Jana Kinsman could have been killed in Logan Square area last night by driver and pals thinking they're funny

Basically, some dudes in a purple tahoe grabbed her while she was on her bike and pulled her along next to the car while she was screaming for her life.

Here's her twitter story, storified: http://storify.com/abughat/wtf

If anyone can get info or ideas for further help, please share! Be safe out there, friends.

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Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on August 20, 2013 at 6:48am

We are glad she is mostly OK, that is wonderful news. What a terrible, horrible interaction! It's still a good idea to call our crash support hotline (312.869.4357) to get assistance with legal/insurance follow-up. Glad she filed a report and has witnesses.

Ethan Spotts, Active Trans

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on August 20, 2013 at 6:50am

Its the crime of aggravated assault.   720 ILCS 5/12.7.

The relevant portion states:

 Sec. 12-2. Aggravated assault.
    (a) Offense based on location of conduct. A person commits aggravated assault when he or she commits an assault against an individual who is on or about a public way, public property, a public place of accommodation or amusement, or a sports venue.

* * *

 (c) Offense based on use of firearm, device, or motor vehicle. A person commits aggravated assault when, in committing an assault, he or she does any of the following:

 * * *

(7) Without justification operates a motor vehicle ina manner which places a person, other than a person listed in subdivision (b)(4), in reasonable apprehension of being struck by the moving motor vehicle.

That's provision C (7).   That's also a Class 4 felony.  

They want to argue lack of "reasonable apprehension" let them.  I don't think a jury would look on that with the milk of human kindness...

Oh yes, and if Jana is a "new style" senior citizen (over 60) or is a handicapped person, the level of felony rises.   Hopefully Jana's a handicapped senior citizen.... ;)

Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on August 20, 2013 at 6:50am

Thanks everyone, Jana has been very grateful and shares her love on Twitter.

Be sure to reach out to her, if you want to, at http://twitter.com/reallylikeit

Permalink Reply by Duppie on August 20, 2013 at 7:47am

DNAInfo has the story splashed over the front page.

Direct link: http://www.dnainfo.com/chicago/20130820/logan-square/bike-activist-...

Although, in usual DNA style, the article contains a number of quotes directly lifted from her twitter feed, presented as if Jana spoke these words to the reporter.

Permalink Reply by Joe Sak on August 20, 2013 at 8:38am
Permalink Reply by Davo on August 20, 2013 at 9:03am

So the cops say that her bag was entangled by rear view mirror. Thats kind of messed up. According to the sun times anyway

Permalink Reply by David P. on August 20, 2013 at 9:03am

There's that tired descriptive phrase, "avid cyclist." Maybe she was, but it is immaterial to the crime that was committed against her. She was just a woman riding a bicycle on the street to get somewhere. I do think that the sometimes-inevitable "avid cyclist" qualifier serves a negative function of marking the person out as some sort of special category of person.

Permalink Reply by Davo on August 20, 2013 at 9:09am

I dont know. to me "avid cyclist" implies that the cyclist is experienced and knows what they are doing. This would also imply that any crash would not be do to some inexperience.

David P. said:

There's that tired descriptive phrase, "avid cyclist." Maybe she was, but it is immaterial to the crime that was committed against her. She was just a woman riding a bicycle on the street to get somewhere. I do think that the sometimes-inevitable "avid cyclist" qualifier serves a negative function of marking the person out as some sort of special category of person.

Permalink Reply by Chris Hainey on August 20, 2013 at 9:19am

Assualt and battery.

Will said:

+1 on the assault. But I'm sure a hit and run doesn't count against Chicago's violent crime stats, so it's not a case CPD actually has to "solve".

David Barish said:

This was not a hit and run. This was an assault. I am glad to hear that Jana does not have tremendous physical injuries.

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on August 20, 2013 at 10:15am

Yes and no.    If these guys are found (and maybe we should all be looking for Purple Tahoe's and seeing if they have scraps on the side... if so record the license number) this is the kind of prosecution which "looks good" and earns the prosecutors "brownie points" for the politicians.   If this were a run of the mill hit and run or assault, no.   But this one has "sex appeal"...  

I know tonight I will be looking for purple Tahoe's with scraps on the passenger side... and if I see one I will write down the license number.  And if everyone on Chainlink does this, we have LOTS of eyes that cover a lot of the city....



h' 1.0 said:

It's a nice fantasy but unfortunately we don't live in a city where anyone's going to be "investigating" something like this with no apparent witnesses or identifying info. Just another police report.

Crazy David 84 Furlongs said:

I hope they find these guys.  Its a lot more than a mere hit and run.....  

Permalink Reply by John C. Wilson on August 20, 2013 at 10:24am

OMG. I haven't even heard of this flavor of assault for decades. I had hoped it was over.

The question was asked "what sort of person would do this?" Young men. Young men in packs. And particularly young men in packs who are drunk.

Cyclists are simply vulnerable to this. We depend on the civility of others. We balance on two small points on the pavement. The limitation on this kind of attack is that it is not so easy to pull off. The driver of the vehicle has to coordinate with the grabber and that is only automatic in Hollywood. I know that because it was attempted on me maybe 10 times. Instead of a grab it would become a slap or a punch or  fingertips snagging fabric. I'm not counting air-slaps. Once it was a slap with a liquor bottle and ribs broke. Only once did the assailant get a good handful of jersey. Down I went.

I got more than my share because I was riding in the 1960s and being of driving age and riding a bike was considered gay. I sometimes wore bike shorts (wool) and that was a flaming red flag to anyone who was assaultive. Whenever I could make out what they were screaming it was homophobic. In every case there was alcohol. If they couldn't make a clean grab they would throw bottles. There's no way to prove it but I will believe this happened to Jana because she is female.

The SunTimes (police report?) story that a mirror snagged a bag strap is so physically unlikely whoever proposed that should be ashamed of themselves.

This just so sad. I'm glad Jana survived. I was so young and made of india rubber when it happened to me. By the time I was 27 that phase had already been over for years.

Someone said something about guns. No. You'll never have the time to use it. And no possibility of a clear shot while in traffic. If you want protection via technology we could all get GoPro cameras and document 24/7. Probably this crew will not be caught. They don't have any life anyone would want, they're punishing themselves already. We can only hope they don't do more damage on their way out. And watch out for each other when we can.

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on August 20, 2013 at 11:12am

We just did an interview with ABC for 10pm news. They are on their way to talk to Jana now.

Ethan, Active Trans

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