Father's Day Road Rage on Rogers Park.com
This was sent to me by a friend.
Article link here.
Father’s Day Road Rage
Last Sunday evening, while driving home with two of my children from a special Improv Olympics Father’s Day show, I learned an important lesson.
Be careful while driving south bound on Sheffield, near Wrigley Field, especially if driving within two hours of a weekend Cubs Yankees game.
My mistake: While in the left hand lane, I abruptly changed lanes to the right in order to pass the vehicle in front of me preparing to turn left. Before turning I diligently check in my rear view mirror to be sure that no motorist was behind me.
Regretfully, I didn’t check for bicyclists. My kids noticed.
“Uh, Dad” said my youngest, an 18 year old daughter who, despite her lovely non confrontational demeanor, frequently criticizes me for not routinely activating my turn signal when changing lanes. “You cut off that biker.”
“Yeah Dad,” chimed in my 21 year old son, a young man who only five years earlier I had patiently taught the intricacies of parallel parking and to whom I offered countless driving tips. “You almost hit him.”
As I proceeded south on Sheffield, near Belmont, my repeated glances into my rear view mirror unveiled the image of a young male biker, peddling hard in the middle of my lane, trying to catch me. As he passed me on my right side, I could hear him shout out some unintelligible words, directed towards me.
Being the type of person who always presumes the best of others, I chose to interpret what he said as something considerate. “I think he said ‘massive hole?’ The nice young man must be warning me about a giant pothole next block.”
My son (who is more of a realist) didn’t hear it that way. Within seconds, he rolled down his passenger side window, and offered his response: “Hey dude. Next time wear a helmet. Be safe!”
The bicyclist slowed down, and as I approached him, with him on my driver’s side, he repeated what he said earlier, causing me to realize that though I accurately heard him shout the word “hole,” he uttered only a select portion of the word “massive” immediately beforehand.
I would like to say that at this point, my years of wisdom and my desire to set a proper example for my children kicked in - that, realizing that nothing good could come about from verbally retaliating, I continued driving, ignoring him.
Of course, I didn’t. Picking up on my son’s observation, I rolled down my window and shouted out choice expletives, including something about the fact that he should wear an ‘F-ing helmet,’ which resulted in him responding in kind, and threatening to permanently alter the appearance of my side view mirror.
My kids stopped me before I could respond further. Following their advice, I activated my right turn blinker and turned at the next side street, retreating from harm’s way, my side view mirror in tact, but not my ego.
My children looked at me with dismay. Both lectured me about my carelessness at changing lanes without first looking for bicyclists, and they also offered their opinion on how ridiculous I sounded mouthing off to the guy.
At first I got defensive, arguing that most drivers like me simply are not accustomed to sharing our city’s streets with so many bicyclists (seemingly more than ever before), and that we often forget about being mindful of bikes, especially when a street does not have designated bike lanes.
Yet, I also realized that “wrong is wrong” and I was wrong. It doesn’t matter how reckless or drunk or ill prepared some bicyclists might be, those of us driving motor vehicles must constantly be on the look out for bicyclists at all times, irrespective of whether the bicyclist is responsible or reckless.
We drivers cannot presume that all bicyclists are responsible. There are those who don’t wear helmets, and if we hit them (or worse, carelessly open our doors as they are passing us), we bear the liability if they experience head injuries, which many do. Whether we like it or not, we must realize that some bikers choose to ride at night without adequate reflective gear, or lights. Many don’t believe in stopping at stop signs or stop lights and many feel comfortable riding on all parts of the road. We might get angry at them, but we have to realize that they are there and we must exert full caution.
No one wants to deal with the ugly reality if a biker - even a reckless one - gets hit by us, even if their injury is aggravated by their stupidity, such as failure to wear a helmet. As drivers we simply have to avoid having accidents with them. Life will be easier that way.
Similarly, those of us who are bikers need to consider that not all drivers all fully cognizant of their responsibility to share the road. Some drivers, like me in this instance, may fail to take adequate precautions. Bikers cannot ignore the danger of riding bikes in an urban area. We must wear helmets. If riding at night, we must wear reflective gear or place reflective apparatus on the rear of our bikes. We ought to install lights.
