The Chainlink

Please stop riding in the wrong direction on Wabash.

It's getting absurd. On average about 3 times a week since the weather has gotten warmer, I've had run-ins with people ridding North on Wabash. Mostly in the turning lane areas or right before as I am trying to turn East onto Madison and etc. I'm not into playing "chicken" on my way to work or thrilled about having to swerve back into traffic to avoid you because you are going the wrong way.   On Tuesday, A guy on a bike ran a red light and plowed into me as I was going West on Madison.

Please start following common sense and the rules of the road. Please.

I am all for everyone biking, but this spring/summer seems worse than normal all over the city as far as fellow cyclists being completely inconsiderate to each other, pedestrians and vehicle traffic.

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If you are a year round rider I would understand, since I also salmon on some short stretches to cross over to another street like on Jackson from Green st to Peoria, but I have stopped since it has become way too unpredictable with all these fair weather riders.

alnj said:

I'm one of the perps. I also frequent chainlink. There should probably just be a protected bike lane on wabash. Until then, its just gonna happen and everyone should be cautious of all their surroundings.

Juan 2-8 mi. said:

Doubt if these perps are on the Chainlink...

So someone is forced to go around you cause you don't know what direction to travel? We should be careful cause this is ridiculous. Are you afraid to travel on State? Are you unaware of the other streets in Chicago? Heaven help you when you run into someone that won't peel off cause 1 they are likely crazy and to they are likely gonna hurt ya. This is a reminder folks, the cream comes to the top...But turds can float too.

alnj said:

I'm one of the perps. I also frequent chainlink. There should probably just be a protected bike lane on wabash. Until then, its just gonna happen and everyone should be cautious of all their surroundings.

Juan 2-8 mi. said:

Doubt if these perps are on the Chainlink...

Tony had a good suggestion to get to Dearborn-- it just involves peeling off west earlier than would happen naturally.

I can't imagine diverting all the way to the lakefront path just to continue basically on a straight line up Wabash.  I'm actually on my way somewhere, usually with some degree of time crunch, not just riding around for the heck of it.



Tim said:

Thanks for your support  Aljn. It makes me feel awesome about the world.

h'   and others... have you considered the lakefront path or the Dearborn lanes?

Well said Gabe.

I came across another salmoner today. That makes it 5 for 5 in the mornings this week. It was more fun today because there was a limo and a van both trying to back up in the left lane and a lot of cars double parked on both sides.

Also,

If you have to spit while riding, please look behind you first. I was stuck behind a guy going south on DesPlaines when he decided to spit, so I got the over spray. He was wearing earbuds so he didn't hear me yell at him for a 1/4 mile. 

I am so glad it's Friday!

Curry House is nice.  Since Chutney Joe's closed it's my go-to place for lunch when I can wrangle my coworkers to get Indian.

Between Dearborn and the Lake in the loop Wabash is the only street that's not multi-laned chaos, which explains why so many people use it, even if you can't hear a thing with all the noise trains make, not to mention the darkness from the elevated structure.

Anyone know if there are plans to "formally" connect the S. Wabash lane with the Dearborn lane?

This seems like kind of a significant oversight....

Tony Adams 7 mi (dirtbag hipstr) said:

I agree with Tim. There are no good northbound routes between the Lakefront Path and Dearborn.

What I do to get to Dearborn when going northbound into the loop on Wabash:

1. Turn left (west) on 9th - taking it to Plymouth

2. Turn right (north) on Plymouth to Polk

3. Turn left (west) on Polk half a block to the southern terminus of the Dearborn lanes/circus.

(Bonus feature: Well hidden, pretty good Indian/Nepalese joint at 9th and Plymouth - the Chicago Curry House.)


h' 1.0 said:

Oops-- should have read more thoroughly-- exactly Tony's last comment.

On the subject of rogue bicyclists, the bicyclists who ride on the east side of Dearborn across from the Dearborn Bike Lane drive me crazy. I don't understand why some insist on doing it. It defeats all the work that was done convincing people that the DBL would clear up traffic.

The Dearborn protected bike lane was pitched and sold by CDOT and ATA as a design panacea for all road users. What the design failed to take into account was the vagaries of cabs, cars, police, pedestrians, buses, valets, and even bicycles. At what point do you declare that a failure of design or will it always remain a flawless design which is undermined by everyone's inability or unwillingness to use it as the designers intended and hoped?

