider" and it worked well.

Permalink Reply by Adam Kitzmann on September 7, 2012 at 1:51pm

Completely agree, don't get me wrong, EVERYONE should be aware, we all share the same piece of land. 

Lisa Curcio said:

Daniel, I disagree.  Driving, cycling, walking in traffic all require paying attention to surroundings and anticipating possible problems in order to remain safe.  I have a brother-in-law who has been in many auto accidents, none of which were "his fault", but many of which could have been avoided if he had been paying attention and had anticipated possible problems.  What good does it do to be right if you or your property are damaged?  Adam is clearly a "defensive rider" and it worked well.

Permalink Reply by Adam Kitzmann on September 7, 2012 at 1:55pm

I would agree to an extent. This is a city, not a small town, have to keep your head up. When you ride in an urban environment you are a moving, living, breathing part of that. When I see cyclist with headphones riding down major city streets and things like that it makes me furious. 

Daniel G said:

Good on you for staying safe in a pretty harrowing situation. But people shouldn't really be expected to develop extra senses in order to not get killed. If you can't relax while riding a bike in Chicago, normal people are just going to continue to not do it.

Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on September 7, 2012 at 2:20pm

milwaukee/chicago/ogden is rated #1 worst corner for doorings in the city of chicago per the article (map at the bottom) somebody posted a few days ago at:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/14787906-418/two-wheel-...

Permalink Reply by Gerry G on September 7, 2012 at 3:53pm

Adam K., bravo!  Your high situational awareness saves the day.  Burnt, crispy is so damn expensive. 

Permalink Reply by pat 5.5mi on September 7, 2012 at 4:41pm

i fail to see why people should be able to "relax" when riding a bike on the streets of chicago?  thats what home, the bar, and the LFP on weekdays outside of rush hour are for.

when you "relax" while riding you force others to be hyper-aware.  we live in a metropolitan area of almost 10 million people and "if" we all wanted to relax while transporting ourselves around we'd be in deep shit.

 


Daniel G said:

Good on you for staying safe in a pretty harrowing situation. But people shouldn't really be expected to develop extra senses in order to not get killed. If you can't relax while riding a bike in Chicago, normal people are just going to continue to not do it.

Permalink Reply by pat 5.5mi on September 7, 2012 at 4:43pm

oh yeah.  nice job adam.  i rode through that intersection on grand daily for a year.  heads up always.

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on September 8, 2012 at 6:09am

Congrats on being alert.  Riding in the city means always paying attention to what's going on all around you, and that includes listening, so I second the comments about people who ride with headphones on. I've avoided being doored many times because of hearing the CLICK of a door about to be swung into my path.  But I'd also agree that this isn't an extra sense: it's just common sense!

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