What about drinking and biking?
In the past thirty years there has been a heightened awareness of the perils of drinking and driving motor vehicles.
Bikers must fully consider the danger of drinking and riding bikes.
The rules are common sense. Stay off of your bike if you are over served. Leave your bike at the bar. Take a taxi home.
Or do the humiliating thing and simply stumble home.
It sure beats having to fend with the likes of me on the road.
Views: 241
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on
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I'd like to know exactly how this driver just knew that the cyclist was drunk. Someone needs to tell me that it's possible to cut off people in traffic when they're sober too.
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Permalink Reply by Carly on
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I think autos are all around an inefficient and undesirable mode of transportation. Driving an auto is almost like being hypnotized- The driver is comfortable in their seat, and they are only doing the most mild and mundane physical movements to keep the vehicle in motion. When you're inside, you don't feel dangerous. And because you are inside, which is to say, completely separated from what's going on outside, then you cannot possibly know all the happenings that are taking place around you. It's difficult if not impossible to pay attention to everything. So really, at heart, I do not blame the driver's of auto's for their silly, silly mistakes. It's not their fault, really, however, it is their fault that they chose a terrible form of transportation.
As a cyclist, i get cut off by drivers all the time. I think sometimes they do it on purpose. They wait until I get just behind them before they to pull out of a parking spot. And it only happens to me when I'm sober, and it only happens to every cyclist from time to time because cyclists are a tiny dot on the viewing screen which is the windshield. Its ok, i tell myself often, auto's will seem sillier and sillier to to chicagoans over time and will eventually disappear. Oh man, what would that look like?
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Permalink Reply by Joel on
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Maybe it is because I walk and bike so much, but driving is terrifying to me a lot of the time. Drivers don't even pay attention to other cars. No clue of what is going on. God forbid they have to use a stop sign -- even worse, one where there are multiple lanes in each direction. Honestly, maybe 1 in 3 drivers is qualified to drive.
A lot of cyclist are clueless, but at least I don't feel like they are going to kill me.
Carly said:I think autos are all around an inefficient and undesirable mode of transportation. Driving an auto is almost like being hypnotized- The driver is comfortable in their seat, and they are only doing the most mild and mundane physical movements to keep the vehicle in motion. When you're inside, you don't feel dangerous. And because you are inside, which is to say, completely separated from what's going on outside, then you cannot possibly know all the happenings that are taking place around you. It's difficult if not impossible to pay attention to everything. So really, at heart, I do not blame the driver's of auto's for their silly, silly mistakes. It's not their fault, really, however, it is their fault that they chose a terrible form of transportation.
As a cyclist, i get cut off by drivers all the time. I think sometimes they do it on purpose. They wait until I get just behind them before they to pull out of a parking spot. And it only happens to me when I'm sober, and it only happens to every cyclist from time to time because cyclists are a tiny dot on the viewing screen which is the windshield. Its ok, i tell myself often, auto's will seem sillier and sillier to to chicagoans over time and will eventually disappear. Oh man, what would that look like?
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Permalink Reply by Mark Kenseth on
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I saw the worse thing this evening, which is the opposite of the dad/kids story, but it reminds me of how drivers sit in their comfort bubble, oblivious to the outside world. A guy in a SUV pulled into Trader Joe's parking lot and was impatient with what seemed to be a homeless man. I was biking in behind the driver and heard him honk, then saw the homeless guy walking across the parking lanes (away from the store). The driver slowed, waited, revved his engine, then came withing 12" of the homeless guy while turning into the parking spot, pretending to hit him. I couldn't believe it. It's just unthinkable for me to treat someone with less as less. I almost did something bad, but instead I put a hex on the driver as I followed him into the store. Very bad person.
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Permalink Reply by mike w. on
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Okay, so...