Mike Keating said:

On the subject of rogue bicyclists, the bicyclists who ride on the east side of Dearborn across from the Dearborn Bike Lane drive me crazy. I don't understand why some insist on doing it. It defeats all the work that was done convincing people that the DBL would clear up traffic.

My comment:

The Dearborn protected Bike Lanes were intended to make it more likely that the 99% of the population which constitute those that are not the "brave and daring cyclist" might feel more comfortable riding in the loop.  As for it being a "failed design", that's the comment of someone who wants to see it fail because, frankly, they want to keep urban bicycling an "exciting private club" for the brave few.   it is FAR FAR FAR to early to declare it a failure.   Maybe it needs some more tweaking (such as banning valet parking on that side of Dearborn), but it is far from a failure.  

Of course, the CM crowd will continue to ride in Dearborn on the other side, because their real goal is anarchy

Kevin C said:

The Dearborn protected bike lane was pitched and sold by CDOT and ATA as a design panacea for all road users. What the design failed to take into account was the vagaries of cabs, cars, police, pedestrians, buses, valets, and even bicycles. At what point do you declare that a failure of design or will it always remain a flawless design which is undermined by everyone's inability or unwillingness to use it as the designers intended and hoped?

Mike Keating said:

On the subject of rogue bicyclists, the bicyclists who ride on the east side of Dearborn across from the Dearborn Bike Lane drive me crazy. I don't understand why some insist on doing it. It defeats all the work that was done convincing people that the DBL would clear up traffic.

Wow, pretty talented David.

In one paragraph, you were able to mischaracterize my words, my motivation for choosing the words I chose, and still have room to continue your anti-CCM rant.

David crZven 10.6 said:

My comment:

The Dearborn protected Bike Lanes were intended to make it more likely that the 99% of the population which constitute those that are not the "brave and daring cyclist" might feel more comfortable riding in the loop.  As for it being a "failed design", that's the comment of someone who wants to see it fail because, frankly, they want to keep urban bicycling an "exciting private club" for the brave few.   it is FAR FAR FAR to early to declare it a failure.   Maybe it needs some more tweaking (such as banning valet parking on that side of Dearborn), but it is far from a failure.  

Of course, the CM crowd will continue to ride in Dearborn on the other side, because their real goal is anarchy

Kevin C said:

The Dearborn protected bike lane was pitched and sold by CDOT and ATA as a design panacea for all road users. What the design failed to take into account was the vagaries of cabs, cars, police, pedestrians, buses, valets, and even bicycles. At what point do you declare that a failure of design or will it always remain a flawless design which is undermined by everyone's inability or unwillingness to use it as the designers intended and hoped?

Mike Keating said:

On the subject of rogue bicyclists, the bicyclists who ride on the east side of Dearborn across from the Dearborn Bike Lane drive me crazy. I don't understand why some insist on doing it. It defeats all the work that was done convincing people that the DBL would clear up traffic.

This is what I do, the intersections at 8th/Polk/State Street or Harrison/State Street are very precarious (used to do Harrison and State Street) and 9th and State Street is much more straightforward.

Also Curry house is pretty good.

Tony Adams 7 mi (dirtbag hipstr) said:

I agree with Tim. There are no good northbound routes between the Lakefront Path and Dearborn.

What I do to get to Dearborn when going northbound into the loop on Wabash:

1. Turn left (west) on 9th - taking it to Plymouth

2. Turn right (north) on Plymouth to Polk

3. Turn left (west) on Polk half a block to the southern terminus of the Dearborn lanes/circus.

(Bonus feature: Well hidden, pretty good Indian/Nepalese joint at 9th and Plymouth - the Chicago Curry House.)



I'll second that suggestion and add another option for folks coming in further south.  At 14th/State, you can duck into Dearborn Park, go north on Plymouth Court (nice cul de sac/cut through under Roosevelt Road), then continue as Tony noted below. 

Another notable spot on Plymouth Court, if you're a jazz fan, is Jazz Showcase in the old Dearborn station just south of Polk.

Tony Adams 7 mi (dirtbag hipstr) said:

I agree with Tim. There are no good northbound routes between the Lakefront Path and Dearborn.

What I do to get to Dearborn when going northbound into the loop on Wabash:

1. Turn left (west) on 9th - taking it to Plymouth

2. Turn right (north) on Plymouth to Polk

3. Turn left (west) on Polk half a block to the southern terminus of the Dearborn lanes/circus.

(Bonus feature: Well hidden, pretty good Indian/Nepalese joint at 9th and Plymouth - the Chicago Curry House.)

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