The Chainlink

Think of this as a Missed Connection.

You blew the red light east bound on Lawrence at Damen at 5:26 pm this evening.

 

There was enough time for the biker in front of me to make it half way into the intersection, northbound on Damen, before you came whizzing past my front wheel.

 

I yelled "You're an idiot!" at your big haired chick, self, and you looked back at me. I meant it!

 

I woulda testified for any of the cars, that managed to not kill you, if they had.

 

Keep riding like a tard!

love,

gabe

 

Witness bad behavior during your commute? Feel free to post. Maybe that lovely human can read it and think they are famous. Maybe you can also inspire the whole generation of kids to shower but we can start with small things.

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Permalink Reply by Jason W on June 10, 2013 at 4:07pm

I'm not sure about the one you are referencing, but the ones on Damen though East Village/Wicker park are all in passing zones. I give cyclists as much room as possible when passing, often going into the oncoming lane. I almost whacked one the other day giving a cyclist room. I had to swerve toward the cyclist to miss it! I don't think they really thought these things through before they just started sticking them everywhere. No wonder they are all beat up. These shouldn't be in the middle of a passing zone at all.

Julia C 7.5 mi said:

Oh the irony - there are so many that have been run over repeatedly and look absolutely ragged. There's one on Addison that might as well serve as a "hold up, do NOT cross here, these people are CRAZY" warning.

Jeff Schneider said:

To all those drivers and cyclists who fail to stop for pedestrians in crosswalks...why?  And among that group, I salute the elite drivers who actually manage to RUN OVER the signs placed in the middle of the crosswalks reminding them that state law requires them to stop.  Wow.

Permalink Reply by Davo on June 10, 2013 at 4:18pm

Im not sure what you mean by saying "passing zones" on Damen. To the best of my knowledge, Damen through wicker park is a 2 lane street. unless you mean passing bikes. If you are passing cars in a car in this area, you are not gaining anything.

Permalink Reply by Jason W on June 10, 2013 at 4:33pm

Maybe I did not explain it well enough. Here is an example of the street.

I don't drive a lot, but do on occasion. I was speaking of times when I am driving my car, and go into the oncoming lane to give cyclists more room. For instance I am in a car going north, and passing a cyclists in the bicycle lane who is also going north. I will often move over maybe half way into the the oncoming lane top give them more room, cause those lanes are way too small. They are all door zone.

And no, I have never passed a moving car with a car on a street like that.

Permalink Reply by Davo on June 10, 2013 at 4:40pm

Ok You had me worried that you were one of those drivers who feel the need to pass another car (thats stopped or turning left). They usually cant fit anyway but in trying they block the bike lane.

Permalink Reply by David P. on June 10, 2013 at 11:56pm

Jason,

I think the solution to this one is to simply wait until you are past the crosswalk to pass the cyclist.

Jason W said:

Maybe I did not explain it well enough. Here is an example of the street.

I don't drive a lot, but do on occasion. I was speaking of times when I am driving my car, and go into the oncoming lane to give cyclists more room. For instance I am in a car going north, and passing a cyclists in the bicycle lane who is also going north. I will often move over maybe half way into the the oncoming lane top give them more room, cause those lanes are way too small. They are all door zone.

And no, I have never passed a moving car with a car on a street like that.

Permalink Reply by SlowCoachOnTheRoad on June 11, 2013 at 7:34am

Stephanie, loved your approach.  From now on that is exactly what I am going to do when I stop at a Stop Sign and the car that has the right of way is waving for me to go or waiting for me to go - I am going to just sit there until the car passes, and do the Stephanie!

Permalink Reply by Jason W on June 11, 2013 at 9:57am

I haven't forgotten anything Jeff. Who said I was passing unsafely? I said I was giving them even more room than the bike lane allows. Also, do you not get that it is stupid to put a sign right in the middle of where people are allowed and expected to drive?

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 11, 2013 at 10:22am

Traffic-calming is meant to CALM traffic (as in make them slow down and drive more safely)

Apparently some drivers are beyond calming...

I'm sorry you were inconvenienced while trying to get a high score on your way to wherever you were going in your car. 

"I hate to slow down..."

Jason W said:

I haven't forgotten anything Jeff. Who said I was passing unsafely? I said I was giving them even more room than the bike lane allows. Also, do you not get that it is stupid to put a sign right in the middle of where people are allowed and expected to drive?

Permalink Reply by Jason W on June 11, 2013 at 10:33am

Who said I was in a rush or driving fast at all? God this forum is so self righteous.

Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on June 11, 2013 at 11:01am

Every crosswalk in the city should have such a sign.  But instead of a floppy fold-down it should be mounted on a 3-foot diameter steel-reinforced concrete bollard set 8-feet into the ground.   Put two in, on each side of the crosswalk to create a pedestrian refuge.  Just don't get it high enough to block the vision of the ped crossing the street so they can see when it is safe to come out of the mid-street bunker.   

Anyone who hits one deserves what they get.  IMHO someone who hits one of these signs should have their driving priviliages instantly and permanently revoked for life.  The privilege to pilot a 2000+ pound death weapon.  

These signs could just as well have been a small child.  Every time I see one beat up and ran down I think of some parent who could be laying a wreath on a grave if that had been a tiny human instead of a retro-reflective brightly-colored sign that is impossible to miss by anyone paying attention and possesses a warmer than room temperature IQ.

Just SLOW DOWN.  The road is not a race track or a MMORP version of grand theft auto.  

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on June 11, 2013 at 11:09am

You in the New dark BWM or Audi.

Me on the Raleigh with the bright Orange Shirt

Location:  Ainslie and Kedzie.  You Northbound, Me Eastbound.

Its a four way stop.  This means I stop and the cross traffic stop.  Then a car from each side of the cross traffic goes, then I go, then you go.   Not a car from each side goes, then you go right away.  And don't tell me that 

1.  You didn't see me (I guess bright orange is the wrong color to wear)

2.   That Cars have the right of way at four way stops and I must let all cars clear before I go.  

Kiss kiss.

Permalink Reply by Chris Lin on June 11, 2013 at 2:18pm

The man riding on Winthrop by Swift Elementary this morning: I'm sorry I've made a snarky remark behind you, but you were talking on your phone - in the school zone - with a crazy amount of school drop-off traffic, and 4 cyclists stuck behind you.

Also, thanks for hanging up your phone immediately after I made said remark. I feel like a big jerk.

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