Sidewalk Riders Revisited

Sign prevalent along Sheridan Road in Rogers Park:

THIRD, yes THIRD, sidewalk rider to blow past us in a single block:

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Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 24, 2011 at 3:54am

So does anyone know what the purpose of "temporarily disabled without permanent damage" is?  I suppose it is punitive since that is the point -it's a punishment for breaking the rulez.  Perhaps the city wants the bike off the sidewalk for X-number of hours/days but doesn't want the hassle of impounding it?

 

Do they just U-lock the bike to something/somewhere and give you the key later?

 

Has this ever been done to anyone?  I'd like to hear some first-hand accounts.  

Permalink Reply by Jared on August 24, 2011 at 4:28am
The easy thing to do is let the air out of the tires.
Permalink Reply by Jason W on August 24, 2011 at 4:32am
Typical pandering government assholes... Just start throwing around fines instead of actually making a bike lane (which would actually fix the problem). Hey, they gotta keep the old folks happy. They actually vote!
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 24, 2011 at 4:32am

The easy thing to do after that is pull out my tool pack with my pump and fill them back up.  2 minutes later I'd be up and running again.

 



Jared said:
The easy thing to do is let the air out of the tires.
Permalink Reply by Joe Willis on August 24, 2011 at 4:36am
We have these signs in Buena Park and I often see people biking on the sidewalk. I have also NEVER seen a cop who gives a crap about this law. I bet it is ignored as much as the cell phone laws.
Permalink Reply by Jared on August 24, 2011 at 5:10am
Even with bike lanes people still ride on the sidewalk, although probably not as much as they would if there wasn't one at all.

Jason W said:
Typical pandering government assholes... Just start throwing around fines instead of actually making a bike lane (which would actually fix the problem). Hey, they gotta keep the old folks happy. They actually vote!
Permalink Reply by Sara Gmitter on August 24, 2011 at 7:06am

Thanks for posting the code.  It's interesting, I've seen those signs and some of them, like the one right when you get off the LFP at Ardmore specifies 12 and younger as the age its ok to be on the sidewalk.  But the code below says 18.  

On a side note, it does seem a little odd to have 'extra' enforcement or threat of enforcement in certain areas based on who kicks up the most fuss.  Like, the law is the law but you can get more law if you happen to have a lot of time on your hands to make phone calls and visit offices.  That seems transparently unfair.  Opaquely unfair is what I'm more used to.


Dan Korn said:

From the Municipal Code of Chicago:

http://www.chicagobikes.org/bikelaws/?show=search&chapter=9&...

 

9-52-021- Riding bicycles on sidewalks–Penalty - Permalink

(a) The penalty for any person age 18 and older who rides a bicycle on the sidewalk adjacent to North Sheridan Road, between West Ardmore Avenue and West Sheridan Road (6400 north) shall be as follows: (1) the bicycle shall be temporarily disabled without permanent damage; and (2) the violator shall be subject to a fine of $50.00. (b) Following passage and approval, this section shall be in force and effect upon posting of signage notifying bicyclists of the penalty for violation of this section.

Added Coun. J. 2-6-02, p. 79154, § 1; Amend Coun. J. 6-4-03, p. 2538, § 1

 

h' said:

It's got nothing to do with "zoning".  I just used the word to mean "area."

This special fine areas are specifically mentioned in Chicago ordinance. I believe there's some gereral wording about "business areas" or "business districts,", and N. Sheridan was specifically mentioned in a separate paragraph.

No time to look it up right now.

Permalink Reply by Tim S on August 24, 2011 at 7:14am

Not to be a jerk or anything but all one has to do is ride a block west to Kenmore or Winthrop. It seems like such a non issue to me. I don't want to ride on Sheridan and do not want to ride on the sidewalk so I take those alternates.

 

Never understood why it's so hard to grasp. Perhaps better signage to direct bikes west rather than poor signage saying your gonna get fined.

Permalink Reply by Jared on August 24, 2011 at 7:33am
On a related note the contra-flow bike lane on Ardmore from the path terminus to those streets is no longer there.  Not sure if it will be redrawn or not.

Tim S said:

Not to be a jerk or anything but all one has to do is ride a block west to Kenmore or Winthrop. It seems like such a non issue to me. I don't want to ride on Sheridan and do not want to ride on the sidewalk so I take those alternates.

 

Never understood why it's so hard to grasp. Perhaps better signage to direct bikes west rather than poor signage saying your gonna get fined.

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