'Walk your bike on the sidewalk' sting operation...I got a ticket as did others

Corner of Michigan and Monroe..last couple of blocks before lakefront path

Just wishing they would pick a more clear cut spot if they wanted to enforce some of the many traffic violations that bikers are responsible for.  

There's really no good choice here (in my opinion).  Cars are going faster past Michigan going East on Monroe and there's not a lot of room for bikes on the side.  Many if not most bikers, ride on the sidewalk here for this reason.  

According to the grumpy cop who wrote my ticket, he doesn't care and I can call my alderman. Yay.  

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Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on September 7, 2014 at 5:12am

When I take the route, I'll hook onto Monroe at Dearborn and take a lane from there to the LFP. It is very intimidating, but my approach typically means I'll catch a break in traffic - a lot of the Loop traffic peels off before or at Michigan - and will be nearly at Columbus by the time the next wave (I assume from NB/SB Michigan) of heavy car traffic catches up. 


Jason Mc said:

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

Permalink Reply by Ryan Stahlman on September 8, 2014 at 4:44am

I ride on the street on Monroe & Michigan everyday, morning & evening commute. For me, this is the easiest, most direct route to the LFP. The traffic can be fast, but I've had little to no confrontation with drivers here. I totally understand reluctance to use this route though. A PBP would be a fantastic addition here. 

Simon Phearson said:

When I take the route, I'll hook onto Monroe at Dearborn and take a lane from there to the LFP. It is very intimidating, but my approach typically means I'll catch a break in traffic - a lot of the Loop traffic peels off before or at Michigan - and will be nearly at Columbus by the time the next wave (I assume from NB/SB Michigan) of heavy car traffic catches up. 


Jason Mc said:

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on September 8, 2014 at 6:40am

They are no longer supposed to take your license.  The law changed very recently and it is no longer proper for them to do so. 

http://wqad.com/2014/08/11/no-more-giving-up-your-drivers-license-i...

Davo said:

Illinois is weird like that. This is the first place I've ever heard of that takes your driving license when being ticketed. If you are driving a car, couldn't they get you for driving without a license after they ticket you?

Permalink Reply by Liz on September 8, 2014 at 8:08am


I ride Monroe from Michigan to LFP a lot and the stretch between Columbus and LSD is aweful for cycling.  The traffic moves very quickly getting to LSD and in order to reach the path, you need to move left to the center lane as there are 2 right turn lanes. I've had many cars that refuse to let me over or pass too closely or honk, so often I will turn "left" at Columbus and take the sidewalk down that 1 block. This used to be the posted bike route before the Maggie Daley park construction began. 

The street that I believe would most benefit from a bike lane/fewer car lanes is Columbus/Fairview. By creating a North/South route from oak street beach you would have a winter alternative to the iced over "s" curve and avoid all of the LFP tourists in the summer. 

Ryan Stahlman said:

I ride on the street on Monroe & Michigan everyday, morning & evening commute. For me, this is the easiest, most direct route to the LFP. The traffic can be fast, but I've had little to no confrontation with drivers here. I totally understand reluctance to use this route though. A PBP would be a fantastic addition here. 

Simon Phearson said:

When I take the route, I'll hook onto Monroe at Dearborn and take a lane from there to the LFP. It is very intimidating, but my approach typically means I'll catch a break in traffic - a lot of the Loop traffic peels off before or at Michigan - and will be nearly at Columbus by the time the next wave (I assume from NB/SB Michigan) of heavy car traffic catches up. 


Jason Mc said:

Like seriously, does anyone NOT ride the sidewalk east of Michigan on Monroe to the Lakefront? Dude.

Permalink Reply by R W on September 8, 2014 at 12:02pm

What really kills me about this is that I've been emailing with my alderman about improving enforcement for cars parking in the bike lane, and have been repeatedly rebuffed. Apparently the police simply don't have the man power to enforce all the existing laws, and parking in the bike lane is too far down the enforcement list for consideration. But a bike on the sidewalk? Get that ticket book out. 

Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on September 9, 2014 at 3:12am

"walk your bike on the sidewalk" and "take a walk on the wild side" as phrases, have the same cadence so I switched the phrases and modified the song to the subject matter..makes more sense than people complaining about getting tickets for breaking the law.

Riders that want to be serious about the law protecting them should follow the laws.

Chitown_Mike said:

There are so many meme pictures I want to post....but won't because I don't think the site could handle it.

But I will post this, just because it makes as much sense......



Irvin Steinert said:

Sugar Plum Fairy came and hit the streets looking for bike blogs and a place to sleep; on the side in Chicago shoulda seen him go go go.. they said hey babe, walk you bike on the side walk!

Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on September 9, 2014 at 3:27am

It shouldn't be an either/or kind of proposition. A lot of times cyclists break the laws because the laws that are supposed to protect them aren't observed or enforced, or the laws that technically apply to them also endanger them, so they're just doing what they feel they need to in order to stay safe. 

Here, we're talking about a very specific point where Chicago's bike infrastructure breaks down. There are only a few ways across the Millennium/Grant Park traverse for people going to or from the LFP, and almost none of them are particularly bike-friendly. That's why people ride on the sidewalk on Monroe. It's not because they don't care about the laws or don't think that they apply to them; it's because Monroe after Michigan opens up into a near-highway where most of the traffic is on its way to major arterial roads.

We have to share the roads; we should do our best to observe the laws; and ideally the more of us on that Monroe traverse there are, the safer it'll be for all of us. But we're not martyrs, and it's insane to expect us to put our lives on the line as an implicit condition for the city maybe taking our lives seriously.

Irvin Steinert said:

"walk your bike on the sidewalk" and "take a walk on the wild side" as phrases, have the same cadence so I switched the phrases and modified the song to the subject matter..makes more sense than people complaining about getting tickets for breaking the law.

Riders that want to be serious about the law protecting them should follow the laws.

Permalink Reply by Asper K on September 9, 2014 at 1:57pm

My thoughts exactly

Simon Phearson said:

It shouldn't be an either/or kind of proposition. A lot of times cyclists break the laws because the laws that are supposed to protect them aren't observed or enforced, or the laws that technically apply to them also endanger them, so they're just doing what they feel they need to in order to stay safe. 

Here, we're talking about a very specific point where Chicago's bike infrastructure breaks down. There are only a few ways across the Millennium/Grant Park traverse for people going to or from the LFP, and almost none of them are particularly bike-friendly. That's why people ride on the sidewalk on Monroe. It's not because they don't care about the laws or don't think that they apply to them; it's because Monroe after Michigan opens up into a near-highway where most of the traffic is on its way to major arterial roads.

We have to share the roads; we should do our best to observe the laws; and ideally the more of us on that Monroe traverse there are, the safer it'll be for all of us. But we're not martyrs, and it's insane to expect us to put our lives on the line as an implicit condition for the city maybe taking our lives seriously.

Irvin Steinert said:

"walk your bike on the sidewalk" and "take a walk on the wild side" as phrases, have the same cadence so I switched the phrases and modified the song to the subject matter..makes more sense than people complaining about getting tickets for breaking the law.

Riders that want to be serious about the law protecting them should follow the laws.

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