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Sun Times: "Rogue bikers ignore Rules of the Road"

Rogue bikers ignore Rules of the Road

BY MARK KONKOL  mkonkol@suntimes.com July 20, 2012 7:32PM

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What part of “STOP” do bicyclists not undertand? A River North resident says they endanger pedestrians: “All I have to do is stand on Kinzie for five minutes in the morning and 20 bicyclists blow through stop signs.” | Mark Konkol

 

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Last summer, I dared to point out the obvious: Protected bike lanes are bunk.

They’re a giant waste of money that probably don’t protect anybody. Not bicyclists. Not drivers. Not pedestrians. And spending millions of dollars on those ugly white pylons certainly doesn’t protect taxpayers during tough financial times.

Of course, that really ticked off the bicycling crazies, who dismissed my opinion with high-minded logic: Don’t believe a lazy, ugly, fat and stupid guy who drives a Korean station wagon.

“Looks like he’d start sweating in 60 degrees,” some knucklehead wrote on a blog that nobody reads.

Another bike activist kept asking me to join him on a protected bike ride, hoping I might see the light. I declined. I’ve been riding unprotected on Chicago streets for years, thank you very much.

But the way rabid cyclists reacted did help me consider why they got so worked up over my point of view. They must be smarter, skinnier and just better people than guys like me. In fact, they are more evolved urban creatures. They don’t just ride their bikes to work. They are saving lives, reducing the carbon footprint and traffic congestion. They might even be curing cancer, ending hunger and homelessness one pedal at a time. As a superior race of Chicagoans, cyclists deserve the extra protection provided by plastic poles.

But just before I completely changed my tune on bike lanes, a levelheaded River North woman talked me out of it.

Rogue bicyclists emboldened by their special lanes have become a threat to pedestrian safety, she told me. They must be taught manners or, at the very least, the Rules of the Road, such as obeying traffic signals, sharing the street and — I’m paraphrasing here — don’t be a jerk.

“All I have to do is stand on Kinzie for five minutes in the morning and 20 bicyclists blow through stop signs. They’re all wearing ear buds listening to music. They’re in a zone, a bubble, and they don’t stop. It’s scary. I hate driving on that street. It’s scary,” the River North gal said on the condition that I keep her anonymous to avoid attacks from bicycle-riding anarchists.

Cyclists might not like hearing it, but she’s right. I’ve almost been run over by a woman on a vintage 10-speed and a klutzy fellow riding in flip-flops who apparently believes stop signs are optional for cyclists, particularly if they’re riding in a protected lane.

But don’t take our word for it, militant bicycle people of Chicago.

Here’s what Ald. Brendan Reilly (42nd) wrote to Chicago Transportation commissioner Gabe Klein: “I have received chronic residential reports that bicyclists frequently ignore posted stop signs, leading to several ‘near misses’ on a daily basis.”

Reilly “respectfully requested” that the city install signs that state: “Bicyclists MUST Stop at Intersection” signs next to stop signs on Kinzie. In a separate letter, the alderman asked that speed humps or other bicycle traffic-calming measures be added to what he called the “Kinzie Cycle Track.”

That seemed like an ironic request because Klein once told me that a goal of protected bike lanes is to slow down auto traffic in Chicago. His faithful bike-riding followers either didn’t get that part of his message or figured that goal doesn’t apply to pedal power.

Since Reilly sent those letters in March, the city has installed reminders on stop signs and painted “STOP” on the street as a reminder.

As a rule, Reilly said he was told, the city doesn’t put speed humps downtown. Instead, Chicago cops and transportation department “ambassadors” have conducted “educational” traffic stops. Officers read cyclists the riot act — and the Rules of the Road — for blowing through stop signs, and they hand out warnings.

More of those education days are scheduled for the next few weeks.

Reilly says bike lanes are a “nice amenity” geared at making streets safer, but it won’t work if cyclists don’t slow down, stop at stop signs and watch out for pedestrians.

And if warnings don’t work, the next step, Reilly said, will be ticketing law-breaking bicyclists for moving violations.

I still don’t think extra signs, written warnings, traffic tickets or anything you put in front of a guy going downhill on a bike will keep him from blowing a stop sign.