First off, the son was an effing edithole for saying anything to the cyclist. When i'm driving, woe betide any passenger of mine who shouts rude things out the window -they'll find themselves let out at the next corner. And so what if the rider was lidless? There's no law in this state that i'm aware of that requires a helmet (BTW, i for one chose to wear one, but the operant word is choice.)
So, you cut the guy off in traffic and he got pissed off at you? You deserve the billingsgate you got from the rider. Man up and have the decency to at least act apologetic, tell your kid (yeah, 21 and technically an adult,) to STFU or get out and walk, and thereafter get your cager head out of your ass!
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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on
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Nice use of "billingsgate."
mike w. said:
Okay, so...
[snip]
So, you cut the guy off in traffic and he got pissed off at you? You deserve the billingsgate you got from the rider.
[snip]
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Permalink Reply by Jason on
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Let's be clear, this is the only thing in Mike's non-apology that matters: "While in the left hand lane, I abruptly changed lanes to the right in order to pass the vehicle in front of me preparing to turn left."
There is no left or right lane on Sheffield. It is a two lane street, one going in each direction, North and South. Nor are there any left turn lanes on Sheffield. What Mike G did was illegally pass someone on the right.
Per the Illinois Compiled Statutes (pertinent laws for both ILCS and Chicago Municipal Codes available here: http://chicagobikes.org/bikelaws/index.php).
Section 605 ILCS 5/ Illinois Highway Code, 11-703 Overtaking a vehicle on the left: ...The driver of a vehicle overtaking another vehicle proceeding in the same direction shall pass to the left thereof at a safe distance and shall not again drive to the right side of the roadway until safely clear of the overtaken vehicle....
In the process Mike cut off a bicyclist who was traveling in their assigned position on the roadway.
Section 605 ILCS 5/ Illinois Highway Code, 11-1505 Position of bicycles and motorized pedal cycles on roadways - Riding on roadways and bicycle path: (a) Any person operating a bicycle or motorized pedal cycle upon a roadway at less than the normal speed of traffic at the time and place and under the conditions then existing shall ride as close as practicable and safe to the right hand curb or edge of the roadway except under the following situations: 1. When overtaking and passing another bicycle, motorized pedal cycle or vehicle proceeding in the same direction; or 2. When preparing for a left turn at an intersection or into a private road or driveway; or 3. When reasonably necessary to avoid conditions including, but not limited to, fixed or moving objects, parked or moving vehicles, bicycles, motorized pedal cycles, pedestrians, animals, surface hazards, or substandard width lanes that make it unsafe to continue along the right hand curb or edge. For purposes of this subsection, a "substandard width lane" means a lane that is too narrow for a bicycle or motorized pedal cycle and a vehicle to travel safely side by side within the lane. 4. When approaching a place where a right turn is authorized. (b) Any person operating a bicycle or motorized pedal cycle upon a one way highway with two or more marked traffic lanes may ride as near the left hand curb or edge of such roadway as practicable.
These Il. state statutes are reinforced by similar Municipal Codes.
Nowhere in either the State or Municipal law is there a requirement for bicyclists to wear a helmet.
Mike illegally passed another vehicle on the right, almost striking a bicyclists who was operating their bicycle within the proper position on the roadway.
End of story.
The helmet has nothing to do with it and is just a cheap and easy out to try to shift blame to the victim. Had there been a crash and the bicyclists been injured, the injuries would not be a result of the absence of the helmet. The injuries would be the result of Mike's irresponsible and illegal operation of his vehicle upon the public right of way. It's not anymore complicated than that.
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Permalink Reply by Melanie K on
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My favorite line from someone driving is "you just came out of nowhere" as well as as "sneaking up on me" like I am a ninja, just sneaking up on your car and shooting out of thin air so that I can almost get run over as the driver turns left or right or just pulls out. I wish I had the patience to tell them that I am most likely coming from somewhere and going somewhere to, as I don't really know where nowhere is located.
H3N3 said:
I had one of these last week-- woman double parked, shot out into the driving lane suddenly without checking mirrors, with me of course just even with the car at that moment. I think I probably gave her a "thank you, thank you so much, that was really great" kind of thing and she came back with some crap about me "sneaking up on her."
