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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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on May 7, 2014 at 9:06pm

To the guy in the blue t-shirt, shorts, blue baseball cap riding a Divvy northbound on Milwaukee just after 8:00: that is some death wish you have.  Green right turn signal for cars, red bike signal at Elston, and you went as fast as anyone I have ever seen on a Divvy into the intersection while the car in the right turn lane with the green signal laid on his horn.  Having survived that, you crossed the exit ramp at Augusta on the red as cars came flying up the ramp with a green.  You survived that, too.  How many lives do you have?

Permalink Reply by Michael A on May 7, 2014 at 10:15pm

pssst, that is Thor Hushovd, World champ bike racer doing the public service spot

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on May 8, 2014 at 8:54am

I can see how some viewers might think that was encouraging risky behavior, but at the end it says "For those who do not have nine lives -- share the road." This would be clearer if you didn't have to translate it from Norwegian!  It originally appeared on this official site: http://www.vegvesen.no/delveien

This morning:

You: dropping off your wife on Polk Street.

Me: clipping along on my folder at about 15 MPH.

As I rode up behind you, with my headlight on, you actually looked in your side mirror (we had eye contact, if you recall) then started to pull out in front of (more like *into*) me. Apparently your reflexes worked better than your road manners, because when I gave you a blast from my (just re-charged!) air horn, you slammed on your brakes. Thanks! ;-)

Steve

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 8, 2014 at 9:06am

Yowza!

Lisa Curcio 4.1 mi said:

To the guy in the blue t-shirt, shorts, blue baseball cap riding a Divvy northbound on Milwaukee just after 8:00: that is some death wish you have.  Green right turn signal for cars, red bike signal at Elston, and you went as fast as anyone I have ever seen on a Divvy into the intersection while the car in the right turn lane with the green signal laid on his horn.  Having survived that, you crossed the exit ramp at Augusta on the red as cars came flying up the ramp with a green.  You survived that, too.  How many lives do you have?

Permalink Reply by JMinHP on May 8, 2014 at 10:48am

You: Commuting on a full-fendered older road bike, loaded pannier on one side, hammering away (safely; slowing when appropriate) at about 20mph into this morning's headwind on the LFP. 

Achievement unlocked: Beast mode!

Me: Blisfully in your slip stream. Unfortunately when I finally offered to pull you were exiting in a few hundred yards. May we meet again!

Permalink Reply by Michelle Milham on May 10, 2014 at 2:35pm
To the dude who shouted "GET A CAR BITCH ASS" at me out the window of their car on NB Milwaukee as I was riding south:

1) do you make a habit of yelling at people who literally have nothing to do with you and no effect on your drive at all? Honestly? That's so sad.
2) I have a car, but I like my bike better.
3) I hope you enjoyed the mighty traffic jam due to CTA construction that you were about to hit. I bet you'd have had to wait less on a bike! ;)
Permalink Reply by Julia 3.5/7.5 mi on May 10, 2014 at 6:56pm
To the off-brand ambulance driver (not with lights/sirens on) at Diversey/Western/Elston: your sudden right turn and lack of blinker is going to put some unsuspecting cyclist in the back of your ride one day. Please slow down, check your mirrors (especially when there are two lanes of traffic!) and be a bit more considerate.
Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on May 11, 2014 at 10:05pm

If *you* also had a rear-view mirror, it might not have been so completely unexpected.

But I've had some almost-that-close calls, and I wonder why the expensive cars (BMW, Mercedes, etc.) seem over-represented in the contempt-for-bikes population.

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

Closest call ever in 50 years of riding today...  BMW driver passed very fast, and so close that I could feel her rear-view mirror with the hair on my arm (yikes!).  Completely unexpected, too, since the whole street was open. She could have given me a whole lane, or she could even have waited until I had passed the cars double-parked in the bike lane before passing me.  Instead, she elected to give me a near-death experience.

Was she trying to assault me, or was she just concentrating on the phone?  I don't know, but in either case if I had been an inch farther to the left I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale.

The last similar incident I had (some time ago) was when a woman passed me very close, then passed the bus in front of me so close that her rear-view mirror was knocked off ;-)

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on May 11, 2014 at 10:25pm

Yes, I've been there. I rely on my mirror a lot, but it's not always where I'm looking at the critical moment!

Glad you escaped with nothing more than psychological injuries. ;-)

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

A mirror is great for checking to see if it is safe to change lanes.  Here, it would not have mattered.  I was holding a straight line, and she came up too fast for me to take any evasive action.  I could only pray (which apparently worked).

