Tribune story on plight of pedestrians in crosswalks

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Carter O'Brien on August 16, 2011 at 9:31am

yep.  that and "sour grapes," it's pretty clear that quite a few motorists resent that bikes can move faster down gridlocked City streets than they can. 

 

that said, I've learned over the years that the lion's share of comments on public boards are just totally inane & not necessarily indicative of how the larger community really feels.

 

once upon a time people had to go through the trouble of writing a letter to a newspaper, so that and the fact you couldn't be anonymous (or argue all day with other anonymous people) weeded out many of the rantings you see on the Tribune and Sun-Times boards.

Cameron Puetz said:

Very few people are cyclists, and no one thinks that they are the problem. Therefore bike are an easy other to blame.

Dan Korn said:

So why is it that so many people think bikes are the problem?

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Permalink Reply by Joel on August 16, 2011 at 10:05am

Bikes are different, and therefore they are wrong.  When traffic is moving at speed, bikes are slow and should be pushed off to the side.  When traffic is gridlocked, bikes are going to fast and should be forced to stay in the lane like everyone else.  Clearly the bicyclist is doing something wrong in both cases, simply because they are behaving differently than cars.  The people know that they aren't the ones causing problems, therefore it must be the people not behaving like them.

 

Dan Korn said:

 

So why is it that so many people think bikes are the problem?

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Permalink Reply by Liz on August 16, 2011 at 11:34am

Bikes/Pedestrian "near misses" are more person, the actual person see *you*,  not a big metal car.

When a car nearly hits a pedestrian you see the *car* causing the problem, not the person driving it.  When someone on a bike behaves in a reckless manner towards a pedestrian or fellow cyclist it “feels” more like a personal attack, when it’s a car, it’s not as personal, it becomes the vehicle being aggressive.

 

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Permalink Reply by April on August 16, 2011 at 7:25pm

"9-24-050 Pedestrians in roadway to have right-of-way
When the movement of traffic is not controlled by traffic-control devices, a police officer or traffic control aide, the operator of a vehicle shall yield the right-of- way, slowing down or stopping if need be so to yield, to a pedestrian crossing the roadway within a crosswalk when the pedestrian is upon the half of the roadway upon which the vehicle is traveling or when the pedestrian is approaching so closely from the opposite half of the roadway as to be in danger."

 

Wow!  I feel like this law should be better publicized because this is the first time I've heard of it and I don't think drivers know of this law either.  I often feel like I am risking my life whenever I cross on crosswalks not monitored by lights or stop signs. A car that yields is an extremely rare experience for me.  I often go out of my way when walking to cross at an intersection that has a sign or lights.

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