"Evanston debates whether to backpedal on bike lanes"

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Skip Montanaro 0mi on September 26, 2016 at 7:40am

"The best parking "protected" designs (often ignored in Chicago) avoid the visibility issue by prohibiting parking near conflict points...which is to say that the best practice is to make intersections NOT protected by parked cars."

Bingo! Reducing visibility is rarely the best way to go. If it was, perhaps we'd be better off running at night without lights or reflectors.

Another point about being seen. Most people (in my opinion, I have no study to back it up), pay closest attention to the things which can do them the most harm. They also, I think, tend not to scan too completely, but look at a couple points (straight ahead and strongly to the left and right) for oncoming cars. Putting the cyclist near the moving vehicle makes it more likely they will be seen than tucked away between parked cars and the curb.

Permalink Reply by Maurice on September 26, 2016 at 11:39am

Sadly, since I wrote my initial post, another cyclist was killed by a right-turning driver, who I'm sure told the police that he didn't see the victim.

 

And, though it pales in comparison, I was right hooked this morning on Canal.  It was pretty egregious on the driver's part.  He didn't even signal.  Just drove right into me.  I'm uninjured only because I was able to turn with the SUV, which drove another 10 feet or so after making contact with me.  The first thing out his mouth was, "I didn't see you," even though I was wearing an orange jersey and a silver helmet in broad daylight.

Permalink Reply by Sean Newby on September 26, 2016 at 1:33pm

"I didn't see you" - my favorite phrase.

Bullshit. You didn't look.

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