The Chainlink

Cyclist with minor injuries 'lucky to be alive' after he was clipped by a Brown Line train


A cyclist was clipped by a CTA Brown Line train Friday afternoon on the Northwest Side — and walked away with only minor injuries.

The cyclist was crossing the tracks near the Kedzie stop around 4:40 p.m. in the 4600 block of North Kedzie Avenue in the Albany Park neighborhood when he was hit by the train, Chicago police said. The tracks are street-level on that stretch of the Brown Line.

The cyclist was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center for minor injuries. Officials previously reported he refused treatment.

“He’s lucky to be alive,” said Walter Schroeder, deputy district chief of the Chicago Fire Department.

The Brown Line is operating with a delay after the incident.

https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/ct-met-cyclist-c...

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... but was he wearing a helmet? ;>

Short of making the line elevated there are larger barriers not sure what else they can do. That crossing is exceptionally well marked.

That being said, thank God the cyclist walked away without serious injuries.

Tragic.  I guess if people are going to go around the large gate with blinking lights the other alternative would be some huge barrier that you can't get around.  I would think that would be technically difficult and slow to open.  Maybe better signage would be the trick...

It's a frustrating crossing but you just have to be patient. I used to commute regularly past that gate. I've sat at the gate with it going up/going down, waiting for a long time. I can see why some get frustrated and go around it but there's always so much danger in that. Always, always respect the gate and wait. A faster commute and/or general frustration aren't worth risking your life.

Grade level trains are riskier in what used to be a quaint chill part of town.

It's just time for that part of town to elevate the train line. Judgement seems to falter in busy urban environments. 

Spend money because a few idiots aren't smart enough to follow blinking lights and a closed barrier?  Include me out of this idea. 

Some suburbs have also limited trains from using whistles as a warning because it's too disturbing to the residents.

In the earliest days of railroads in Chicago railroads were new and many were unaware of their existence.  Today blinking lights and gate closings should be enough.

the yellow line also has a bunch of at-grade street crossings in skokie.

here are the at-grade street crossings of the el:

purple line - 2 in wilmette

yellow line - 7 in skokie

brown line - 1 in lincoln square, 5 in albany park

pink line - 3 in north lawndale, 7 in cicero

so there are only 9 at-grade street crossings within city limits.

Metra has A LOT more in city limits, way too many for me to bother counting up.

Take away? Don't go around a lowered crossing gate -duh!

And, save your preaching for church.

There's a phrase i learnt from a family member in the Navy- it applies to stupid, or self-destructive and self-defeating individuals: They're a self-cleaning oven.

Eventually such riders either learn or get removed from the gene pool.

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