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 Kevin C Dormant on February 27, 2013 at 3:14pm

Different question, Tony.

Tony Adams 6.6 mi said:

I think there should be. The problem of snow should not be pushed out into the street. There are places all over town, bike lane or not, where pushing snow out into the street creates a problem for cyclists.


Permalink Reply by Jamais716 on February 27, 2013 at 5:42pm

Yep, the city has the equipment.  I had to go around a city salt/plow truck that was parked in the Jackson bike lane just west of Ogden this morning.  Not sure if the driver sitting in it understood my dirty look and wave as a signal to not park there.  Glad they're putting that equipment to good use.


Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

The city does have the equipment and it is being used.  The problems are because of snow being shoveled into the lanes.  I am not surprised that this is happening, either, but I take the position that this can be solved with education.  Humans are notoriously slow learners and do not like change. ;-)  Look back in history--it took people a long time to adjust to having "horseless carriages" on the streets, but once they were accepted they really took off!
 
Skip Montanaro 12mi said:

I think that will be an ongoing problem. Normal bike lanes are accessible to snow plows and do not generally run right next to the curb.  If a regular bike lane hasn't been fully cleared, it's likely that some of it has been or has at least been run over by cars, thus "plowing" a groove for bikes.  And if not, you can (carefully)  scoot out into traffic.  Protected bike lanes are not only protected from cars and plows, but, as we have seen, are exposed to people shoveling sidewalks (who otherwise would have parked cars blocking the street adjacent to the curb).  PBLs require special equipment to plow, and if the plows come too soon, the people shoveling the sidewalks will just undo the city's work.

The more I think about it, I'm not really surprised this is turning out to be a problem.  Sorry to be a wet blanket, but maybe protected bike lanes will turn out to only be practical in snow-free climates.  It appears that Minneapolis has a few protected bike lanes, which haven't been universally well-received:

http://journalmpls.wordpress.com/2012/05/18/bike-lane-backlash/

In any case, it looks like the issues of snow removal exist there as well:

http://mplsbike.org/blog/posts/protected-bike-lanes-in-chicago/


Cameron 7.5 mi said:

On Monday I probably rode around 30 miles, and the protected lanes were the only places where snow was an issue.

Permalink Reply by Sue Clark on February 28, 2013 at 10:03am

There was little snow today, but lots of water, pedestrians (most all looking south and wearing headphones), and big trail of salt.

Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on February 28, 2013 at 12:46pm

Most of the people I work with are Polish, so it kinda rubs off after many years.

Anne Alt said:

Dupa? Haven't heard that one in a while - my Polish gramma's favorite equivalent for dumbass.  ;)

Juan 2-8 mi. said:

Dear fellow cyclist, I am very sorry I made you crash into me and fall off your bicycle as I tried rocketing past you on our approach to Congress, I assumed you were going to continue on Dearborn and not turn left onto Congress. If it is any consolation, having soiled your coat, I was honked and yelled at for being in the Madison bike lane by some dupa in his fancy sedan trying to get into his parking garage.

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on March 7, 2013 at 11:40am

I don't know if this is "news," but there was an article in yesterday's Sun-Times touching on the protocol for protected bike lane snow removal.

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on March 8, 2013 at 7:15am

This was a great way to start the day. As I rode on the Dearborn PBL south toward Randolph this morning, there was a giant Sysco Systems truck parked in the lane and blocking it. There was a driver unloading off the back of it using a ramp. I told him it's a bike lane and indicated to him where the loading zone was. He said he "wouldn't fit" there. I said he was blocking bike traffic and would get a ticket. He shrugged. I crossed over to Daley plaza to take a picture and then called 311 to report it. As I was on the phone, a bike cop rode up like he was on a mission and slapped a citation on the guy's window. Now THAT'S service, CPD! 

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 8, 2013 at 7:56am

That's great!... but didn't 311 just transfer you to 911?

Permalink Reply by WillG on March 8, 2013 at 8:05am

Michelle, I reached out to Sysco about this a few weeks ago. I *highly* encourage you to send an email to Rick @ Sysco. He is the company's Safety Manager and is who I was referred to when I contacted the general number.

See my posts in this thread from February 15th for my full story. 

Here is his contact info and the initial email I got from him after reporting that driver the first time.

Dear Sir you left a message to the wrong contacts. If you have an issue with our driver and his parking please contact me at 847-795-2564

It takes less time to do it right, then it does to explain why you did it wrong in the first place.  "GET INVOLVED " R.L.

Rick Leonard

Manager of Safety and Security

250 Wieboldt Dr, Des Plaines, Il 60016

Office 847-795-2564

Cell 847-873-7993

Fax 877-824-9558

 


Michelle Stenzel said:

This was a great way to start the day. As I rode on the Dearborn PBL south toward Randolph this morning, there was a giant Sysco Systems truck parked in the lane and blocking it. There was a driver unloading off the back of it using a ramp. I told him it's a bike lane and indicated to him where the loading zone was. He said he "wouldn't fit" there. I said he was blocking bike traffic and would get a ticket. He shrugged. I crossed over to Daley plaza to take a picture and then called 311 to report it. As I was on the phone, a bike cop rode up like he was on a mission and slapped a citation on the guy's window. Now THAT'S service, CPD! 

Permalink Reply by Jenn_5.5 mi on March 8, 2013 at 8:24am

Whoa! A Win! (I was actually surprised this morning when I didn't see the truck, like every other Friday - Now I know why!!) 

I agree with Will - Give the Rick a heads up that this statement is no longer correct : [snip] "On prior occasions he has parked where you suggested a half block away. He has received tickets from the police department and was told he would be cited unless he parked where you saw him." 

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on March 8, 2013 at 8:36am

@ h' - I didn't get that far with the 311 operator. As I was talking, the bike cop rode up and when it was clear that he was issuing a citation, I ended the 311 call.

 

@Will G - Thanks, I had forgotten that was a Sysco truck you dealt with as well. I've just sent Rick Leonard an e-mail. For anyone else who wants to do so, it's Leonard.Richard at chi.sysco.com  and the relevant part of this thread is on page 21.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on March 8, 2013 at 8:40am

The Chicago Police are sometimes quite lovable!

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 8, 2013 at 8:43am
I bet that truck driver didn't even know. Driver education on the new bike lanes sorely needed. A little cyclist telling a truck driver he can't do that does diddly.... when he knows and understands the implications (and now has gotten a ticket) he won't do it again. Hopefully soon drivers ed will include how to drive near a protected bike lane.

Michelle Stenzel said:

This was a great way to start the day. As I rode on the Dearborn PBL south toward Randolph this morning, there was a giant Sysco Systems truck parked in the lane and blocking it. There was a driver unloading off the back of it using a ramp. I told him it's a bike lane and indicated to him where the loading zone was. He said he "wouldn't fit" there. I said he was blocking bike traffic and would get a ticket. He shrugged. I crossed over to Daley plaza to take a picture and then called 311 to report it. As I was on the phone, a bike cop rode up like he was on a mission and slapped a citation on the guy's window. Now THAT'S service, CPD! 

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