Dearborn 2-way bike lane. Is it working?

I don't ride it often, but it seems to be an invite for pedestrian-bike collisions.

It's invisible if you approach mid-block, and walkers step right into the path of the bikes.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 6, 2014 at 10:23am

My message and ped responses have been similar. The only time I yell at someone is when they obviously see me but still stand right in front of me and block my path, or if they say something rude. My usual response then is in a louder, more urgent voice, but along the lines of "Please step BACK. This is a traffic lane, NOT a sidewalk."
 
Maurice said:

My standard response is, "please don't stand/walk in the bike lane."  I don't ride that way if I'm in a hurry, so my responses are never angry.

 

The pedestrians usually ignore my request, though they occasionally apologize.  Only one guy tried to pick a fight.

 
 
Anne Alt said:

For a while, I've been using polite but firm requests for people to step back, or wait before stepping off the curb. 
 

Permalink Reply by Alex Z on November 6, 2014 at 10:48am

You guys are much friendlier than I am. I usually bark, "Heads up!" :)

 

But I will try the gentler approach. We are all sharing this planet as humans.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 6, 2014 at 10:56am

Over time, I'm finding that peds respond better to polite requests. I'm a big believer in positive reinforcement. If someone looks and waits at the curb without being asked, I often say "thank you."

I'm also noticing that many frequent flyers are paying more attention and NOT stepping into the lane to wait, or they step beyond the bike lane, in line with the parking lane.

Running into this problem over and over does try one's patience. I've found that, the more often I use courtesy and positive reinforcement, the less often I have conflicts in the lane.
 
Alex Z said:

You guys are much friendlier than I am. I usually bark, "Heads up!" :)

 

But I will try the gentler approach. We are all sharing this planet as humans.

Permalink Reply by Josh L. on November 6, 2014 at 3:01pm

My experiences dovetail with others here. I find it a great way to get through the loop but the poorly timed lights and the pedestrians in the bike path make it less efficient than desired.

I  wonder if large signs posted just across from where the peds wait to cross..in other words on the outer edge of the lane at the corners, would help.

Thoughts?

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on November 7, 2014 at 3:07am

I'm not sure if large signs across the street would be beneficial. With so many people looking down at their phones, I have more hope for "LOOK BIKES" in huge letters on the pavement.

Timing of lights and ped blockage does make Dearborn less efficient. However, this also keeps speeds down, which makes it safer. That's a double edged sword, for sure.
 
jolondon30 said:

My experiences dovetail with others here. I find it a great way to get through the loop but the poorly timed lights and the pedestrians in the bike path make it less efficient than desired.

I  wonder if large signs posted just across from where the peds wait to cross..in other words on the outer edge of the lane at the corners, would help.

Thoughts?

Permalink Reply by Kelly on November 7, 2014 at 5:13am
Yes, pedestrians are a bit of an issue, but I think it's still one of the better/best options for getting through the Loop . However, this morning a portion of the Dearborn bike lane was blocked/closed forcing me to ride South against traffic for about a half of block. Really? So annoying.
Permalink Reply by David Barish on November 7, 2014 at 6:04am


Agreed. Also, the lane gets a lot of use. Bikes ride by often enough that  there really should not be much of a surprise for everybody else.  Most of the people who are regularly in the loop have figured out that there is always bike traffic on Dearborn. Most have adapted. Things get bad when emigres  from the suburbs and beyond make one of their rare appearances in the loop and are confounded by something new. As the holidays and the Christkindlemarket beckon, there will be problems. This is always the case near the Goodman where people who are  not often downtown try to figure out how to cross the bike lane to get to the theater. I think bike riders will have to realize this and make a decision to slow down. LaSalle certainly is not  an option as it's a mess right now. As Anne mentioned, we will be better off with, "Happy holidays, bike coming..." rather than "Get the @#% outta da way!"


Anne Alt said:

Over time, I'm finding that peds respond better to polite requests. I'm a big believer in positive reinforcement. If someone looks and waits at the curb without being asked, I often say "thank you."

I'm also noticing that many frequent flyers are paying more attention and NOT stepping into the lane to wait, or they step beyond the bike lane, in line with the parking lane.

Running into this problem over and over does try one's patience. I've found that, the more often I use courtesy and positive reinforcement, the less often I have conflicts in the lane.
 
Alex Z said:

You guys are much friendlier than I am. I usually bark, "Heads up!" :)

 

But I will try the gentler approach. We are all sharing this planet as humans.

Permalink Reply by Derek on November 7, 2014 at 9:38am

Heading north out of the loop for my return commute used to be quite harrowing.  Those few blocks on LaSalle were always sporting.  The Dearborn lane may not be perfect but it feels way safer going slow watching for ped vs competing with car traffic.

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