Steve Weeks said:

If *you* also had a rear-view mirror, it might not have been so completely unexpected.

But I've had some almost-that-close calls, and I wonder why the expensive cars (BMW, Mercedes, etc.) seem over-represented in the contempt-for-bikes population.

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

Closest call ever in 50 years of riding today...  BMW driver passed very fast, and so close that I could feel her rear-view mirror with the hair on my arm (yikes!).  Completely unexpected, too, since the whole street was open. She could have given me a whole lane, or she could even have waited until I had passed the cars double-parked in the bike lane before passing me.  Instead, she elected to give me a near-death experience.

Was she trying to assault me, or was she just concentrating on the phone?  I don't know, but in either case if I had been an inch farther to the left I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale.

The last similar incident I had (some time ago) was when a woman passed me very close, then passed the bus in front of me so close that her rear-view mirror was knocked off ;-)

Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on May 11, 2014 at 11:08pm

Jeff,

So sorry this happened and so glad you're still with us.

I am a big advocate for avoiding over-reliance on mirrors-- I can now barely ride without one but you will rarely see me mention it here.... but I do feel this is a situation that may have been helped by having one.

Also... holding a straight line is not always the best way to get a driver's attention.  I have friends (yeah, that's it) who make it a point to wobble a bit when they know a car is approaching from behind. Another case for the benefit of a mirror....

Jeff Schneider said:

A mirror is great for checking to see if it is safe to change lanes.  Here, it would not have mattered.  I was holding a straight line, and she came up too fast for me to take any evasive action.  I could only pray (which apparently worked).

Steve Weeks said:

If *you* also had a rear-view mirror, it might not have been so completely unexpected.

But I've had some almost-that-close calls, and I wonder why the expensive cars (BMW, Mercedes, etc.) seem over-represented in the contempt-for-bikes population.

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

Closest call ever in 50 years of riding today...  BMW driver passed very fast, and so close that I could feel her rear-view mirror with the hair on my arm (yikes!).  Completely unexpected, too, since the whole street was open. She could have given me a whole lane, or she could even have waited until I had passed the cars double-parked in the bike lane before passing me.  Instead, she elected to give me a near-death experience.

Was she trying to assault me, or was she just concentrating on the phone?  I don't know, but in either case if I had been an inch farther to the left I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale.

The last similar incident I had (some time ago) was when a woman passed me very close, then passed the bus in front of me so close that her rear-view mirror was knocked off ;-)

Permalink Reply by dan brown on May 12, 2014 at 9:18am

yikes sorry to hear this.

who knows if there was a cause; but If I had to guess I would say maybe she didn't have the mother's day pampering that she hoped for. OK flame away. I am wearing the asbeostos...

Jeff Schneider said:

Closest call ever in 50 years of riding today...  BMW driver passed very fast, and so close that I could feel her rear-view mirror with the hair on my arm (yikes!).  Completely unexpected, too, since the whole street was open. She could have given me a whole lane, or she could even have waited until I had passed the cars double-parked in the bike lane before passing me.  Instead, she elected to give me a near-death experience.

Was she trying to assault me, or was she just concentrating on the phone?  I don't know, but in either case if I had been an inch farther to the left I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale.

The last similar incident I had (some time ago) was when a woman passed me very close, then passed the bus in front of me so close that her rear-view mirror was knocked off ;-)

Permalink Reply by Lisa Gordon on May 12, 2014 at 1:56pm

Yeah, I've noticed that, too, about expensive cars.  Something about wealth and entitlement?  No idea.  But it does seem to be true. 

Steve Weeks said:

If *you* also had a rear-view mirror, it might not have been so completely unexpected.

But I've had some almost-that-close calls, and I wonder why the expensive cars (BMW, Mercedes, etc.) seem over-represented in the contempt-for-bikes population.

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

Closest call ever in 50 years of riding today...  BMW driver passed very fast, and so close that I could feel her rear-view mirror with the hair on my arm (yikes!).  Completely unexpected, too, since the whole street was open. She could have given me a whole lane, or she could even have waited until I had passed the cars double-parked in the bike lane before passing me.  Instead, she elected to give me a near-death experience.

Was she trying to assault me, or was she just concentrating on the phone?  I don't know, but in either case if I had been an inch farther to the left I wouldn't have lived to tell the tale.

The last similar incident I had (some time ago) was when a woman passed me very close, then passed the bus in front of me so close that her rear-view mirror was knocked off ;-)

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