I can see why I don't see too many bicyclists on Western (Infestern) Ave.

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Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 9, 2010 at 2:15pm
I try and avoid using Infestern Ave to get around the city, but when I do use it there is always some A-hole behind or next to me during peak hours. If they could get rid of parking on the side it would make the coolest fastest way to get around!
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 9, 2010 at 3:22pm
Agreed. I personally find Ashland to be a nice route when you need to get north or south fast.

M.A.R.K. said:
IF they didn't have parking on that street it would become more of a freeway then it already is.
Permalink Reply by A.K.A Paul on September 9, 2010 at 3:56pm
I try to avoid it but it seems that when I've taken it during peak times its better than non peak times. Traffic is moving much slower and and there can be blocks of backed up traffic at a stand still to just whiz right by. I'm sure it's not all like that but I'm talking about the stretch between Lawrence and Diversey.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on September 10, 2010 at 1:25am
I like Kedzie myself -but we are talking further West than many might like if they are thinking Western or even Ashland.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Agreed. I personally find Ashland to be a nice route when you need to get north or south fast.

M.A.R.K. said:
IF they didn't have parking on that street it would become more of a freeway then it already is.
Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 10, 2010 at 1:58am
I guess youre right! I did notice how these cagers started speeding down Infestern like a three lane highway. I was riding down a stretch where no cars were parked and these douche bags passed me up and took over the "parking lane", giving me dirty looks as they passed me up.

M.A.R.K. said:
IF they didn't have parking on that street it would become more of a freeway then it already is.
Permalink Reply by Davo on September 10, 2010 at 4:10am
Western and Ashland are for Road Warriors trying to get to the Thunderdome.
Permalink Reply by Far'arned Retrogrumpalunkus #63 on September 10, 2010 at 4:37am
Here is my POV:

I really don't see the point of people trying to ride on the busier roads where there are less-busy alternatives going the same direction just a block or two away that are actually easier and faster for us. And it's one of the reasons I think bike lanes are kind of stupid when they just put them on the busiest of roads designed for autos. The strength of the bicycle is that it doesn't NEED big arterial roads -it does well on the decentralized small back roads. We aren't fast and we don't take up a lot of room. For the most part there is no need to concentrate bike traffic onto main arterials like there is for the cage traffic.

Sure there are speed bumps and more stop signs and worse pavement on the back roads. Those are separate issues that need to be addressed. But I think it would be better if we concentrated on making the side roads more accessible to bicycles with better laws (crazy one-way streets minimized or ignored) and street markings that inventivize their use rather than disincentivizing their use, like they have been trying for years to keep cars off of them and onto the main arterial streets.

We are not cars. We don't cause noise or traffic so we should be encouraged to take more of the residential streets and not be funneled down the busier streets where all the nasty big fast cars are (and parking and all that other jazz like more ped crossings). Sure Western is a crazy mess. It's a bit scary driving my wife's Miata on it with the big SUV's (including the new Cop Car SUVs(tm)), trucks and cabs whizzing around like crazy. They don't treat a little auto that gets 40mpg any better than they treat a bike. Riding down Western isn't as bad as taking the Kennedy Express lanes on a bicycle but it isn't exactly fun either-or even a good idea at times.

I know there is a certain segment of the riding community who believes we should be "taking back" the main roads and pushing the cars to their eventual demise/extinction. Sure, great, whatever. But making yourself a target for a crowded bunch of mouthbreathing cagers all jockying for position and cutting each other off doesn't sound like a good plan for the long-term to me -especially if you plan on living past your 30's.

Personally I like to find direct routes where I can make good time -but stay out of the most dangerous traffic areas if I can help it. If need be I'll jump on sidewalks for a short stretch where it isn't safe to be on the road (like some bad underpasses and bridges -the Fullerton bridge over the river is one good example). I ride Logan Blvd. every day and I'm always amazed at bikes riding down the main road fighting the cars whizzing by where there are perfectly smooth, empty, and newly repaved access roads just 50' on each side of it. WHY jam into the fast-moving road? Pride?

back to Western -most of the time it isn't THAT bad and I've taken it a few times to get where I need to be -but I'd just as soon move over a few blocks to a nice empty side street going the same way. If one gets a big boner by passing stopped cars block after block and thinking it's a great political statement to those stuck in their cages, then well great -just don't fool yourself that you are doing everything to keep yourself as safe as you can be (or even making the best time getting where you are going).

Davo said:
Western and Ashland are for Road Warriors trying to get to the Thunderdome.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 10, 2010 at 5:22am
Kedzie is good too, but the far north side seems to have more than its healthy share of stop signs if I remember correctly. And it usually is farther west than I'm going.

James Baum said:
I like Kedzie myself -but we are talking further West than many might like if they are thinking Western or even Ashland.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Agreed. I personally find Ashland to be a nice route when you need to get north or south fast.

M.A.R.K. said:
IF they didn't have parking on that street it would become more of a freeway then it already is.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 10, 2010 at 5:24am
The Thunderdome is on (or just off of) Ashland or Western?

Davo said:
Western and Ashland are for Road Warriors trying to get to the Thunderdome.
Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 10, 2010 at 5:45am
WTF is the Thunderdome? Anyhoo, on my way out nortwest to Infestern (Western), I remember all that talk about not riding on the sidewalk at the Mayors' Bicycle Program on Wed. at city hall, I found myself laughing as I was forced to ride the sidewalk on a stretch of Damen (Dammit) just past the highway underpass.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
The Thunderdome is on (or just off of) Ashland or Western?

Davo said:
Western and Ashland are for Road Warriors trying to get to the Thunderdome.
Permalink Reply by Tank-Ridin' Ryan on September 10, 2010 at 6:13am
Juan, I too did not know about the Thunderdome until a few years back. But, now I do.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089530/

As for the 'road warrior' reference, see here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082694/

Juan Dominguez said:
WTF is the Thunderdome? Anyhoo, on my way out nortwest to Infestern (Western), I remember all that talk about not riding on the sidewalk at the Mayors' Bicycle Program on Wed. at city hall, I found myself laughing as I was forced to ride the sidewalk on a stretch of Damen (Dammit) just past the highway underpass.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
The Thunderdome is on (or just off of) Ashland or Western?

Davo said:
Western and Ashland are for Road Warriors trying to get to the Thunderdome.
Permalink Reply by Juan 2-3 or more mi. on September 10, 2010 at 6:19am
I thought the Thunderdome was a place hardcore cyclists go to, to make battle with cagers...

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
Juan, I too did not know about the Thunderdome until a few years back. But, now I do.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0089530/

As for the 'road warrior' reference, see here: http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0082694/

Juan Dominguez said:
WTF is the Thunderdome? Anyhoo, on my way out nortwest to Infestern (Western), I remember all that talk about not riding on the sidewalk at the Mayors' Bicycle Program on Wed. at city hall, I found myself laughing as I was forced to ride the sidewalk on a stretch of Damen (Dammit) just past the highway underpass.

Tank-Ridin' Ryan said:
The Thunderdome is on (or just off of) Ashland or Western?

Davo said:
Western and Ashland are for Road Warriors trying to get to the Thunderdome.

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