Barrington (Hills) Anti Bike Campaign

Anyone heard about the campaign below or seen this sign?

Website is - http://www.dontchangebarringtonhills.com/

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 25, 2014 at 10:52am

That may not be much of an exaggeration. ;)

Velo Camerono said:

I ride through Barrington Hills multiple times a week and I'm pretty sure they could reduce motor traffic by 30% if they all mowed mowed their own lawn.

Permalink Reply by Rachel K on July 25, 2014 at 12:49pm

Ugh a friend's mom lives in Barrington Hills and he happened to notice this last time he was out there...TOTALLY backwards logic.

My favorite is how apparently cyclists urinate on everything...

Permalink Reply by skyrefuge on July 28, 2014 at 4:51am

Went for a ride through Barrington Hills yesterday. It's one thing to see a cheesy website with an anti-bike sign, but it feels somewhat different to actually see dozens of those signs physically posted along the roadway. I would say that nearly 50% of the properties (particularly as we neared Haeger's Bend Rd.) had a sign posted, and many shouted their opposition a bit louder by posting multiple signs. I really think the worst part is that the advocacy group is flat-out wrong (or deceptive) in many cases about the issues at hand, so most of these people are probably agreeing to post a sign without having a legitimate understanding of reality.

But the lack of bike lanes and now the additional, visible unwelcoming attitude sure isn't doing anything to keep cyclists away. Saw probably over 100 bikes, including a few groups of 10-20, groups of 2-3, and solo riders. It felt like at least four times as many bikes as cars on the roads. The rare drivers that we did encounter were courteous and safe, passing our single-file twosome with plenty of room (except for one guy who passed us on a hill with no visibility into the oncoming lane). The cyclists were also friendly, with most inquiring if we were ok on those occasions where we'd be paused on the roadside.

At one point we passed a Barrington Hills police car clearly waiting at an intersection as part of a sting operation, and shortly after, passed another one with flashing lights who had a cyclist pulled over. "Make sure you stop at the stop signs" the cyclist, slumped over his handlebars, ruefully advised us as we rode by. I think that's the first time I've ever seen a bike pulled over, but I actually wouldn't mind seeing more. If you want to ride in someone's community, follow their rules. However, this guy looked like a solo rider with a flat handlebar and no spandex, so I'm not quite sure if the police are targeting the class of cyclist that most enrages BH residents, and getting a solo guy is just going to be less-effective at sending a message than getting someone from a group. Ironically, the one time we saw a group of 20-or-so near a stop sign, *they* actually stopped just as they should.

Haeger's Bend Rd. itself, which I had never been on before, would have never struck me as a road in need of reconstruction (especially since it's 25mph like all of them), but maybe I just spend too much time on Chicago's pockmarked streets! Since the "need" to repair that road was the genesis of this whole controversy (and that's now apparently a dead issue), it all seems even more like much ado about nothing.

Anyway, 46 mile ride with 1700 feet of climbing, in beautiful conditions...we'll still be going back!

Permalink Reply by Ttrails101 on July 28, 2014 at 4:51am

Found this through looking up the topic, after noticing the signs and the uptick of the nasty rhetoric.  Tx.  I can understand lots of this if you are discussing a group of bikers across a road, running through signs, lights. I always thought of that as the issue.  Someone got hit riding in a group a while back and I recall the issue was riding in groups and not single file.

It totally makes sense that what is going on now is politics attacking each other.  It's much weirder now than when someone actually got hurt.

 

I also found this letter trying to get a grip on the signs and the nastiness. 

 

http://barrington.suntimes.com/2014/07/22/letters-bike-use-barringt...

Good on them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 28, 2014 at 5:02am

Wow, an olive branch to say the least. 

Ttrails101 said:

I also found this letter trying to get a grip on the signs and the nastiness. 

 

http://barrington.suntimes.com/2014/07/22/letters-bike-use-barringt...

