Police Trail Block Saturday Night at Division

I was pretty upset and got a little attitude with them saying they were putting me in danger, ect, ect. Thank you to the riders who knew the route on the main streets and took me with them up to Fullerton. They told me the whole trail was closed but one officer said it was only blocked to North Ave. I was able to hop back on the trail at the Diversy/Belmont underpass.

They kept saying that the trail closes at 9:30pm. I know the parks close but it is really a thing that the trail closes as well? If so, that is just not OK... 

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Permalink Reply by Tricolor on July 22, 2014 at 5:54am

I wouldn't doubt the police have a good reason for closing down parts of the trail when something does happen, I've just never seen any mob action on the trail myself.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 23, 2014 at 4:19am

Consider yourself fortunate. Hopefully you will never experience it.

Tricolor said:

I wouldn't doubt the police have a good reason for closing down parts of the trail when something does happen, I've just never seen any mob action on the trail myself.

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 23, 2014 at 4:43am

I'm honestly having difficulty understanding what's being described. I get that there are these mobs "occupying" the lakefront - what are they doing? What threats are they posing to passers-by? When are they typically doing this?

I haven't heard about this phenomenon before, so the comments here are hard for me to parse. Is there a reason we're talking about it in a circumspect fashion? We're not a propaganda wing of the CPD, are we?

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 23, 2014 at 6:08am

I am trying my best not to express skepticism about it. I honestly don't know what's going on, and I believe the people here who are saying that something's going on. BUT NO ONE IS DESCRIBING WHAT'S GOING ON. They're just saying things like you are, like, "Well I can't help you if you don't know, bro." 

I mean, you're here calling it "a pack of unpredictable teenagers," while others are describing them as thugs "out for the thrill of violence" that we're lucky if we never have to experience. I'm happy to believe either description, but these are not consistent pictures. I'm sorry to have to point this out; I'm not being skeptical. 

I take the trail all the time, but I'm not usually on it after dark, and I avoid the northside segment after the early morning.


rwein5 said:

Summer evenings (mostly after dark) have been rife with them in the past. Do you not take the trail? The city definitely suppresses news about things like mob activity downtown in efforts to promote tourism. Riding back from Blues Fest last year was my first experience with them, but I haven't seen anything nearly as rowdy this summer. 

They usually saunter slowly, taking up the entire path, edge to edge. I've seen some with at least 40 people in it. They aren't necessarily doing anything other than walking, but I've had first hand experience with them taunting cyclists with what looks like the goal of intimidation and probably a crash.

It's unclear why you are being so skeptical. It's not like UFOs are cruising the trail. It's a pack of unpredictable teenagers that have displayed historically rowdy and unsafe behavior. CPD is trying (and maybe succeeding) at getting a grip on the issue. 

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 23, 2014 at 6:10am

What did the "very detailed eyewitness account" say, in short?

h' 1.0 said:

Yes, because the chainlink search feature sucks. There was a very detailed eyewitness account here which did a good job of painting a picture of what was occurring, but I doubt it can be found.
 
Simon Phearson said:

Is there a reason we're talking about it in a circumspect fashion?

Permalink Reply by Jordan M S on July 23, 2014 at 7:21am
What a strange phenomenon. Anyway, just to give a heads up, there was a situation like this on the north channel trail the other day. I came around the corner after passing under one of the streets and there was a line of teens. Total "oh shit" moment. Went around them, one chased after and grabbed my back basket and tried to pull me for a while while the rest yelled. I'm not sure how serious they were - I tried to laugh it off but it definitely felt off.
Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on July 23, 2014 at 7:54am

Thanks - I appreciate it. 

h' 1.0 said:

Just gave up part of my lunch hour searching for an old discussion to help you understand, Simon. Follow the link above and read that thread.
 
Simon Phearson said:

I am trying my best not to express skepticism about it. I honestly don't know what's going on, and I believe the people here who are saying that something's going on. BUT NO ONE IS DESCRIBING WHAT'S GOING ON. They're just saying things like you are, like, "Well I can't help you if you don't know, bro." 