I've had several similar incidents over the past two weeks or so (and I go weeks without any such incidents)-- my take is that there's an ample supply of good weed making the rounds at the moment.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on
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The whole article is a giant excuse for breaking the law and almost hitting someone because of it! One thing he hit on and is a personal pet peeve of mine is the no lights at night. I come home from work at about 2 A.M. daily and usually see 8-15 cyclist on Irving Park rd and only about 30% have any lights. I am looking for cyclist and can barely see some of you at night just imagine the drivers not looking for anything but the next green light.
BTW I am a ninja!
Melanie said:
"you just came out of nowhere" as well as as "sneaking up on me" like I am a ninja, just sneaking up on your car and shooting out of thin air so that I can almost get run over as the driver turns left or right or just pulls out.
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I agree about the article, although the author does seem to try to take some responsibility by stating that drivers need to look out for others and be more careful. I also am a bit peeved about cyclists riding at night without any type of light or reflectors. I am definitely not a ninja- anyone who has seen me riding at night can attest to my 16 LED flashing blinky vest as well as various lights and reflectors making me look like a rolling Christmas tree. I probably blind 1/2 the cars and cyclists at times, which is probably why they can't see me coming :)
Joe Willis said:
The whole article is a giant excuse for breaking the law and almost hitting someone because of it! One thing he hit on and is a personal pet peeve of mine is the no lights at night. I come home from work at about 2 A.M. daily and usually see 8-15 cyclist on Irving Park rd and only about 30% have any lights. I am looking for cyclist and can barely see some of you at night just imagine the drivers not looking for anything but the next green light.
BTW I am a ninja!
Melanie said:
"you just came out of nowhere" as well as as "sneaking up on me" like I am a ninja, just sneaking up on your car and shooting out of thin air so that I can almost get run over as the driver turns left or right or just pulls out.
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Permalink Reply by Jason W on
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Seems like the asshole family frankly. Fuck this guy blaming the cyclists in his non-apology.
He was clearly in the wrong, and then was an asshole about it.
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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on
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Melanie - I'm with you on this. At least he was taking some responsibility after the fact, although it sounds like he was an asshole at the time.
I'm less than thrilled at the number of bike ninjas out there, especially when they fail to consider that the people they may endanger most are peds and other cyclists.
I've got two big driver pet peeves here in Beverly. One is a south side thing - people parking on the wrong side of the street, facing traffic. When they pull out, they tend to be less than observant about watching for oncoming traffic, especially cyclists. A lot of these turkeys are off-duty cops and firefighters - bad BAD example to be setting. I wish they'd stop being f&*!!@ lazy, park on the correct side and walk across the street.
Pet peeve #2 - drivers who are way over the center line on narrow 2-way streets. If you need to move over a little to give someone room when they're getting in or out of a car, fine. Then get back on your ride of the street so you're not creating a serious risk of a head-on collision, especially near intersections!
Melanie said:I agree about the article, although the author does seem to try to take some responsibility by stating that drivers need to look out for others and be more careful. I also am a bit peeved about cyclists riding at night without any type of light or reflectors. I am definitely not a ninja- anyone who has seen me riding at night can attest to my 16 LED flashing blinky vest as well as various lights and reflectors making me look like a rolling Christmas tree. I probably blind 1/2 the cars and cyclists at times, which is probably why they can't see me coming :)
Joe Willis said:
The whole article is a giant excuse for breaking the law and almost hitting someone because of it! One thing he hit on and is a personal pet peeve of mine is the no lights at night. I come home from work at about 2 A.M. daily and usually see 8-15 cyclist on Irving Park rd and only about 30% have any lights. I am looking for cyclist and can barely see some of you at night just imagine the drivers not looking for anything but the next green light.
BTW I am a ninja!
Melanie said:
"you just came out of nowhere" as well as as "sneaking up on me" like I am a ninja, just sneaking up on your car and shooting out of thin air so that I can almost get run over as the driver turns left or right or just pulls out.
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