The Chainlink

Cyclist killed in Edgebrook

If you love to read a classic case of blame-the-cyclist, go ahead and read the link. The Tribune really rises to new heights with this one.

"[...]Died this afternoon after he ran into an SUV[...]"

RIP.

http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/breaking/chi-bicyclist-81-...

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Permalink Reply by MagMileMarauder on July 4, 2012 at 11:22pm

It's infuriating how biased the article is. This rag/dinosaur that passes for "news" has it's days numbered.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 5, 2012 at 5:32am

Exactly my thought.  Did the cyclist actually hit the SUV, or was he cut off?

Jeff Schneider said:

Something smells very wrong here.  How could this possibly happen if the SUV driver was giving the old man the 3' clearance when passing that is required by law?  There is no way for me to know what happened, and I certainly don't want to wrongly accuse anyone, but this story begs for more, and better, explanation.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 5, 2012 at 5:47am

It's too typical.  That's the problem.  I think we need to start pushing the media to get anti-cyclist bias out of their coverage on these incidents.  Perhaps some letters to the editor are in order.  Anyone else in?

I sent the following message to the reporter:

Did the cyclist really "sideswipe" the SUV, or was he cut off in traffic, as is usually the case in these types of collisions? You say he was going west "in the middle of the street." If he was in the middle of the right lane, that is a perfectly normal and legal place for him to be. Was he going to make a left turn? It's a legal move for cyclists, just as it is for drivers.

Can't the Tribune do better than consistently using language that puts all blame on the cyclist for a collision that may be the driver's fault, or may be caused by both driver and cyclist? I'd love to see the Tribune make progress and say "a cyclist collided with a turning SUV" or "a driver stopped short, and a cyclist collided with the vehicle" if that's what actually happened. Please report these stories accurately enough to stop creating anti-cyclist bias through poor use of language and inaccurate or minimal descriptions.



MagMileMarauder said:

It's infuriating how biased the article is. This rag/dinosaur that passes for "news" has it's days numbered.

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on July 5, 2012 at 7:45am

I work right across the street from Edgebrook, and have cycled near the scene of the accident many, many times. During rush hour, traffic over there gets really hairy with lots of impatient drivers trying to gun through the intersection of Devon and Caldwell. I either weave further east to avoid this area or ride the sidewalks, which is sad.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on July 5, 2012 at 7:59am
Time for some teaffic calmung measures? I've always found it ironic that its not easy to get oneself or a group of riders across that intersection to the north branch trail.

Jim S said:

I work right across the street from Edgebrook, and have cycled near the scene of the accident many, many times. During rush hour, traffic over there gets really hairy with lots of impatient drivers trying to gun through the intersection of Devon and Caldwell. I either weave further east to avoid this area or ride the sidewalks, which is sad.

Permalink Reply by Lanterne Rouge on July 5, 2012 at 8:22am

I imagine that would be very, very helpful. It's just a great big mess there at times due to Caldwell, Lehigh, Central and Devon coming together in that crazy little triangle. When I used to live in Albany Park, I'd cycle up Elston and take Central (which was terrifying in itself) up to Caldwell/Devon and pray to God that nobody rolled the red on Devon as I crossed. I'm not sure what they could do as the roads seem to be wide 'suburban' types.  

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on July 5, 2012 at 9:01am

RIP indeed!

I hope I'm still riding at 81!  What a great example.

 

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 5, 2012 at 9:18am

When I first heard the headline, I wondered if it could be an old friend from the Evanston Bike Club.  The club has many active senior members.

in it to win it said:

RIP indeed!

I hope I'm still riding at 81!  What a great example.

 

Permalink Reply by Mike Keating on July 5, 2012 at 9:30am

What would be most interesting is whether there are any unbiased, independent witnesses. Otherwise, it would just be the word of the motorist as obviously the bicyclist cannot speak for himself.

In addition to the 3 foot rule, the Chicago Municipal Code explicitly requires motorists to use "due care" around bicyclists. While there is a basic concept of law, I've always appreciated that Chicago codified it. In short, it says you have to be extra careful around bikes.

9-40-160 Drivers to exercise due care - Permalink

Every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian, or any person operating a bicycle or other device propelled by human or animal power, upon any roadway, and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary and shall exercise proper precautions upon observing any child or any confused or incapacitated person upon a roadway.

Amended Coun. J. 3-12-08, p. 22781, § 1

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 5, 2012 at 10:20am

The question is how to slow traffic here.  From the Edens Expressway (northern section of I-94) to the intersection with Nagle and Milwaukee (by Superdawg and the North Branch Trail), there are relatively few cross streets and few places where traffic on Devon must stop.  Much of the speeding traffic is going to or from the expressway. 

The section from Caldwell to Milwaukee/Nagle is the worst. Going through the forest preserve can be like a rural highway, where many of the drivers go as fast as they can - often 45+.  I've spent a lot of time in this area over many years, and this is not a new problem.

Question to the planners in the audience - do you have any ideas for this area?

Julie Hochstadter said:

Time for some teaffic calmung measures? I've always found it ironic that its not easy to get oneself or a group of riders across that intersection to the north branch trail.

Jim S said:

I work right across the street from Edgebrook, and have cycled near the scene of the accident many, many times. During rush hour, traffic over there gets really hairy with lots of impatient drivers trying to gun through the intersection of Devon and Caldwell. I either weave further east to avoid this area or ride the sidewalks, which is sad.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on July 5, 2012 at 10:45am

The most upsetting part of that article to me is that the way parts of it are worded they make it seem like the cyclist should not even have been in the street.

In the first paragraph they make the statement 'while riding in the street.'  Of course he was in the street, that is where you ride a bicycle... Making note of it makes it sound like he should not have been there.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on July 5, 2012 at 11:40am

Exactly. 


notoriousDUG said:

The most upsetting part of that article to me is that the way parts of it are worded they make it seem like the cyclist should not even have been in the street.

In the first paragraph they make the statement 'while riding in the street.'  Of course he was in the street, that is where you ride a bicycle... Making note of it makes it sound like he should not have been there.

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