On Thursday, I stopped on Kinzie to snap a picture of the “stop for peds” sign. Just as I hit the button, a guy on a bike zoomed downhill through the stop sign and swerved to avoid a woman crossing the street while picking up speed — stop sign be damned.

There’s no point debating the need for these bike lanes, though I could argue the pylon-lined path linking Garfield Park to Douglas Park should include bulletproof vests, and there are no protected lanes where you really need them — Halsted Street, Elston Avenue and, of course, Milwaukee Avenue through Bucktown and Wicker Park, where hipsters on Huffys are constantly crashing into open car doors.

I won’t push it anymore.

But it is time for a cyclist culture change.

Go ahead, enjoy your fancy bike lines.

But obey the signs. Slow down. Watch out for pedestrians.

And try not to be a jerk while you share the road with chubby guys driving station wagons.

We are people, too.

Link:

http://www.suntimes.com/news/otherviews/13894027-452/rogue-bikers-i...

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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Active Transportation Alliance on July 24, 2012 at 12:19pm

FYI, Active Trans sent the response below to the Sun-Times.

- Lee Crandell, Active Trans

The Active Transportation Alliance agrees with Mark Konkol’s call for courtesy and respect on our streets (“Rogue Bikers Ignore Rules of the Road,” July 22). Unfortunately Mr. Konkol’s baseless hyperbole is counter-productive toward these measures, which seek only to divide people and fuel more aggression.

“We are people too,” Mr. Konkol reminds bike commuters, after labeling them as “rabid” and “militant” “crazies” and “knuckleheads.” If Mr. Konkol seeks more courtesy and respect, perhaps he should demonstrate some himself. Courtesy begins with each of us, even when someone is wrong. For example, we respectfully point to traffic data from across the country demonstrating the safety benefits of protected bike lanes, which contradicts Mr. Konkol’s claim they are “bunk.”

Chicago is transitioning into a city where you can safely walk, bike and drive. Reckless biking is not acceptable, nor is reckless driving. In Chicago alone, there are 60 vehicle crashes per day with serious injuries and fatalities to people inside cars, on foot and on bikes. Better street design, including protected bike lanes, helps calm all traffic and improve safety. People in cars, on bikes and on foot should all embrace these changes, even if some are still adjusting to them. To commuters and newspaper columnists alike, let’s show a little courtesy and respect for one another.

- Ron Burke, Executive Director, Active Transportation Alliance

Permalink Reply by Derek on July 24, 2012 at 12:28pm

Well played.  +1

Active Transportation Alliance said:

FYI, Active Trans sent the response below to the Sun-Times.

- Lee Crandell, Active Trans

The Active Transportation Alliance agrees with Mark Konkol’s call for courtesy and respect on our streets (“Rogue Bikers Ignore Rules of the Road,” July 22). Unfortunately Mr. Konkol’s baseless hyperbole is counter-productive toward these measures, which seek only to divide people and fuel more aggression.

“We are people too,” Mr. Konkol reminds bike commuters, after labeling them as “rabid” and “militant” “crazies” and “knuckleheads.” If Mr. Konkol seeks more courtesy and respect, perhaps he should demonstrate some himself. Courtesy begins with each of us, even when someone is wrong. For example, we respectfully point to traffic data from across the country demonstrating the safety benefits of protected bike lanes, which contradicts Mr. Konkol’s claim they are “bunk.”

Chicago is transitioning into a city where you can safely walk, bike and drive. Reckless biking is not acceptable, nor is reckless driving. In Chicago alone, there are 60 vehicle crashes per day with serious injuries and fatalities to people inside cars, on foot and on bikes. Better street design, including protected bike lanes, helps calm all traffic and improve safety. People in cars, on bikes and on foot should all embrace these changes, even if some are still adjusting to them. To commuters and newspaper columnists alike, let’s show a little courtesy and respect for one another.

- Ron Burke, Executive Director, Active Transportation Alliance

Permalink Reply by Sarah D. on July 24, 2012 at 4:14pm

Once again, I am so glad I have an active ATA membership. Thank you Ron and Lee.

And I will still roll carefully through stop signs when there is no opposing ped, car or bike traffic, no matter who is counting.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on July 25, 2012 at 8:50am

Sun-Times appears to have printed Ron's letter in full in the Letters to the Editor:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/letters/13970308-474/you-have-to-g...

Permalink Reply by in it to win it 8.0 mi on July 25, 2012 at 9:02am

Nice to see.