Good on them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 28, 2014 at 5:22am

Nice to hear a local voice of reason in the mix.

Ttrails101 said:

...I also found this letter trying to get a grip on the signs and the nastiness. 

 

http://barrington.suntimes.com/2014/07/22/letters-bike-use-barringt...

Good on them. 

 

 

 

 

 

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Quist on July 28, 2014 at 4:39pm

Actually, Haeger's Bend Road is posted 25mph. At least 30% of the 2.5 miles has no usable shoulders for bilkers or runners, and potholes on top of that. It's not a pretty place to run or bike when people aren't getting along.

I  have never seen  horses on the paved streets in Barrington Hills - there is a network of equestrian trails, and several of the horse farms host thoroughbreds - a million dollar horse is not occupying space on public roads.

My wife and I used to have several pet sitting clients in the village. Our conclusion after several years is that the "old money" folk are generally quite nice, unpretentious people with a live-and-let-live attitude. The "new money" folks - they're the ones who post large "No Trespassing" signs, clear cut the trees and  defend their newly-acquired wealth. And in fact the person who started this web site has been in Barrington Hills a year less than I have lived in adjacent Algonquin, and purchased their property in a foreclosure sale. So much for the long, bucolic history of the village - it's all PR for this person with whatever the agenda is. But we're one of the targets.



Richard Stiers said:

You might want to do a search and find out how many have been killed on those bucolic roads of Barrington Hills. Persons who are jogging, riding horses and bicycles have been killed on the 'idealic streets' of Barrington Hills.

Haegers Bend Road is a favorite 'cut through' road for persons wanting to miss the traffic of SR59. Even though the speed limit on Haegers Bend Road is like 35mph. Favorite speed trap for Barrington Hills constabulary. 

Also don't confuse Barrington with Barrington Hills. Most folk in Barrington are not that enamored of their southerly namesake. 

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

The section of the website titled "The Biggest Land Grab in the History of Barrington Hills" makes it sound like they're opposed to anything that uses more land or changes the road from a quite country lane, so I doubt they'd be ok with the widened road to facilitate more automobile traffic. They want to be a small island of rural living with an easy commute to the city and are fighting to keep the outsiders who threaten that image out.



h' 1.0 said:

OK, in light of this new information, it sounds like Barrington residents might be willing to compromise-- skip the bike lane but still widen the road slightly to facilitate more automobile traffic?

Arnon K? Mike B?

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Quist on July 28, 2014 at 5:08pm

Tom - Thanks very much for this clarification. Unfortunately it appears CMAP has been used as a scapegoat for this issue. (I live 100 feet from Haeger's Bend, I'd love if you _were_ involved.)

To the others - I have not yet encountered BH police ticketing cyclists - as a runner, I have noticed that during periods when the police are out doing traffic enforcement, the roads are safer for running. Probably for biking too, so I have a hard time getting down on them. The vehicle traffic in that part of the village is for the most part passing through - often trying to find a way around the mess on Algonquin Road. With any luck the completion of the Route 31 bypass in the next month will ease congestion and eliminate some of the BH traffic, but I'm not holding my breath.

Realistically, the traffic that is the bulk of the problem really would not choose Barrington Hills as the preferred route, except that there is nothing better. The residents didn't ask for it, but oh well, they're stuck with it. I can understand the annoyance, but having previously lived on a logical through-route, I have a hard time developing loads of sympathy. The problems could have been forseen 10 or 20 years ago, if not more.

That said, I'm sticking to best behaviour through that area. There are just enough people with a bit of money and time on their hands to make trouble. (In fact, some of them have already...)



CMAP said:

This is my first post in the forum, so please forgive a brief introduction.  I'm Tom Garritano, communications director at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP).  We are responsible for the region's comprehensive long-range plan, which is called GO TO 2040.  Everything you could want to know and more is at www.cmap.illinois.gov.

