Stop-sign sting at Kinzie and Kingsbury this am

Cops writing tickets for rolling the stop signs just east of the river, in the protected lane. You're gonna want to stop :-/. One of the cops told me he was going to "knock me off my bike if I didn't stop". As always, a bunch of sweethearts.

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Permalink Reply by Don on August 28, 2012 at 8:17am

That sign is where the sting is, but it's not the problem.  The Canal and Orleans (I think?) intersections create the most confusion.  And you're right, they technically shouldn't create any confusion, but a majority of cyclists don't stop at those intersections; don't even slow down.  It'd be nice to see a stream of cars proceeding through with the green and forcing cyclists to stop.  In its current state, if you're an aggressive rider there is no confusion at all...just keep riding straight.  But as a defensive rider, I don't want to have one of those assholes rear-end me if I stop to let a car or pedestrian take their turn.

Kevin C said:

The stop sign eastbound at Kingsbury is a "stop for peds" sign. Treat it as a yield. If pedestrians are present, Stop. If not, proceed through with caution. How is better signalization supposed to improve cyclists' compliance with rationally-based traffic laws and signs? 

Adam Herstein said:

Agreed. Maybe instead of setting up stings at stop signs, the city should install a cycle-specific traffic light at that intersection. Granted, some people will still blow through it, but certainly more cyclists will obey a light over a stop sign.


Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on August 28, 2012 at 6:17pm

"If"?  Have you been on it lately?  It's the Hipster Highway, with more Fixies than you can shake a Fistie at.

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on August 28, 2012 at 6:20pm

Adam: Given the constraints of the expressways and the train tracks and the industry, there is no way that some alternative ideal bike route will be constructed by the city.  The Kinzie corridor got the first dedicated bike lanes because it's a choke point, and it's a choke point due to immovable aspects of the grid.  Its congestion will not be relieved by other bike lanes: it'll be relieved by cyclists riding their own routes around it.

Adam Herstein said:

Yes, but the problem is that there are not enough of these cycle tracks to take the stress off of Kinzie. Hopefully, that will come in time.

Also, I never find that Kinzie is overcrowded. Not sure when you are riding it it, but I typically ride weekday afternoons and rarely see it crowded.

notoriousDUG said:

If it is congested and difficult to use to the point that regular commuters are seeking other routes is it really good bike infrastructure?



Adam Herstein said:

+1

If you don't want to use the Kinzie cycle track, then that's fine. I'm just glad that the city is actually adding good bike infrastructure, and that people are actually using it.

Justin B Newman said:

If the Kenzie lane is actually *congested*, it's been a huge success in my book.

-jbn

Permalink Reply by Bill Savage on August 28, 2012 at 6:24pm

It's not a success if the congestion inspires the sort of behavior I've seen, especially people on brakeless fixies zooming past law-abiding bike commuters into the lanes that are supposed to be dedicated to cars now.  Or people just passing on the left at high speeds without giving their fellow cyclists the courtesy of "on your left."  Or slow-ass rides riding two abreast and chatting about their day-care situation (true story) and forcing even considerate cyclists (like me) to get rude. 

Justin B Newman said:

If the Kenzie lane is actually *congested*, it's been a huge success in my book.

-jbn

Permalink Reply by Rob Bligidy on August 28, 2012 at 8:23pm

protecting and serving since 1837. what a load.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on August 29, 2012 at 1:52am
What is it like in europe with these lanes? Maybe much wider so people can do all of the below mentioned, but safely?

Bill Savage said:

It's not a success if the congestion inspires the sort of behavior I've seen, especially people on brakeless fixies zooming past law-abiding bike commuters into the lanes that are supposed to be dedicated to cars now.  Or people just passing on the left at high speeds without giving their fellow cyclists the courtesy of "on your left."  Or slow-ass rides riding two abreast and chatting about their day-care situation (true story) and forcing even considerate cyclists (like me) to get rude. 

Justin B Newman said:

If the Kenzie lane is actually *congested*, it's been a huge success in my book.

-jbn

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 29, 2012 at 4:03am

If a bicyclist is paying so little attention that they can't see a gaggle of RedShirt Ambassadors, and a Bacon-clothed cop or two, up ahead wrangling-up all these dangerous scofflaw bicyclists they pretty much deserve a ticket or a lecture.

I personally think that this effort to enforce the stupid laws designed for auto-drivers on bicyclists is counter-productive -but those folks who can't be bothered to pay attention to what is going on in front of their eyes get what they deserve IMHO.

It's not like they are hiding behind a wall and jumping out and nabbing unsuspecting "scofflaws."  I've seen a couple of these stings and they are obvious as hell from a block away.   When they start being more stealthy and nabbing folks from behind cover I'll change my tune. 

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on August 29, 2012 at 4:10am

We really need to reform the laws about bikes on the streets. The fact of the matter is that you can't simply enforce the laws that were made for cars on bikes. They just simply aren't the same, and applying the same rules is not working. I think there should be only one rule that should be universally applied to all users of the road/sidewalks: yield to slower-moving traffic. Motorists should yield to cyclists and peds, and bikes should also yield to peds. The more vulnerable one is, the more people should be careful around them. Enforcing a stop sign on a cyclist when there is no one at the intersection is pointless. If a biker runs a stop sign and almost hits a person trying to cross the street legally, then they deserve a ticket.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on August 29, 2012 at 4:13am

I'll follow the same rules as cars when car-drivers have to pedal them.   Or at least the speed limit is 15MPH and enforced by the laws of nature.

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