'Walk your bike on the sidewalk' sting operation...I got a ticket as did others

Corner of Michigan and Monroe..last couple of blocks before lakefront path

Just wishing they would pick a more clear cut spot if they wanted to enforce some of the many traffic violations that bikers are responsible for.  

There's really no good choice here (in my opinion).  Cars are going faster past Michigan going East on Monroe and there's not a lot of room for bikes on the side.  Many if not most bikers, ride on the sidewalk here for this reason.  

According to the grumpy cop who wrote my ticket, he doesn't care and I can call my alderman. Yay.  

tckt.jpg

Views: 3013

▶ Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Fran Kondorf on September 4, 2014 at 1:49am

wish they start giving out tickets for drivers not using turn signals...

Jacky Chau said:

wish they start giving out tickets for bikers running red lights....

Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on September 4, 2014 at 1:56am

You might have read it in the Tribune. It was signed into law August 9th and will go into effect on January 1, 2015.

Lisa Curcio 6.6mi said:

The hearing (should you choose to attend) is at 400 W. Superior which is the city's administrative hearing court.  Not the same as traffic court.  That might be one reason there was no requirement to post a bond.  The other thing is I seem to remember reading recently that drivers' licenses were not going to be taken as bond even in moving violations, but I don't remember where or when I read it.

Permalink Reply by Davo on September 4, 2014 at 4:24am

A co-worker of mine had his license taken away for rolling through a red light on his motorcycle yesterday. Luckily he was able to go to the station (or where ever he was supposed to go) the same day to get it back. 

djm - thanks for the clarification on why they do this. It seems to me that taking the license is a bunch of needless paperwork and wasted time.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on September 4, 2014 at 4:31am

This morning at around 8:00 there was some sort of film crew parked on Monroe between Columbus and Michigan and a bunch of police cars with them.  I took the street, so could not see if they were giving tickets to people on bikes on the sidewalk.  Actually, it would have been tough to ride a bike on the sidewalk because they had a bunch of stuff set up on the sidewalk about mid-way between Columbus and Michigan.

Permalink Reply by Michelle S on September 4, 2014 at 5:46am

There's really no good choice here (in my opinion).  Cars are going faster past Michigan going East on Monroe and there's not a lot of room for bikes on the side.  Many if not most bikers, ride on the sidewalk here for this reason.  

 

It's ridiculous that there is still no east-west bike lane that people can use to get from the Loop (and through the Loop) to the Lakefront Trail, neither on Monroe, nor Jackson, nor Randolph, nor through Millennium Park. Of course sane people are going to ride bikes on the sidewalk instead of on the wide streets that drivers treat as expressways heading to or from Lake Shore Drive.

Permalink Reply by Jaik S. on September 4, 2014 at 6:02am

I was thinking about the "riding on sidewalks" last night up by Granville & Sheridan. There are a bunch of spraypainted/stenciled signs on the sidewalks advising people to walk their bikes. I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Permalink Reply by JeffB on September 4, 2014 at 6:39am

I saw this just the other day at http://www.illinoisbicyclelaw.com/2013/06/chicago-city-council-appr...:


"Amendment to 9-52-020 Riding bicycles on sidewalks

Current Law: Bicyclists over the age of 12 should not ride on sidewalks.

Amendment: Bicyclists of any age may ride on the sidewalks outside of the Loop if the sidewalks is marked as a bicycle route, is used to enter the nearest street or to get to a bicycle sharing station."


Jaik S. said:

... I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Permalink Reply by Tominator on September 4, 2014 at 7:08am

Quinn just signed a law outlawing the taking of the license. Not sure when it goes into effect.

Best way to path, as has been discussed elsewhere, is probably up Randolph and through the new park, under the building, through the garage.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on September 4, 2014 at 7:14am

See this post a little further up the page:

You might have read it in the Tribune. It was signed into law August 9th and will go into effect on January 1, 2015.

Lisa Curcio 6.6mi said:

. . . . I seem to remember reading recently that drivers' licenses were not going to be taken as bond even in moving violations, but I don't remember where or when I read it.



Tominator said:

Quinn just signed a law outlawing the taking of the license. Not sure when it goes into effect.

Best way to path, as has been discussed elsewhere, is probably up Randolph and through the new park, under the building, through the garage.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on September 4, 2014 at 7:26am

1. Sidewalk riding is legal as long as you on your way to parking your bike.

2. But sidewalk riding is still illegal on Sheridan between Hollywood and Broadway roughly. Fines are $200. Not worth trying it. Just use Kenmore going North, or Winthrop going south. Or if you are feeling gutsy, just ride up Sheridan in the street.

Jaik S. said:

I was thinking about the "riding on sidewalks" last night up by Granville & Sheridan. There are a bunch of spraypainted/stenciled signs on the sidewalks advising people to walk their bikes. I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Permalink Reply by Maurice on September 4, 2014 at 7:40am

They changed the law so that police no longer are supposed to keep your license, but unfortunately it doesn't go into effect until Jan. 1st.  That being said, I always ride in the street on that stretch of Monroe and never had so much as a close call.  The sidewalks usually are crowded with tourists, given the location.

Permalink Reply by Jonathan Quist on September 4, 2014 at 9:06am
From the Tangentially Related Department:
I was looking for an Android app with a Chicago-looking logo last week, and stumbled across a little tool called Chicago Bike Laws. I haven't verified the information, but it contains the text of Chicago bicycle-related laws. (And also a tab with ads to download the author's guide to Chicago bicycling. Fair enough.)
I have browsed the contents a couple of times just out of curiosity. Maybe useful in some circumstances.
No idea whether iPhone or Blackberry versions exist.

RSS

Groups

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service