The Chainlink

I rode Dearborn today...anyone else?

I just missed the press conference and just hung out at lunch to see how it would all work. It seemed easy enough, so I took Dearborn as my starting route home to Roscoe Village. Normally I hit Franklin to Orleans then north to Lincoln.

I have to say, it was pretty easy and relatively safe. The ambassadors were helpful with the the auto traffic. The walkers were easy enough to avoid. I had to chuckle at two riders riding side by side in the lane.

What I didn't see was any oncoming traffic; southbound riders. I am guessing that will come in time or at other times during the day.

Way to go Mayor RE! This is really making a statement.

Who else rode the new path?

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Permalink Reply by spencewine on March 28, 2013 at 11:17pm

Really? We can't be happy for one minute about the plates and have to start in on the bitching. How about this, if the plates get icy, you get off your bike and take the sidewalk.

Joe Guzzardo said:

Nice, but I'm curious, how will riding over those plates be next winter when they're iced over?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

The plates on the bridge are finished!  I don't know what they are going to put up in place of the construction horse barriers, but no more grates to ride across.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 29, 2013 at 6:23am

I will say one thing about this group--we are nothing if not complainers. ;-)

Anyway, I suspect they are going to salt them to death, just as they do Kinzie.

spencewine said:

Really? We can't be happy for one minute about the plates and have to start in on the bitching. How about this, if the plates get icy, you get off your bike and take the sidewalk.

Joe Guzzardo said:

Nice, but I'm curious, how will riding over those plates be next winter when they're iced over?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

The plates on the bridge are finished!  I don't know what they are going to put up in place of the construction horse barriers, but no more grates to ride across.

Permalink Reply by David P. on March 29, 2013 at 6:58am

I rode it on my way to the CSO last night - the bridge plates are nice. The semi-suicidal couple blithely standing in the middle of the lane on a green light less so, but that's normal (see, there's my obligatory complaint....)

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on March 29, 2013 at 7:59am
I for one am getting sick of all the complaining around here. It's getting ridiculous and needs to stop.
Permalink Reply by spencewine on March 29, 2013 at 8:34am
Don't get me wrong, I understand commiserating, but it's truly impressive when before yesterday this group was complaining about plates not being in and as soon as they are in, the complaining about them being in starts up. To top it off, Joe is future bitching as winter is 8 months off. Lets save it for next December and focus on the more relevant bitching of this season.


Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

I will say one thing about this group--we are nothing if not complainers. ;-)

Anyway, I suspect they are going to salt them to death, just as they do Kinzie.

spencewine said:

Really? We can't be happy for one minute about the plates and have to start in on the bitching. How about this, if the plates get icy, you get off your bike and take the sidewalk.

Joe Guzzardo said:

Nice, but I'm curious, how will riding over those plates be next winter when they're iced over?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

The plates on the bridge are finished!  I don't know what they are going to put up in place of the construction horse barriers, but no more grates to ride across.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 29, 2013 at 8:53am

I love those plates!  Now, everyone, start riding on Dearborn and our sheer numbers will keep the pedestrians on the curb.  Except for the ones that step out in front of cars--nothing will keep them on the sidewalk!

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on March 29, 2013 at 10:54am

Spring is here -or maybe not.   

The natives are getting restless...

As far as the plates are concerned, people either love them or hate them.  Often it has to do with the inverse of how skinny of tires you run -but not always.    One one side we have Kathy, for whom the plates are often named after.  And there are others like me who are on the opposite side.    But I understand that for the most part many people like them and those that hate them are in the minority.  If the plates help get more riders out and keep folks from not biking (because the bridges are real geographical barriers for those who like the plates) then I support them even if I'm not their biggest fan.    

As long as the bridge grates aren't falling apart with holes and random crappy lumpy & loose patches they don't bother me in the least.  I've ridden across the Mighty Mackinac bridge on a 200cc dirt bike with knobby off-road tires.  THAT was an interesting experience. 

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 29, 2013 at 10:58am

Let's not wake up from the dream. ;-)
 
Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

This week on The Chainlink:

Herstein is telling people to stop complaining.  Curcio is looking to connect for some S24Os and Centuries.  DUG is admonishing people to be nice.  The Olive Garden is coming to Chicago.  Having devoured its share of commuters, Dearborn FINALLY has plates to cover its sharp metal teeth. 

Is this real life?

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

I love those plates!  Now, everyone, start riding on Dearborn and our sheer numbers will keep the pedestrians on the curb.  Except for the ones that step out in front of cars--nothing will keep them on the sidewalk!

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on April 1, 2013 at 7:31am

FYI that there were two vehicles parked in the Dearborn bike lane this morning a few minutes before 7:00 am, just south of Washington. One was a sedan, might have been an official vehicle (unmarked police?) and one was a truck. Both already had tickets on their windows. (Would a cop really give a ticket to an unmarked squad car?)

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on April 1, 2013 at 7:33am

tickets????

Michelle Stenzel said:

FYI that there were two vehicles parked in the Dearborn bike lane this morning a few minutes before 7:00 am, just south of Washington. One was a sedan, might have been an official vehicle (unmarked police?) and one was a truck. Both already had tickets on their windows. (Would a cop really give a ticket to an unmarked squad car?)

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on April 1, 2013 at 7:42am

Citations. Not concert tickets to Lollapalooza as a reward. At least I hope not.
 
Julie Hochstadter said:

tickets????

Michelle Stenzel said:

FYI that there were two vehicles parked in the Dearborn bike lane this morning a few minutes before 7:00 am, just south of Washington. One was a sedan, might have been an official vehicle (unmarked police?) and one was a truck. Both already had tickets on their windows. (Would a cop really give a ticket to an unmarked squad car?)

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on April 1, 2013 at 1:41pm

Today I rode over the bridge for the first time since the plates were installed and it was awesome.

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