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 Shaun Jacobsen on December 18, 2012 at 4:58am
Unfortunately I don't see a better way than that. Otherwise it's just large vehicles blocking the whole lane. Too bad there isn't another way to ensure it doesn't happen aside from more enforcement (unlikely - see the cops in those lanes?) which could only realistically be done with cameras.



Skip Montanaro said:

Especially if that bollard is made from concrete as an earlier poster indicated is in the future for a separator between parked cars and the bike lane.

Cameron Puetz said:

I see a bollard in the middle of the bike lane doing more harm than good. The lanes are so narrow that there would be no room to swerve around a pothole or garbage in the street.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on December 18, 2012 at 5:25am

The police officers in the bike lanes anywhere are the most disheartening thing I see.  Everyone else irritates me, but it seems that CPD is just thumbing its nose at cyclists, at the Mayor, and at the city when police officers so blatantly disregard the law.  Is it something they learn in the academy--they are better than the rest of the world?

Permalink Reply by Derek on December 18, 2012 at 5:39am

I've taken the new Dearborn lane south from Kenzie twice on my morning commute now. Both times there have been cabs(more than one) parked in the bikelane by Caroll St, based on the fact that the cabbies flipped off the group of cyclists as we went around them, I'd assume they know they're doing something wrong and don't care.

Considering how slowly bike traffic moves in those new lanes it makes me consider running straight into a cab and landing on their hood.... but that probably wouldn't do any good.

As a whole it seems like an interesting experiment and I'm hopeful for a net positive effective on the cycling community.

Permalink Reply by Tricolor on December 18, 2012 at 5:39am

I got a flat just as I got to work yesterday, fixed it as best I could with my 20 year old mini pump and took Dearborn on my way to Village Cycle Center to fill up the tire properly (and get a new mini pump).  It was about six when I left so it was quite dark.  There were a few pedestrians that didn't look before walking out into the lane, though since I was moving pretty slowly there was no surprise or drama.  A few taxis coming out of driveways had no problem blocking the lanes as they waited to turn on to Dearborn, and one driver ignored the no left turn arrows and might have hit me if I hadn't seen their turn signal and hesitated just a moment when the straight ahead lights turned green.

Otherwise the lane northbound from Jackson is pretty nice if you're not trying to get in a training run.  South of the river there were about four other bikes using the lanes.  I didn't make every light but I didn't miss every one, either.  It ends pretty unceremoniously and leaves you on the left side of traffic after a while, but I was able to switch over to Wells by then.  Some signs for people traveling farther north or some more paint on the lanes directing you over to Wells would be nice.

I was in Montreal last week and they had a lot of bike lanes similar to Chicago but there are also a lot of heavy arteries like this:

The CPD thumbs its nose at everyone.  Too many officers red lights and stop signs regularly, go the wrong way down Winthrop and Kenmore without their emergency lights and on Saturday at about 3:30 AM as I was getting home one was weaving through traffic on Lake Shore Drive with no lights at all (head or tail) in order to sneak up on someone.  I swear to God they should all have cameras on those cars at all times to catch this crap if they can't police their own behavior.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 18, 2012 at 5:51am

Vancouver, BC has a lot of these cycle tracks too.

Tricolor said:

I was in Montreal last week and they had a lot of bike lanes similar to Chicago but there are also a lot of heavy arteries like this:

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on December 18, 2012 at 8:18am
Tony Adams Tony Adams @tonyatoms 18 Dec
@wyndhamblake I realize the new bike lanes will require some adjustment, but please instruct your staff to enlighten cabs and limo drivers

WyndhamBlake Chicago WyndhamBlake Chicago
@wyndhamblake
@tonyatoms Thanks for mentioning the bike lanes. We will take your comment into consideration as we adjust to the change. Have a great day!
01:03 PM - 18 Dec 12
Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 18, 2012 at 8:21am

The fact that cops are parking in the bike lane leads me to believe that CPD has no interest in ticketing or towing bike lane violators. If they can't even police themselves, how are they expected to police others?

Permalink Reply by Sarah Lewert on December 18, 2012 at 8:39am

I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 18, 2012 at 8:40am

I too have noticed this and have seen many a pedestrian get yelled at by a cyclist who had the green and had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting them.

They were doing this while the lane was under construction. I'm hoping that this is just a carry-over from that and people will eventually figure out that if they continue to stand in the bike lane that they might get hit by a less than forgiving cyclist.

Sarah Lewert said:

I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.

Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on December 18, 2012 at 9:46am

This is a good use for a bell. It is kinda hard to yell with a bell!

Adam Herstein said:

I too have noticed this and have seen many a pedestrian get yelled at by a cyclist who had the green and had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting them.

They were doing this while the lane was under construction. I'm hoping that this is just a carry-over from that and people will eventually figure out that if they continue to stand in the bike lane that they might get hit by a less than forgiving cyclist.

Sarah Lewert said:

I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on December 18, 2012 at 9:48am

Believe me – I've tried that. Most people don't get the hint until you yell at them to move. People that don't normally ride a bike don't seem to register a bell as a warning. I'm not just ringing my bell for my own amusement.

Tony Adams said:

This is a good use for a bell. It is kinda hard to yell with a bell!

Adam Herstein said:

I too have noticed this and have seen many a pedestrian get yelled at by a cyclist who had the green and had to swerve out of the way to avoid hitting them.

They were doing this while the lane was under construction. I'm hoping that this is just a carry-over from that and people will eventually figure out that if they continue to stand in the bike lane that they might get hit by a less than forgiving cyclist.

Sarah Lewert said:

I've ridden several times and noticed that pedestrians are now standing in the bike lane rather than on the sidewalk while they wait to cross.

Permalink Reply by Cheryl on December 18, 2012 at 9:57am

+1

Lisa Curcio said:

The police officers in the bike lanes anywhere are the most disheartening thing I see.  Everyone else irritates me, but it seems that CPD is just thumbing its nose at cyclists, at the Mayor, and at the city when police officers so blatantly disregard the law.  Is it something they learn in the academy--they are better than the rest of the world?

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