Lisa Curcio said:

Sun-Times appears to have printed Ron's letter in full in the Letters to the Editor:

 

http://www.suntimes.com/opinions/letters/13970308-474/you-have-to-g...

Permalink Reply by David Barish on July 25, 2012 at 9:22am

Bikes are not always going to stop at every sign. However, the more bikes pay attention to other users of the road the less of this vitriol we will see. Use your common sense and show deference up the foodchain.  Pedestrians come first, we come second and cars come last.  

 

That being said, pedestrians are by far the worst offenders especially in the loop.  The walk/don't walk lights really work and really make sense.  90% of pedestrians have no idea those lights are even there.  The lemmings run to cross before the light turns red long after the walk light has disappeared. Its impossible to make a right turn in the loop in a car.  That driver gets irked and then runs in to one of us at the next intersection.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on July 25, 2012 at 12:33pm

+1.

well said, David.

David Barish said:

Bikes are not always going to stop at every sign. However, the more bikes pay attention to other users of the road the less of this vitriol we will see. Use your common sense and show deference up the foodchain.  Pedestrians come first, we come second and cars come last.  

 

That being said, pedestrians are by far the worst offenders especially in the loop.  The walk/don't walk lights really work and really make sense.  90% of pedestrians have no idea those lights are even there.  The lemmings run to cross before the light turns red long after the walk light has disappeared. Its impossible to make a right turn in the loop in a car.  That driver gets irked and then runs in to one of us at the next intersection.

Permalink Reply by Gort 12-mile Pinklegneep on July 25, 2012 at 12:43pm

I love to rogue.

Permalink Reply by MK on July 25, 2012 at 12:44pm

+1 

I don't know why everyone is so anxious to cross the street that they'll risk injury. I've had a few close calls, one fall, and now realize I often have to stop even if the light is green.


David Barish said:

That being said, pedestrians are by far the worst offenders especially in the loop.  The walk/don't walk lights really work and really make sense.  90% of pedestrians have no idea those lights are even there.  The lemmings run to cross before the light turns red long after the walk light has disappeared. Its impossible to make a right turn in the loop in a car.  That driver gets irked and then runs in to one of us at the next intersection.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on July 25, 2012 at 12:59pm

I'm glad to see that you uncovered the real issue here. I was thinking that bicyclists behavior (running red lights, stop signs) causes others to be irked at cyclists. But it's those pesky pedestrians that are the cause of all commotion between bicyclists and other road users!

Let's ban pedestrians already!

David Barish said:

That being said, pedestrians are by far the worst offenders especially in the loop.  The walk/don't walk lights really work and really make sense.  90% of pedestrians have no idea those lights are even there.  The lemmings run to cross before the light turns red long after the walk light has disappeared. Its impossible to make a right turn in the loop in a car.  That driver gets irked and then runs in to one of us at the next intersection.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on July 25, 2012 at 1:56pm

Its tough to guage intent and tone on a message board unless there is something flagrant or somebody uses an excess of emoticons. I really can't tell if your tongue is planted firmly in your cheek or if you have an issue here.  I'm just not reading it. In any case, I hope that I was not seen as blaming pedestrians for the public's ire at cyclists.  Its our behavior (which I urge us to keep an eye upon) that they deplore. However, I did use this thread as a  springboard for a minor drift towards a pet issue of mine-  Very few pedestrians actually look at the walk light but only read the main stop light. Ok, enough of the drift.  If anything the pedestrian  ignorance of the signal seems to be more an issue of oblivion. One could ague that oblivion is less of a transgression than the conscous flouting of the signals that some cyclists practice. 
 
Duppie said:

I'm glad to see that you uncovered the real issue here. I was thinking that bicyclists behavior (running red lights, stop signs) causes others to be irked at cyclists. But it's those pesky pedestrians that are the cause of all commotion between bicyclists and other road users!

Let's ban pedestrians already!

David Barish said:

That being said, pedestrians are by far the worst offenders especially in the loop.  The walk/don't walk lights really work and really make sense.  90% of pedestrians have no idea those lights are even there.  The lemmings run to cross before the light turns red long after the walk light has disappeared. Its impossible to make a right turn in the loop in a car.  That driver gets irked and then runs in to one of us at the next intersection.

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