Please yield the right of way to pedestrians!

Sorry for the soapbox PSA, but... I have some non-cycling friends who live around Lincoln Park and have witnessed a number of incidents lately involving cyclists plowing through red lights and hitting or nearly hitting pedestrians.

One of my friends reported today seeing two pedestrians hit by two cyclists in separate incidents while she was waiting for the bus. Both cyclists had red lights.

I don't ride like that, and my friends don't ride like that, but when other cyclists do, it really creates bad blood between pedestrians and cyclists. If you know of someone who blows through red lights and stop signs when pedestrians are present, please educate them about the law and yielding the right of way to pedestrians.

I am well aware as cyclists we often get put in dangerous situations by vehicles, and yes, sometimes by stupid or inattentive pedestrians, but that doesn't excuse us from doing the right thing and riding safely.

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Permalink Reply by S on August 2, 2010 at 6:26pm
clp said:

I always ride with great care for pedestrians, because I'm often a pedestrian too. But just as you pause to allow cars to go by, so too must you pause to let bikes go by if you're a pedestrian. It's the pecking order of the streets!

Pedestrians have the right of way so they should not have to pause especially if it's for some cyclist running a red or blowing through a stop sign.

Permalink Reply by heather s on August 2, 2010 at 6:45pm
I hear you, and that sounds really shitty. I would like to say that the cyclists who treat other road users with such disrespect are probably not users of this board, but you never know.

However. This is the first time in a long time that I have heard of a pedestrian actually being hit by a cyclist. Two collisions while waiting for a bus has got to be a record. Most of these stories contain the key words "nearly," "almost," "practically," etc. "Some reckless cyclist almost hit me today!" = well, so that cyclist didn't actually hit you. It's not pleasant, but near-misses happen all the time and don't really cause lasting damage. It doesn't make it ok to run red lights or intimidate pedestrians, but I think it's worth pointing out that collisions, particularly between cyclists and pedestrians, really are rare.
Permalink Reply by buddaa38 on August 2, 2010 at 10:45pm
I agree totally with this! The rules of the road states that pedestrians do have the right of way before anybody else. So if a bike is coming & your crossing at a stop sign , well they need to stop!

This had happen to my wife & I last night. She said let this cyclist go by she looks like if she stopped she might not start back up. Well, I say no! Why should I have to move to avoid being hit when they should. I don't think that a pedestrian should over abuse this right , Because that's not rjght at all...

S said:
clp said:

I always ride with great care for pedestrians, because I'm often a pedestrian too. But just as you pause to allow cars to go by, so too must you pause to let bikes go by if you're a pedestrian. It's the pecking order of the streets!

Pedestrians have the right of way so they should not have to pause especially if it's for some cyclist running a red or blowing through a stop sign.

Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on August 3, 2010 at 1:19am
This is what the "Rules of the Road" says:
Pedestrian Right-of-Way
Drivers and pedestrians both are responsible for traffic safety. Following are instances when a driver must yield the right-of-way to a pedestrian.

When a pedestrian is in a marked or unmarked crosswalk on the driver’s side of the roadway and there are no traffic control signals.
When making a turn at any intersection.
When making a lawful turn on a red light, after coming to a complete stop.
After coming to a complete stop at a STOP sign or flashing red signal at an intersection.
When a pedestrian enters a crosswalk before the traffic light changed.
When a pedestrian is walking with a green light, to a "walking person" symbol or a "walk" signal.
When a pedestrian is leaving or entering a street or highway from an alley, building, private road or driveway.
To persons working on highway construction or in a maintenance area.
To persons with disabilities, including those with physical, hearing and visual disabilities. When crossing the road with a guide dog, a white cane or other assistive device, a pedestrian who is blind or visually impaired has the right-of-way. Pedestrians with disabilities operating mobility devices, including motorized wheelchairs, on a sidewalk or roadway also are granted the same rights as other pedestrians.

More can be found here:
http://www.cyberdriveillinois.com/publications/rules_of_the_road/rr...

Pedestrians always have the right-of-way!

