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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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Rich S on March 13, 2014 at 8:06am

This thing might work for that Julie so long as the camera can record while being charged. I believe some can't. 

the Plug III

Julie Hochstadter said:

If only we all has cameras with us. Someone needs to make a generator hub that powers a camera on your handlebars just like the generator hub for lights.

happy you are ok and sorry about the scary situation. That lady should def not be driving or at least needs to be reprimanded. 

Maureen Foody said:

Dear 35ish Hispanic female driving a green two-door oldsmobile whose lisence plate I sadly did not fully record, thanks for being so impatient to get ahead of me while I turned from going south on Hamlin to east on Wrightwood. Not only did you disregard my signals, but also forced me to jump off my bike as you skidded about from trying to speed in front of me on ice. You then also continued to run two stop signs and a red light. A+ driving.

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on March 13, 2014 at 8:39am

A simple switch, easily accessible from the bars, in the charging line would eliminate this problem unless it's the charging connector itself that shuts off the camera.

Alternatively, rechargeable batteries would be a possible solution. A spare set could be charged from the dynohub while the other set was in the camera.

I sure would like to have had a camera going a few choice times.

Steve

Rich S said:

This thing might work for that Julie so long as the camera can record while being charged. I believe some can't. 

Permalink Reply by Jose Zayas on March 13, 2014 at 2:35pm
To the dude on the Clark/Southport light, I'm sorry again. I know you said it's ok and we kept on riding no problem, but I felt like I rode like an a**, and I shouldn't.
Permalink Reply by yai danche on March 14, 2014 at 3:08am

I saw on bikesnobnyc who is currently using a tailight that functions as a camera.  from the screenshots, it looks pretty nice.  i don't know why the company doesn't make a headlight one, too!  It is USB rechargeable, not hub generated.  


Julie Hochstadter said:

If only we all has cameras with us. Someone needs to make a generator hub that powers a camera on your handlebars just like the generator hub for lights.

 

happy you are ok and sorry about the scary situation. That lady should def not be driving or at least needs to be reprimanded.

Maureen Foody said:

Dear 35ish Hispanic female driving a green two-door oldsmobile whose lisence plate I sadly did not fully record, thanks for being so impatient to get ahead of me while I turned from going south on Hamlin to east on Wrightwood. Not only did you disregard my signals, but also forced me to jump off my bike as you skidded about from trying to speed in front of me on ice. You then also continued to run two stop signs and a red light. A+ driving.

Permalink Reply by Reba 4.0 mi on March 15, 2014 at 6:03pm

No, really, thank you Mr. Bike Messenger. Because of you I had a terrific and educational conversation with my taxi driver on Friday. When you damn near kicked his passenger mirror off because he changed lanes without signaling, impeding your way as you rode into oncoming traffic on a one-way street, we discussed AT LENGTH the rules of the road for cyclists and how some of you jerks give all of us a bad name.

Because you yelled at him and gave him the finger I had the opportunity to discuss with my taxi driver how there is INDEED ROOM FOR CYCLISTS in the loop and how we're here to stay, even though most of us are better behaved than you, Mr. Bike Messenger. I'm sure you had to be somewhere in a hurry!

I do think my taxi driver had a point when he complained how unlike another driver, you couldn't be held accountable for any damage to his car - you have no insurance and you company wouldn't pay anything for your stupidity and sense of entitlement as you wreaked havoc on his property. By all means, Mr. Bike Messenger, keep inflicting your road rage on taxi drivers because it's super helpful (not). 

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 16, 2014 at 2:36am

That's awesome. Yes headlight would be more functional. If anyone finds this, share it!

yai danche said:

I saw on bikesnobnyc who is currently using a tailight that functions as a camera.  from the screenshots, it looks pretty nice.  i don't know why the company doesn't make a headlight one, too!  It is USB rechargeable, not hub generated.  


Julie Hochstadter said:

If only we all has cameras with us. Someone needs to make a generator hub that powers a camera on your handlebars just like the generator hub for lights.

