The Chainlink

CTA Blue Line briefly stopped after bike rider falls off platform

Tribune Staff report   11:15 a.m. CDT, September 19, 2012

Trains on part of the CTA Blue Line were stopped briefly this morning after a bike rider heading down a ramp at a West Side "L" station lost control and went off the platform onto the tracks, authorities said.

The man was in good condition when taken to John H. Stroger Hospital following the incident about 10:20 a.m. at the Kedzie-Homan station, 530 S. Kedzie Ave., said Meg Ahlheim, a spokeswoman for the Chicago Fire Department.

The victim fell onto the tracks and hurt his leg, police said.

Maps 530 S Kedzie Ave, Chicago, IL 60624, USA Ads by GoogleThe accident happened when a CTA customer tried to ride a bicycle down a ramp that leads from the station entrance to the platform at the ground level of the Eisenhower Expressway, said CTA spokeswoman Catherine Hosinski.

The bike rider lost control at the bottom of the ramp, and fell onto the tracks, but did not hit the electrified third rail and was not hit by a train, Hosinski said.

Power was turned off briefly on part of the Forest Park leg of the Blue Line, but was restored within about 20 minutes.

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Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

If a cyclist is courteous in the forest.....  

no reason to think there were other people on the ramp when this occurred.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

Because not riding down could mean missing a train and potentially an extra 30+ minute wait depending on Blue Line construction.

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

Guess the wait turned out longer than 30 minutes.

h' said:

Because not riding down could mean missing a train and potentially an extra 30+ minute wait depending on Blue Line construction.

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

remember the darwin awards ?   ("......watch this")

I will resrve judgment re: the relative intelligence of his ass until more of the details are known.

Michael B said:

I wonder how long the trains were delayed because they had to drag his stupid ass off the tracks.

h' said:

Because not riding down could mean missing a train and potentially an extra 30+ minute wait depending on Blue Line construction.

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

We don't know that it was his decision.

Michael B said:

Making the decision to ride a bike down that ramp is all the information I need. Stupid & irresponsible. 

h' said:

I will resrve judgment re: the relative intelligence of his ass until more of the details are known.

Michael B said:

I wonder how long the trains were delayed because they had to drag his stupid ass off the tracks.

h' said:

Because not riding down could mean missing a train and potentially an extra 30+ minute wait depending on Blue Line construction.

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

Someone put a gun to his head and said "ride down this ramp designed for pedestrians!"?   I'm a situational cyclist: sometimes (rarely) go on a sidewalk, or against a one-way street.  Like everyone, I drift through most stop signs, and red lights on empty streets.  But some things are just never OK, and one of them is riding a bike on a ramp down to a train platform.  Too dangerous, as this result shows, and rude to other CTA patrons and workers. 

h' said:

We don't know that it was his decision.

Michael B said:

Making the decision to ride a bike down that ramp is all the information I need. Stupid & irresponsible. 

h' said:

I will resrve judgment re: the relative intelligence of his ass until more of the details are known.

Michael B said:

I wonder how long the trains were delayed because they had to drag his stupid ass off the tracks.

h' said:

Because not riding down could mean missing a train and potentially an extra 30+ minute wait depending on Blue Line construction.

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

Amen ;-)

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

Was the guy's name Johnny Knoxville or perhaps Steve-O?  Wee-Man maybe?

If you're gonna be dumb, you gotta be tough...

Thank Zeus he missed the electrified pickup rail (or perhaps it wasn't energized at the time because there wasn't a train coming.) 

Gabe and Cameron don't use the Forest Park branch of the Blue Line.



Gabe said:

Amen ;-)

Cameron Puetz said:

I'm going to refer that question to my 17 year old or intoxicated self. He said that it looked like fun.

Bill Savage said:

Not to blame the victim here, but why on earth would you ride down this ramp?  Much worse than riding on the sidewalk even.  Once in an El station, you walk your bike.  It's common courtesy.

Someone is hurt on a bicycle and ridicule and insult is seriously the response from some cyclists?

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