Here's a little more:
http://www.activetrans.org/blog/mkohara/governor-signs-hb-43-law-pe...
Permalink Reply by Will on August 3, 2010 at 3:10am
The intersection in question is actually Orleans and Hubbard. My two friends live in Lincoln Park but their commutes take them both to that intersection. And I asked for clarification, and pedestrians were actually hit in the two separate incidents.

I know Orleans and Hubbard is not a great intersection for cyclists (I hate it, I almost always get squeezed out by traffic when I'm headed northbound on Orleans, and I usually end up between the northbound lanes) but we still need to keep an eye out for pedestrians and yield the right of way.

It's tempting to think of a "pecking order" on the road... vehicles are so heavy and can obviously do the most harm, we are far lighter but in some cases much faster. But remember that pedestrians are slow and nearly defenseless, they only have their own two legs, their own sense (which admittedly they sometimes don't have or don't exercise) and the sense of the faster vehicle and bicycle traffic around them to protect them. There's a reason the law gives them priority.
Permalink Reply by cutifly on August 3, 2010 at 3:53am
Does anyone know what they were wearing ? I.E. Spandex or cut off Shorts ?
Permalink Reply by XV on August 3, 2010 at 4:58am
cutifly said:
Does anyone know what they were wearing ? I.E. Spandex or cut off Shorts ?

The peds were probably killing their brakeless zen vibes
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on August 3, 2010 at 6:57am
And this makes a difference beeecause? An inconsiderate ass on a bike is an inconsiderate ass on a bike.

cutifly said:
Does anyone know what they were wearing ? I.E. Spandex or cut off Shorts ?
Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on August 3, 2010 at 7:53am
We've received a lot of questions about the new HB 43 "Stop for Pedestrians" law so we've posted a new blog and FAQ here:

http://www.activetrans.org/blog/dpersky/hb-43-explained

Thanks,
Ethan, with Active Trans
Permalink Reply by Jason W on August 3, 2010 at 8:42am
"I don't ride like that, and my friends don't ride like that, but when other cyclists do, it really creates bad blood between pedestrians and cyclists."

Will, you're just furthering the stupid notion that just because one cyclist does something, all cyclists should be held accountable for it. Like we all share the same brain. This is the same notion that ragers use when they act aggressively towards cyclists, and engage in anti-cyclist rhetoric. People that will blame you for what other cyclists do are not rational human beings, and you will not be able to reason with them, so don't bother. Do not engage in this line of thinking. Stop them mid sentence, and tell them you will hold them accountable for everything all other drivers and pedestrians do, if they do the same to you!
Permalink Reply by Will on August 3, 2010 at 9:09am
Make no mistake, we are not all accountable for the actions of other cyclists who act stupidly. I stress that point a lot when peds and drivers gripe to me about cyclists. But out on the road, group mentality seems to take hold. It's just the way it is. It's the same idea clp refers to as the "pecking order of the streets." It happens a lot on mass. It's why I don't like to ride mass much anymore, because I feel mass turns into an "us v. them" thing.

We are all accountable for our own actions, and not the actions of others. But as we are also all part of the cycling community, I think we have an opportunity to reach at least some of the cyclists who disregard the rights of pedestrians. If we can do that, it's for the greater good.

Jason W said:
"I don't ride like that, and my friends don't ride like that, but when other cyclists do, it really creates bad blood between pedestrians and cyclists."

Will, you're just furthering the stupid notion that just because one cyclist does something, all cyclists should be held accountable for it. Like we all share the same brain. This is the same notion that ragers use when they act aggressively towards cyclists, and engage in anti-cyclist rhetoric. People that will blame you for what other cyclists do are not rational human beings, and you will not be able to reason with them, so don't bother. Do not engage in this line of thinking. Stop them mid sentence, and tell them you will hold them accountable for everything all other drivers and pedestrians do, if they do the same to you!
Permalink Reply by Jason W on August 3, 2010 at 9:36am
Fair enough. I think it's fine posting a "Please be a more careful around pedestrians" post. It just grinds on my nerves when people blame all cyclists for a small minorities actions (and I hear it plenty too). For some reason that seems like a prevalent attitude towards bikes. It makes just a little sense applying that to bikes as it does cars and peds. *shrug*

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