I mean, you're here calling it "a pack of unpredictable teenagers," while others are describing them as thugs "out for the thrill of violence" that we're lucky if we never have to experience. I'm happy to believe either description, but these are not consistent pictures. I'm sorry to have to point this out; I'm not being skeptical. 

I take the trail all the time, but I'm not usually on it after dark, and I avoid the northside segment after the early morning.


rwein5 said:

Summer evenings (mostly after dark) have been rife with them in the past. Do you not take the trail? The city definitely suppresses news about things like mob activity downtown in efforts to promote tourism. Riding back from Blues Fest last year was my first experience with them, but I haven't seen anything nearly as rowdy this summer. 

They usually saunter slowly, taking up the entire path, edge to edge. I've seen some with at least 40 people in it. They aren't necessarily doing anything other than walking, but I've had first hand experience with them taunting cyclists with what looks like the goal of intimidation and probably a crash.

It's unclear why you are being so skeptical. It's not like UFOs are cruising the trail. It's a pack of unpredictable teenagers that have displayed historically rowdy and unsafe behavior. CPD is trying (and maybe succeeding) at getting a grip on the issue. 

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on July 23, 2014 at 8:16am

That sounds more like the North Branch Trail (goes through the forest preserve over, under and across a few streets) instead of the North Channel Trail (along McCormick, at grade street crossings).

Do you know what underpass you went through?

Jordan Schlife said:

What a strange phenomenon. Anyway, just to give a heads up, there was a situation like this on the north channel trail the other day. I came around the corner after passing under one of the streets and there was a line of teens. Total "oh shit" moment. Went around them, one chased after and grabbed my back basket and tried to pull me for a while while the rest yelled. I'm not sure how serious they were - I tried to laugh it off but it definitely felt off.
Permalink Reply by Rich S on July 23, 2014 at 8:23am

There's underpasses at Lincoln Ave, Bryn Mawr, and Foster on the North Channel. 

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

That sounds more like the North Branch Trail (goes through the forest preserve over, under and across a few streets) instead of the North Channel Trail (along McCormick, at grade street crossings).

Do you know what underpass you went through?

Jordan Schlife said:

What a strange phenomenon. Anyway, just to give a heads up, there was a situation like this on the north channel trail the other day. I came around the corner after passing under one of the streets and there was a line of teens. Total "oh shit" moment. Went around them, one chased after and grabbed my back basket and tried to pull me for a while while the rest yelled. I'm not sure how serious they were - I tried to laugh it off but it definitely felt off.
Permalink Reply by Jordan M S on July 23, 2014 at 11:00am
It was the north channel trail, I'm thinking at Bryn mawr. I should say I had already gone through the underpass (heading south on east side of river) and turned the corner, going up the slight incline. As soon as I saw them it felt wrong, they were in a line and obviously waiting - sort of spookily organized. Afterward I figured they were just fucking with me. I guess that is what they were doing... I didn't realize this was a thing now.


Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

That sounds more like the North Branch Trail (goes through the forest preserve over, under and across a few streets) instead of the North Channel Trail (along McCormick, at grade street crossings).

Do you know what underpass you went through?

Jordan Schlife said:

What a strange phenomenon. Anyway, just to give a heads up, there was a situation like this on the north channel trail the other day. I came around the corner after passing under one of the streets and there was a line of teens. Total "oh shit" moment. Went around them, one chased after and grabbed my back basket and tried to pull me for a while while the rest yelled. I'm not sure how serious they were - I tried to laugh it off but it definitely felt off.
Permalink Reply by Jordan M S on July 23, 2014 at 11:06am
Of course it's not okay, and I wish I would have done something about it (report it, post it, etc.) - I just didn't connect the dots until I heard other accounts of this sort of thing today and thought about what had happened.


h' 1.0 said:

You make that sound like it's OK. Somebody else could have easily ended up on the ground in need of an ambulance.
 
Jordan Schlife said:

Afterward I figured they were just fucking with me. I guess that is what they were doing... I didn't realize this was a thing now.
Permalink Reply by David of the North (David606xx) on July 24, 2014 at 8:55am

I've had officers tell me to leave the trail as they're closing the parks at 11. I just say "oh, sure--my house is at the next exit." and they let me go. A smile and a lie go a long way with police officers.

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