Name Your Most Frequent Cycling Hazard(s)

Just an informal poll. I'm interested in hearing what other Chainlinkers encounter in their travels that present the most typical, day-to-day hazards.

Lousy street/road surfaces? XPWay interchanges? RR tracks? Bridges? Speeders? Peds?

For me, it's distracted motorists, (either on/engrossed in a cell phone) and drivers that gun it through an intersection after the light turns red. They seem to be everywhere in the city where I do the majority of my riding.

Thanks for your responses. Be seen and be safe.

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on November 20, 2015 at 6:38am
+ 1 If you're a slower rider - give wide berth - a faster cyclist is assessing the upcoming terrain also before making their decision to pass.
Permalink Reply by asa4 on November 20, 2015 at 7:56am

Road/bike lane conditions

Texting/distracted drivers

CTA buses parked in bike lanes

Other cyclists, esp Divvys 3-across on LBP.

Most hazardous area: The Navy Pier/Ohio street detour, up the bridge, under LSD. I avoid it, by crossing west into the Loop on Madison or Monroe, which presents its own challenges.

Permalink Reply by Mike Zumwalt on November 20, 2015 at 10:50am
Potholes, those sunk in manhole covers, and this time of year...wet leaves.
Road rage...!!! twice this week some asshole going 4 blocks can't wait 5 seconds without honking,fluppung me off,threatening me.
Permalink Reply by David of the North (David606xx) on November 20, 2015 at 8:13pm
People passing on the right. Stop it.
Permalink Reply by mike w. on November 21, 2015 at 2:09am

Landscapers' trucks, especially the dump truck with an oversized trailer in tow.

Permalink Reply by Jeff K on November 21, 2015 at 1:08pm
You never "get doored".

You rode into the door, dummy!

Ride outside the the door zone. Don't be stupid!
Permalink Reply by Yasmeen on November 21, 2015 at 1:27pm

Ouch! Please try a little more compassion Jeff K. I am sure you, just like the rest of us, have made a few mistakes in riding. There is a reason the motorist opening their door has a hefty fine - it's not legally considered the fault of the cyclist.

So in general, let's all avoid attacking others with words like "dummy" and "Don't be stupid!". I am sure there is a nicer way to give advice about avoiding the "door zone". Generally, it's counter-intuitive to ride the bike closer to traffic and away from the parked cars even if it is much safer than hugging the cars. 

You may not have meant this specifically for someone but someone did just get doored and many Chainlinkers have been doored at one point.

Permalink Reply by David Altenburg on November 21, 2015 at 2:15pm

I would love a Chicago with streets setup that it's always possible to make forward progress on a bike without ever having to venture into the door zone. Unfortunately, that's not the city we live in, so I ride outside the door zone whenever I can, and I cautiously venture into it when necessary. Due to some combination of caution and luck, I've yet to be doored. I'm smart enough to recognize the luck in there. Stop blaming the victim.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on November 21, 2015 at 2:36pm
You can "get doored" by a careless driver/passenger !

'They' opened the door into traffic !

Ride alertly in the bike lane !

Don't be . . . . .surprised !
Permalink Reply by Paul Lazzaro on November 21, 2015 at 2:39pm

Sometimes you have to choose the lesser of two evils.  On the left, you may have a car bearing down on you - close.  Then immediately in front, a massive crater that you only spotted at the last moment.  On the right, the door zone.  In an instant, you have to decide which poses the greater threat.  In these situations, I sometimes venture into the door zone.  When I do, I slow down as quickly as possible and watch carefully, but that doesn't protect me 100% from a moron flinging a door open without looking.

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