Trucks on the Lake Front Trail

Nearly every morning, I witness 40-foot trucks driving on the Lake Front Trail. The trucks take up the entire width of the path, and knock over tree branches onto unsuspecting joggers and bikers. They are creating a dangerous situation by funneling two way running/biking traffic into the narrow shoulder, while blocking view of the oncoming lane. I should also note that the trucks are moving, and not just parked on the trail. How are they even getting access to the trail, and who is continuing to allow this to happen?

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Permalink Reply by S on July 16, 2013 at 9:52am

There is a ramp but it's quite a bit away from the south end of the apron.  In any case, the apron ends well away from the cafe with a good stretch of sand in between, as such I doubt having a truck use the apron to get to the cafe is a feasible option.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

There is a ramp between the North Ave and Oak beaches. I've seen the ramp, plus once I saw a few trailers down on the apron, so I know vehicles of that size can utilize the ramp.

S said:

Have you been on the LFT by there?  There's no ramp that would allow a truck to get on that apron or follow anywhere near the restaurant at Oak St Beach.

David P. said:

There is one hell of a big concrete apron there that service vehicles can drive on for most of that distance without blocking the entire path.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on July 16, 2013 at 10:01am

Whereas if they drive by the cafe, they can turn on the apron and unload off the path.

S said:

There is a ramp but it's quite a bit away from the south end of the apron.  In any case, the apron ends well away from the cafe with a good stretch of sand in between, as such I doubt having a truck use the apron to get to the cafe is a feasible option.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

There is a ramp between the North Ave and Oak beaches. I've seen the ramp, plus once I saw a few trailers down on the apron, so I know vehicles of that size can utilize the ramp.

S said:

Have you been on the LFT by there?  There's no ramp that would allow a truck to get on that apron or follow anywhere near the restaurant at Oak St Beach.

David P. said:

There is one hell of a big concrete apron there that service vehicles can drive on for most of that distance without blocking the entire path.

Permalink Reply by Charlie Short 2.9 on July 16, 2013 at 11:01am
Permalink Reply by Maurice on July 16, 2013 at 11:30am
Posts claiming that alternative delivery methods are illegal are only relevant if driving a semi down the path is somehow authorized by municipal orinance. Otherwise, the current delivery method also is illegal (albeit protected by clout). There is a path under LSD not far from the restaurant. Not sure why a delivery driver's convenience should take precedence over safety and convenience of other path users. This is coming from a former delivery driver who rarely bikes on that part of the path.
Permalink Reply by Jared on July 16, 2013 at 12:28pm

Has there ever actually been a collision involving a truck and a cyclist on the path?  Somehow I think other cyclists pose a greater danger than a large predictably moving truck...

Maurice said:

Posts claiming that alternative delivery methods are illegal are only relevant if driving a semi down the path is somehow authorized by municipal orinance. Otherwise, the current delivery method also is illegal (albeit protected by clout). There is a path under LSD not far from the restaurant. Not sure why a delivery driver's convenience should take precedence over safety and convenience of other path users. This is coming from a former delivery driver who rarely bikes on that part of the path.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on July 16, 2013 at 12:47pm

Helicopters?  Really?  And where exactly would they land?
 
Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Cargo bikes, helicopters, giant push-carts, I don't care. It's not our problem how they restock, and they shouldn't burden the public – who has a right to the trail – with their private business needs.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

How else will they restock that restaurant?

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on July 16, 2013 at 12:50pm
Sarcasm detector broken? :-)

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

Helicopters?  Really?  And where exactly would they land?
 
Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Cargo bikes, helicopters, giant push-carts, I don't care. It's not our problem how they restock, and they shouldn't burden the public – who has a right to the trail – with their private business needs.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

How else will they restock that restaurant?

Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on July 16, 2013 at 1:01pm

Not really.  If they had deliveries by giant push carts, I'm sure you'd whine about that too.  (People complain about the Flintstone mobiles after all.)  And remember - a truck can get down the path and do its business (and be out of your way) faster than a "giant push cart."
 
Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Sarcasm detector broken? :-)

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:

Helicopters?  Really?  And where exactly would they land?
 
Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

Cargo bikes, helicopters, giant push-carts, I don't care. It's not our problem how they restock, and they shouldn't burden the public – who has a right to the trail – with their private business needs.

Duppie 13.5185km said:

How else will they restock that restaurant?

Permalink Reply by Maurice on July 16, 2013 at 2:11pm
The danger is apparent from that picture, regardless of whether the truck hits a bike. It's also explained rather clearly in the OP.
Permalink Reply by Michael A on July 16, 2013 at 2:21pm

Maurice, no one is saying that this is not a hazard, we are all just shaming a certain member who thinks this forum is his personal whine list.........

Permalink Reply by Reboot Oxnard on July 16, 2013 at 10:56pm

You guys need to learn to share the trail. There are solutions to the delivery truck lumbering down the path in the middle of the morning commute but they are expensive and inconvenient - which means they aren't better solutions. Those trucks are there because a huge block of park users, far outnumbering the bikers,  want them to be there - or, more precisely, want to be able to buy a beer and a burger while they play in the park. If there is a better solution available, the impetus to find it might start with Critical Masshole Whining but it will end with somebody deciding to be constructive and look for it.

Being a petulant child only works if you need your nappies changed or if you have over-indulgent parents unwilling to tell you 'No." Rest assured that the Park District and the hordes of park users are willing to tell the bikers to fuck off and die if we can't find a way to share. Perhaps, instead of indulging your inner child with the endless, "waaa, trucks, waaa, cars, waaa, pedestrians" whinge, it would be more constructive to turn your outer adult loose on finding a solution that works better for everyone who wants to use the park.

Using the apron instead of the trail is very problematic. From the north, it doesn't extend to the Cafe. From the south there is no vehicle access. At any time, it's liable to be cluttered with sleeping/sunning people (who care no more for your inconvenience than you do theirs) and they don't move or don't move quickly. You may not care about the problems it presents but rest assured the grownups in the room do.

Scheduling the deliveries in the middle of the night is also very problematic. It's illegal, not that this counts for much in Chicago but it often does in Springfield. It's far more expensive in so many ways, not to mention the fact that the restaurant workers, delivery truck drivers and cops required to effect the night deliveries will be more than a little resentful at having to give up their day jobs because the bikers couldn't be bothered to share the trail for a few seconds on their vital to the needs of the community commute.

Think solutions, not complaints. You folks aren't stupid, if you know of a rational and affordable solution that meets the needs of all the park users, put it forth. Otherwise, shappap and peddle.

Permalink Reply by Michael J Blane on July 17, 2013 at 2:23am

It's a beach.

Why don't they bring the beer on a boat, or some amphibious vehicle?
They could come up the sand from the water.

Problem solved ... hahahahahahaha (for those whose sarcasm detector is broken).

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