The Chainlink

You blew the red light east bound on Lawrence at Damen at 5:26 pm this evening.

 

There was enough time for the biker in front of me to make it half way into the intersection, northbound on Damen, before you came whizzing past my front wheel.

 

I yelled "You're an idiot!" at your big haired chick, self, and you looked back at me. I meant it!

 

I woulda testified for any of the cars, that managed to not kill you, if they had.

 

Keep riding like a tard!

love,

gabe

 

Witness bad behavior during your commute? Feel free to post. Maybe that lovely human can read it and think they are famous. Maybe you can also inspire the whole generation of kids to shower but we can start with small things.

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Good reason to never pass on the right, even when trying to ace them out at the light.  And with or without the turn signal.  You can't expect to be seen from that side.

Pages 12-13: http://transportation.stanford.edu/pdf/sprocketman-comicbook.pdf

Hey, dude in sweet CBGB jersey who said a nice thing to me just north of Ohio on the path this morning, 

I was so happy for a compliment from a male cyclist that wasn't belittling or insulting or disgusting. Glad to be reminded there are decent folks around. You made my day!

You: cabbie who stopped in the flow of traffic on Canal St. to let your passenger out with barely enough room to open the door. 

Me: slowing down considerably, THANK F*%CK

Passenger: one foot out, caught a glimpse and heard my screech of terror, withdrawing appendage and closing door -- just. in. time.

Thank you, Mr. Cabbie for asking me, two blocks later, if my heart was beating yet. It WAS a close call and although you think it was "nobody's fault" I beg to disagree. You really should never let anyone out in the flow of traffic. Chicago is the only city I've ever lived in where taxis don't pull over to let people out. WHY IS THIS? Just pull over. Just block the bike lane and pull over, or turn the corner. PULL OVER and let them out in between cars. Yes, we would have both gone to the hospital; I would have hit her hard. And it would have been your fault. 

Just to clarify this: I was at the intersection first. The car pulled up, and I could see the turn signal. He was there for at least a minute. The driver was inching forward, but never took any of several good opportunities to turn on the red. Once the light turned green I just gave him a toot to remind him I was there. I credit him with doing the right thing, which was to let me go first.

For the record, I *never* pass on the right (it's illegal), and *always* stop at red lights if there is cross-traffic or a car waiting with me.

Steve

Tricolor said:

Good reason to never pass on the right, even when trying to ace them out at the light.  And with or without the turn signal.  You can't expect to be seen from that side.

Pages 12-13: http://transportation.stanford.edu/pdf/sprocketman-comicbook.pdf

To the dum dum with her helmet on backwards biking west on Diversey, who made a sudden U-TURN in traffic with no signals/no warning last night:

I've never thought I'd have a day where I nearly hit a cyclist while in my car. You are unpredictable, dangerous, and have so little respect for traffic, that you will eventually cause an accident. I'm already looking for your signals and cues as you ride; if you can't be predictable enough to someone who commutes by bike year round, you're going to have a bad time.

To the fellow in the silver car driving north on Sheridan, just past Devon, at about 10:55 this morning: 

You honked, waved, and yelled at me to get over (into the parked car/door zone!).  I realize that giving you the middle finger was not the most appropriate action, nor an intelligible distillation of relevant points of Illinois traffic law, but neither was your response of racing ahead of me, pulling to the curb, and leering at me as you flicked your door open a few inches.

Ugh!
So sorry for you. I live just north of Loyola along the lake, and no matter where I commute to, by home is the most dangerous part, ESPECIALLY NBound. I'm sure there are other threads about the LSD redesign and I'm generally against "urban renewal" projects, but there's a real problem with an expressway that empties (trickles?) without a clear outlet. Cab and local traffic on broadway mixes with suburban commuters still in expressway mode. But you can't tell a meathead like that, "hey, you're not going to find a parking spot anyway, and there's a cross street every 50 feet, so you're never very far from a red light." I mean, there's got to be a better way to funnel thru traffic over to a wider street like Western (complains the narrowminded east of sheridan rider).

Pulling over and trying to door you? Wtf? I feel like between Devon and Howard, the cops could ticket so many red-light runners, threateners, and speed-slam-on-the-brakesers. Then again, they have their hands full with more pressing matters.


Jay Tee Ess said:

To the fellow in the silver car driving north on Sheridan, just past Devon, at about 10:55 this morning: 

You honked, waved, and yelled at me to get over (into the parked car/door zone!).  I realize that giving you the middle finger was not the most appropriate action, nor an intelligible distillation of relevant points of Illinois traffic law, but neither was your response of racing ahead of me, pulling to the curb, and leering at me as you flicked your door open a few inches.

You: A full-sized raw turkey (maybe you are a big chicken?) laying in the east bound Augusta bike lane, covered in flys.

Me: Riding by holding my breath, avoiding getting flys in my mouth, thoroughly confused. Who did you cross, only to be discarded so out of season?

Best of luck.

Thank you for the good amount of chuckles.

Blatherskate said:

You: A full-sized raw turkey (maybe you are a big chicken?) laying in the east bound Augusta bike lane, covered in flys.

Me: Riding by holding my breath, avoiding getting flys in my mouth, thoroughly confused. Who did you cross, only to be discarded so out of season?

Best of luck.

Don't forget: Opening a door into traffic violates rule "MCC 9-80-035  Open Door in Traffic"

of the Municipal Code of Chicago. IIRC, this violation carries a $500 fine.

See this police training video (here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZaX2iHgHnhE ); MCC 9-80-035 is discussed at 5:30, but the whole thing is worth watching IMO. I wish I could say I have seen evidence that the police actually act on these state and city ordinances.

Steve



Peter G. said:

Pulling over and trying to door you? Wtf?
Scarlett, that's exactly what I saw! Except not as casual.

One of the many strange things I've almost hit in Chicago.
To the apes playing football IN the bike path of the LFT off of Fullerton,
My friend and I were almost home after riding 100 miles round trip for his race. It was rainy, we were tired and soaking, but things were alright. Neither of us could have anticipated that your disgusting shirtless bodies would be immobile IN the south bound lane. He shouted, I shouted, your response was to catch a football, shoving your arm into my friend. Glad our wheels/bikes/bodies are okay, he braked for you, barely, and I hit him trying to stop in time. When I screamed at you, you calmly told me to watch my language. You didn't move. I sincerely hope that when someone gets hurt because of your ridiculous need to play catch IN A BIKE PATH, it's you, and not anyone using the path respectfully.

So much anger!

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