Incident on Lake Front Trail, 7/6/15, 8 a.m. or so

Heading south this morning on the Lake Front Trail, a group of 4 pedestrians was taking up the entire right side of of the trail at around 5100 south. Heading the same direction on my bike, I was just about to let them know that I was going to pass them on their left--since they were taking up the whole right side of the path and I didn't want to risk any of them crossing over onto the other side--when one woman from the group stepped across the line in the path with a large, long stick (my wife, riding with me, thought it was a walking stick). I was about to yell at her to get out of the way when she held her stick up and out in front of a cyclist on the other side of the path, heading north.

I yelled, "What are you doing?"

She turned to face me, pulling the stick a little way from the cyclist, thankfully--though not enough that he still didn't careen off into the grass.

She said, "He almost hit my kid--do you think that's right?"

(A lot of cyclists ride south, loop around at Promontory Point in Hyde Park and head back north again, many of them going at a high rate of speed.)

I will admit that I am none too happy when cyclists race by very close at a high rate of speed without even letting me know they are there. If that's what the cyclist who she ran off the road had done, he definitely could have and probably should have used more caution and been more courteous to the other users of this multiuse path.

That said, while he may have been rude, what she seemed about to do--either put the stick in his spokes or maybe hit him--was downright criminal.

I am posting about this in case anyone else witnessed the incident and had enough details to report it to the police but also to warn those cyclists that are inconsiderate of the other users of the path that they may anger some people enough to seek revenge. Clearly, even park trails are not free from road rage!

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Permalink Reply by Alex Z on July 7, 2015 at 2:14am

Scary situation. What did the allegedly offending cyclist do next? Did he say anything or simply proceed on?

Permalink Reply by Yvonne Zipter on July 7, 2015 at 2:52am

I didn't stick around as I didn't want to end up trying to arbitrate a situation for which I didn't have all the facts. I heard the cyclist yell, "What the hell," or something like that, but didn't hear further yelling, so I'm hoping that was a good sign.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 7, 2015 at 3:14am

I would have called police about that one. Blocking the path is bad enough, but threatening someone with injury is over the line.

Permalink Reply by Yvonne Zipter on July 7, 2015 at 3:23am

I think you're right--though I didn't think of it until after the fact, unfortunately. I will hope to be better prepared next time--though best of all would be if there is no next time!

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 7, 2015 at 7:13am

I hope there is no next time.

Permalink Reply by Tom A.K. on July 7, 2015 at 5:36am
Cyclists should be respectful and courteous to all users of all paths and roads.

Pedestrians are clearly capable of 'roadrage' just like drivers. Especially the smartalicky ones that purposely walk very slowly 4-6 abreast across both sides of the path. If you dare come witin an arms length of some of them, they take it as an offense that you nearly hit them and they swear at you with every vulgarity they know. Now you have to beware of these 'walkragers' if you happen down the LFP on your way back. Nice.
Permalink Reply by Yvonne Zipter on July 7, 2015 at 5:49am

Yeah, I think I was in shock. I really just couldn't believe what I was seeing!

Permalink Reply by chixieonfixie on July 7, 2015 at 1:48pm

Having handled a baton or two at the track in my day I would be happy to relieve her of her walking stick and carry on riding away with it...

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