Next I'd like to say that CMAP supports multi-modal transportation (that's planner-speak for "not just cars, but also transit, cycling, walking, etc.") and in particular supports citizen engagement in how important regional and local decisions get made, including decisions about infrastructure like the one being discussed in this thread.  And as an agency, we always respect and uphold the long tradition of local autonomy over land-use decisions.

Regarding the Haegars Bend project, CMAP is not involved, and there is no "CMAP plan" for that road.  

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Quist on July 28, 2014 at 5:28pm

Tom - Thanks very much for this clarification. Unfortunately it appears CMAP has been used as a scapegoat for this issue. (I live 100 feet from Haeger's Bend, I'd love if you _were_ involved.)

To the others - I have not yet encountered BH police ticketing cyclists - as a runner, I have noticed that during periods when the police are out doing traffic enforcement, the roads are safer for running. Probably for biking too, so I have a hard time getting down on them. The vehicle traffic in that part of the village is for the most part passing through - often trying to find a way around the mess on Algonquin Road. With any luck the completion of the Route 31 bypass in the next month will ease congestion and eliminate some of the BH traffic, but I'm not holding my breath.

Realistically, the traffic that is the bulk of the problem really would not choose Barrington Hills as the preferred route, except that there is nothing better. The residents didn't ask for it, but oh well, they're stuck with it. I can understand the annoyance, but having previously lived on a logical through-route, I have a hard time developing loads of sympathy. The problems could have been forseen 10 or 20 years ago, if not more.

That said, I'm sticking to best behaviour through that area. There are just enough people with a bit of money and time on their hands to make trouble. (In fact, some of them have already...)



CMAP said:

This is my first post in the forum, so please forgive a brief introduction.  I'm Tom Garritano, communications director at the Chicago Metropolitan Agency for Planning (CMAP).  We are responsible for the region's comprehensive long-range plan, which is called GO TO 2040.  Everything you could want to know and more is at www.cmap.illinois.gov.

Next I'd like to say that CMAP supports multi-modal transportation (that's planner-speak for "not just cars, but also transit, cycling, walking, etc.") and in particular supports citizen engagement in how important regional and local decisions get made, including decisions about infrastructure like the one being discussed in this thread.  And as an agency, we always respect and uphold the long tradition of local autonomy over land-use decisions.

Regarding the Haegars Bend project, CMAP is not involved, and there is no "CMAP plan" for that road.  

Permalink Reply by Ttrails101 on July 29, 2014 at 4:49am

I agree on best behavior.  You have to look out for yourself even if there isn't drama going on.  You aren't going to win against steel.  Difference as I see it,  though, this really does come across inciting nastiness and I am glad police are out.


This does not stop with the roads.  Depending on the wind, the politics can be extremely nasty about anyone going into the forest preserve.  That is not illegal or wrong.  My scariest experience to date has been at the Beverly Lake entrance.  The people in the parking lot were scary.  99% certain I unknowingly interrupted something illegal going down.  100% happy I had a bike to go through the area.  It spooked me enough to call on it, and I am fairly certain people thought I was some crazy bike person who was trying to invade the woods and that was much worse than someone doing/selling god knows what in the woods.

 

I have owned horses.  I can totally understand some of the concern about horses and bikes and OMG people.   Just not when it reaches this level of crazy.  That is when I try to figure out what is provoking it and almost always, it's not what appears to be the real issue.

Permalink Reply by Alan Lloyd on July 29, 2014 at 7:46am

For the record, I have seen horses being ridden along Spring Creek Road on a weekday afternoon - alongside Hill 'n Dale (horse) farm.

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Quist on July 29, 2014 at 8:30am

Yes, there are some entrances to the park district bridle paths along Spring Creek.

Which, oddly enough, my taxes as an Algonquin resident (on the far east border) pay for... :-)



Alan Lloyd said:

For the record, I have seen horses being ridden along Spring Creek Road on a weekday afternoon - alongside Hill 'n Dale (horse) farm.

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