Who else has gone from serious commuting to nearly none due to...

a) lack of bike lanes, or

b) bike lanes that are commonly considered regular car traffic lanes, or

c) general mixed message of CDOT on maintaining our lanes?

I will say that for me, 3,000+ miles per year was not uncommon. My trek was between 6.5 and 9.5 miles each way (depending on route) and I rode 5 days a week, year round. I really loved it riding. For you marketers, demographers, I was replacing my bike every 18 months and getting tune ups three times a year (beyond my own tuneups.)

Now, as I see cars regularly use the bike lane on Damen, Elston, Milwaukee and Des Plaines, I question how I ever got so brave to ride in the first place.

We really need to ask ourselves if we are being heard and supported. I am seeing the tide turn toward driving and cars using the whole road.

Flame away.

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Permalink Reply by V W on May 22, 2015 at 12:42pm
Not me. I still seriously commute but I see where you're coming from.

To me, I've definitely had inconveniences but it would take so much more to equal how much I don't like the CTA or city driving.

I do agree that biking needs to be way better supported as a society and through government.

But as bad as it can be, what alternative is truly better?
Permalink Reply by Filka Bean on May 22, 2015 at 7:05pm

When I feel down I think about how it was back in the 90's when I first came to town...  That makes me feel better.  I feel the frustration, too, though: sometimes it seems like we're headed for a UK-style culture war, but I gotta say I think if that's the case then we're actually winning: more and more cyclists riding each year and that's just the way it is!  ...I hope!

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 23, 2015 at 3:59am

I am so confused by this post.

So even though biking is WAY better than it was say 5 years ago you have recently become scared of it because cars are on the road?

Sounds more like you are getting tired of biking andd looking for excuses than there is any real issue with the roads.

Permalink Reply by Jim Reho on May 25, 2015 at 11:45am

How biking is depends on where you're biking.  I certainly agree with others that biking is no picnic here on the southwest side.  I appreciate what bike lanes there are, but we have no really good main east-west corridor.  Archer, of course, would be the natural.  The parts of the city that have lanes are better to bike than they were, but still not great.

In the big picture, from what I can tell Americans drive about twice as many miles in total than when I moved here in 1979.  There aren't many new roads in Chicago.  For all vehicles, especially motor vehicles, traffic is MUCH heavier than it was then.  As population rises, even if per capita driving remains around the same, overall traffic increases.  Commuting time for drivers has increased terrifically during that period.  So maybe where notoriousDUG is biking is way better than five years ago.  I would say that where I am, it's a bit better (except that drivers seem more angry).  But overall, it's a lot harder to bike in the city in general than when I first showed up, because there are many, many more people on the roads.    

 

Permalink Reply by Samuel Diaz on May 23, 2015 at 7:28am

Its even much worse for us cyclists on the southwest side of the city. I see more and more cyclists every year around my neighborhood near midway airport. There are virtually no bike lanes in my area.

Permalink Reply by grayn8 on May 24, 2015 at 1:33am
See, I think this is where on the South and west sides, we are sort of better off. Blue island/archer vs Milwaukee. I ride archer everyday and blue island frequently. I don't feel hassled and stressed like I do when I ride Milwaukee. I have to say, I've never had a problem on Elston, but that's getting off topic. Look how the bike lane shenanigans near Douglas park have confused everyone. Or the weirdness of the lights/bike lane at Harrison and Canal, seriously wouldn't be surprised if that leads to a few ghost bikes.

I think bike lanes make riders feel safe when in truth the world is full of confused, sleep deprived zombies. Lanes should be followed, but we are a culture where the idea of speed limit signs is viewed as a game of how much faster can/should I go. We have less folks riding around and tend to ride more defensively.
Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on May 24, 2015 at 3:34am

make that "texting, car computer watching, sleep deprived zombies"

Permalink Reply by Filka Bean on May 24, 2015 at 4:12am

I'm actually to the southwest, too, and I agree with grayn8, sorta: Milwaukee is a funny change of pace for me, but it's just too much traffic and chaos (car and bike) to be a mellow ride.  Riding to the southwest I can kinda pick whether I want to race traffic or just cruise along because even when there are several riders in sight we're not crowded.  But that having been said I'd still like to see expanded bike lanes...  They don't magically make it safer but at the very least they are a signal for car drivers to expect bikes, and the jerks abusing the lanes are a minority we all deal with either way...  I'd rather they stand out, if you know what I mean.

Permalink Reply by grayn8 on May 24, 2015 at 8:04am
I hear and agree. Sadly, I am torn by the age old conundrum of limited capital for too many needs. So many of the streets in the south west are just crazy state of disrepair. The work done south of Archer on state for bike lanes seemed poorly constructed. Look at 31st from Halsted to the beach, they just painted that stuff and it's already faded. MLK south of 26th also seems sadly done. I'd rather have them deal with the empty lots and fix the sidewalks and roads. If, the bike infra money is coming from a separate pool, which sadly I'm an ignorant ignoramus about, then heckahecka yea - bike lanes ftw. Just do it right.
Permalink Reply by Irvin Steinert on May 24, 2015 at 3:44am

Yes, the infrastructure we need are better LAWS, better driver (and cyclist) EDUCATION and ENFORCEMENT.

The fact that speed "limits" are viewed as "minimum required speed (and even then only when the cops are watching)" is a testimony on the mental state of the driving masses

Permalink Reply by This PBL dosnt make me feel safe on May 24, 2015 at 6:12am

The most pleasant part of my 9 mile commute is a 2.5 mile stretch on Higgins which has no bike pavement markings whatsoever, and yet cars still somehow figure out how to not run me over.  Why do people think painting a stripe down is going to make a road good for biking in and of itself?  (note to ATA: don't put a fucking PBL on Higgins)

Permalink Reply by grayn8 on May 24, 2015 at 8:07am
dude! Higgins is a secret! Don't give away Higgins!

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