Harrassed on my commute home

I got harassed by four separate motorists on my commute home this evening! I was riding down Lincoln, in the middle of the lane for parts of it because I didn't feel safe riding all the way to the right. Lincoln does not have a bike land, only sharrows. I don't like to ride inside of the door zone, and cars were passing me too close on the right. I got honked at a lot and yelled at. Same thing happened on Aldine. I try to ride down side streets because they have less motor traffic. I don't quite understand why the cars didn't go one block over to Belmont instead, if they were sick of being stuck behind me. A taxi and a Cadillac followed me for two miles, honking and yelling the whole way, while following too closely. Sorry for the rant, I am just getting frustrated with asshole drivers. Am I being too aggressive by riding in the middle of the lane?

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on June 15, 2012 at 9:35am

You are correct, this is my point but said nicer.

David Barish said:

We need to be mindful of Marshall McLuhan.  Our words and actions need to jive.  I agree with Dug's intent but think perhaps his word choice belied his message. I read that message as - The road is a cooperative acitivty. bikes, cars, etc all have to play together. I completely agree with him.  One could argue his tone (we all get hyped a bit and I will give him a pass) was less cooperative.  Lincoln Ave. is a perfect vehicle for this discussion as there is room on both sides for the experienced cyclist. We must keep our eyes peeled for  doors as we should not be smack dab in the middle of the lane unless we are making a maneuver or otherwise temporarily occupying.  The far right is also a poor place to be (both on the road and otherwise). Darting from behind cars to being in sight is not a great way to ride.  Take a straight line in between the parked cars and driving ones. Everybody moves except when somebody double parks. If you do not yet have the experience to do this you may not be ready for riding this road.  I admit urban cycling can be claustophobic for the inexperienced.  It takes time to get comfortable. 

 

This morning I rode in with a group and a guy was making a delivery with a small truck on Wells and took up the bike lane. Somebody in the group must have barked at him. He said "Hey, I'm just trying to do my job."  He really had no other option and didn't deserve the dissonance. It was not hard to ride around him. I would have less tolerance for a car just sitting there outside of a Starbucks.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on June 15, 2012 at 9:42am

I've been on that part of Lincoln a lot; it is not that bad.

I am not sure of the exact speed limit there but I am going to guess it is either 20 or 25MPH which I very much doubt the O/P was maintaining.  He could have been but I think it is very unlikely.  If you are moving at the pace of traffic, or very close to it, motorists do not tend to honk and get mad when they have to pass you.



Daniel G said:

Again, this is not the section he was referring to or anywhere near it. Lincoln is a long road. He rides Montrose to Belmont and the conditions are totally different from the section south of Fullerton that everyone keeps wanting to talk about.

He's said that he was traveling at the speed limit which not one person has acknowledged and this is honestly turning into like the worst thread.



in it to win it said:

Lincoln from Halsted to Wells has been easy for me for four years.  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.  AM/PM.  Almost every week day, any weather.  I am not Superman.  I am still in one piece. 

Peace.

 

 

Permalink Reply by David Barish on June 15, 2012 at 9:59am



Daniel G said:

Again, this is not the section he was referring to or anywhere near it. Lincoln is a long road. He rides Montrose to Belmont and the conditions are totally different from the section south of Fullerton that everyone keeps wanting to talk about.

He's said that he was traveling at the speed limit which not one person has acknowledged and this is honestly turning into like the worst thread.



in it to win it said:

Lincoln from Halsted to Wells has been easy for me for four years.  Spring, Summer, Fall, Winter.  AM/PM.  Almost every week day, any weather.  I am not Superman.  I am still in one piece. 

Peace.

 

 I do not recall seeing any post about travelling the speed limit. That limit is 25 mph and if he can do this in jeans on a hybrid he doesn't need our help. I don't think that is what happened.  The stretch between Belmont and  Montrose is not particularly dangerous or scary. It gets most crowded when the auto traffic comes to a standstill and bikes are the only things moving as we approch Montrose.  As I mentioned before, if that is a difficult stretch it means he just  needs a little more seasoning. With time it will come.

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on June 15, 2012 at 12:57pm

+3

Kevin C said:

Difficult to tell from your account of the events, but if you are obstructing a taxi and a Cadillac for two miles, you are no longer traffic, you are a traffic hazard. Taking the lane is a short term solution to traffic impediments and stretches of fast roads where there's not adequate room to ride to the right and avoid the door zone. I don't think aggressive is the proper adjective. You may not be fast enough or may be lacking in bike handling skills that make it difficult for you to ride with traffic. If your solution is that cars should get off the road which you have decided to occupy, and take an alternate route, it doesn't sound like you're being an aware or astute "share the road" user. Drivers get frustrated with asshole bike riders too.

Permalink Reply by bk (aka: Dr. Mambohead) on June 16, 2012 at 7:58am
there are those that tell me the mere act of setting bicycle on roadway is an act of self-endangering insanity, so?

this thread has been careening around my gargantuan granitic melon for awhile.... on the last ricochet... I pondered....

as a shoe-on-the-other foot and a foot-in-the-mouth kinda guy... dare I turn it around?... sort of flip the script?

what if it was a mambo-headed bicyclist in front of you?.. doing precisely to you what you were doing to those cars?

increase the peace, ever-luvvin' brethren....
it is already too hot out there! this is chicago, dudes!.. people have been capped for far less.

ripples from the wings of a butterfly, beloved... or from the wail-wind of a bludgeoning? let's be careful out there.

i am fresh out of grace. this is why i so seek it in others. i am the objection i wish removed.

"It takes Strength to be Gentle and Kind" -The Smiths

there is so little time
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 17, 2012 at 1:40am

For once, I can not be blamed for what has transpired in this thread...

Permalink Reply by Zoetrope on June 17, 2012 at 7:20am

Then you had to go ruin everything and post, didn't you...

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on June 17, 2012 at 4:28pm

Permalink Reply by Joe Schmoe on June 18, 2012 at 8:10am

Just wait at an intersection for the cars to clear, then proceed. Problem solved.  Bike "safety" is staying as far away from cars as possible IMO. 

Permalink Reply by globalguy on June 18, 2012 at 12:16pm

Wow, makes me glad I moved :)

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 18, 2012 at 12:21pm

was just going to tell you that you guys need to move back to the city!

da' Square Wheelman (aka garth) said:

Wow, makes me glad I moved :)

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on July 19, 2012 at 9:36am

The law requires that you ride "as near as it practicable" to the curb. Whether or not you were a nuisance would have to do with how real the threat of getting doored was. You would be the best judge of that.

Sec. 11-1505. Position of bicycles and motorized pedal cycles on roadways—Riding on roadways and bicycle paths.
(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 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.

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