 

happy you are ok and sorry about the scary situation. That lady should def not be driving or at least needs to be reprimanded.

Maureen Foody said:

Dear 35ish Hispanic female driving a green two-door oldsmobile whose lisence plate I sadly did not fully record, thanks for being so impatient to get ahead of me while I turned from going south on Hamlin to east on Wrightwood. Not only did you disregard my signals, but also forced me to jump off my bike as you skidded about from trying to speed in front of me on ice. You then also continued to run two stop signs and a red light. A+ driving.

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on March 16, 2014 at 12:04pm

A few days ago on the 10:00 news (Channel 5 IIRC) there was a segment on bikes with cameras. They showed some close calls, and a lawyer said when there was video evidence in a crash, there was much less trouble getting a decision in favor of the cyclist.

However... they pointed out that the video could also work the other way and lay blame on the cyclist. Several of the clips showed the cyclist zipping through narrow spaces between cars, in the "door zone" from either side. This is not IMO how cyclists win the respect of motorists. If we're expecting car drivers to pass us with a minimum of three feet of clearance, it doesn't seem right that we should be squeezing through any gap we can manage.

Steve

Permalink Reply by Lisa Gordon on March 16, 2014 at 12:22pm

You're absolutely right about that.  The 3-foot law applies to all vehicles, not just to motorized ones.  We have to give cars 3 feet as well.  I think that means that you can't legally zip between a parked car and a moving one unless there is a full 6 feet between the two. 

Permalink Reply by David Altenburg on March 16, 2014 at 1:21pm

Lisa Gordon said:

You're absolutely right about that.  The 3-foot law applies to all vehicles, not just to motorized ones.  We have to give cars 3 feet as well.  I think that means that you can't legally zip between a parked car and a moving one unless there is a full 6 feet between the two. 

 

Umm, what? This is the text of the relevant section of the Illinois Vehicle Code, which clearly limits its application to motor vehicles:

 

(d) The operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on a highway shall leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet, when passing the bicycle or individual and shall maintain that distance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or individual.

(http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh...)

Note that bicycles are considered "devices", not "vehicles" in the Illinois code. Additionally, last year, Chicago passed a clarification allowing bicycles to pass on the right:

 

Any bicyclist upon a roadway is permitted to pass on the right side of a slower-moving or standing vehicle or bicycle, but must exercise due care when doing so

(http://www.mybikeadvocate.com/2013/06/it-is-crystal-clear-chicago-c...).

 

I'm not a lawyer - just a nerd - so maybe I'm missing something. I certainly don't advise anyone to ride quickly in the door zone or narrow gaps between cars, especially given the current plethora of craters in the streets, but I don't see how the fact that some cyclists do so should have any bearing on motorists' responsibility to pass cyclists with a safe amount of space.

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on March 17, 2014 at 12:14am

It's the "due care" part that I feel many cyclists forget about. From the motorists' point of view, some passing on the right looks reckless. Then they might tend to forget about *their* obligation to use due care. There may be some "asymmetry" in the law as it applies to required passing clearances, but not in the obligation to use due care.

Steve

David Altenburg said:


Any bicyclist upon a roadway is permitted to pass on the right side of a slower-moving or standing vehicle or bicycle, but must exercise due care when doing so

(http://www.mybikeadvocate.com/2013/06/it-is-crystal-clear-chicago-c...).

 

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 17, 2014 at 1:08am
What does due care even mean? Brendan? Michael? Jim?
Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on March 17, 2014 at 2:00am

I'd bet it's something like exercising whatever level of care that a reasonable, experienced cyclist would use in comparable circumstances. And whatever that would mean would be kind of up to the community consensus/behavior. So - what do you think is reasonable?

Personally, there are circumstances where I'll pass on the right, but weaving through standing traffic is not typically one of them. I also won't try to insinuate myself into intersections where all traffic lanes are occupied by cars. But whether that's the dominant view, or an overly cautious one, I don't know. 

Julie Hochstadter said:

What does due care even mean? Brendan? Michael? Jim?

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