The Chainlink

Think of this as a Missed Connection.

You blew the red light east bound on Lawrence at Damen at 5:26 pm this evening.

 

There was enough time for the biker in front of me to make it half way into the intersection, northbound on Damen, before you came whizzing past my front wheel.

 

I yelled "You're an idiot!" at your big haired chick, self, and you looked back at me. I meant it!

 

I woulda testified for any of the cars, that managed to not kill you, if they had.

 

Keep riding like a tard!

love,

gabe

 

Witness bad behavior during your commute? Feel free to post. Maybe that lovely human can read it and think they are famous. Maybe you can also inspire the whole generation of kids to shower but we can start with small things.

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Permalink Reply by yai danche on May 3, 2013 at 12:41pm

I had to google the term "brake check."  It sounded like you were staying out of his way anyways by remaining behind the taxi (if I'm understanding this brake check term correctly).  Last year, I had a woman do this to me after she screamed at me for taking up the far right lane.  After she passed me, I stayed behind her and noticed her slowing to a crawl for several blocks without signaling to turn/park.  I think she expected me to try and pass her where she would then have the opportunity to hit me with her car.  After 3 blocks, I turned down a street to take an alternate route.  Anyways, I don't know why this guy was being a jerk because Lasalle looks like it's 2 lanes each way.  I'm curious why you didn't take Dearborn.  I know it's no longer protected 2 way by Illinois/Hubbard, but I think the street surface is pretty smooth and not a lot of buses.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

To the "driver" of green and white cab #WHATEVER on LaSalle this morning - you brake-checking me from Wacker to Huron, then swerving over to cut me off at the Huron red light, closely enough that I had to brake to avoid hitting you, was not how I'd hoped to start my day. 

I hope the hard, open-handed slaps on your cab communicated how that kind of behavior makes people feel angry and frightened.  The look on your face suggested I might have made a connection.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 3, 2013 at 2:34pm

I had a scary incident several years back on Clark St. in Uptown while commuting from Rogers Park to the Loop.  A taxi driver ahead of me kept brake checking me. When I tried to pass him, he accelerated and tried to sideswipe me.  I dropped back.  He did it again.  Then I thought he was stopping and tried to pass him again.  He moved very aggressively to the left, to the point where I had to cross the centerline (facing oncoming traffic) to stay clear of the driver's side of his car.  Fortunately there was no one behind me and I was able to hit the brakes hard and swerve hard to the right, ducking between two parked cars before the maniac was able to take another swipe at me.  There were no words exchanged beforehand.  I'd never seen him before and had no idea why he was so determined to hit me with his car. 

When I pulled over. I was very visible in pulling out my cell phone to call 911.  Then he took off.  I was very grateful when a friend who was also riding downtown came along.  Having company for the rest of the ride offered a lot of comfort.  There was no sign of the cab.  That was fine with me.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 3, 2013 at 3:27pm

Sounds like a scary "game" to me - a good thing to avoid.  In my situation, the guy was definitely trying to hit me or make me crash for no apparent reason.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

Yai & Anne - I probably should have provided more detail, but you've got it more or less right: the driver was brake checking (in front of me)...swerve around me and stop hard right at the red light at Huron (nearly causing me to crash into his cab).  I don't think he was trying to hit me, but it was clear the whole bike/car interaction thing was a game for him.

Permalink Reply by yai danche on May 3, 2013 at 10:13pm

Ugh.  I guess there is no perfect northbound street for downtown.  I don't go downtown regularly and the few times I do during rush hour I don't have to go north of Lake.  So Dearborn is a good option for me (now even better with the protected lane).  I'll have to give Lasalle a try sometime when I head to Water Tower.  Props to all the Loop/Gold Coast commuters out there, because I would hate riding downtown every day.  

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

Yai & Anne - I probably should have provided more detail, but you've got it more or less right: the driver was brake checking (in front of me), at some point near prior to Huron I passed him and re-entered the right lane well in front of him (not as a jerk, but in one of those many situations where a bike has a rolling advantage passing a car at rest) and his reaction to being passed was to swerve around me and stop hard right at the red light at Huron (nearly causing me to crash into his cab).  I don't think he was trying to hit me, but it was clear the whole bike/car interaction thing was a game for him.

I sometimes do take Dearborn North of Kinzie - but in general I feel like I'm more visible on Lasalle.  This morning, with the light rain, I wanted to be there.


yai danche said:

I had to google the term "brake check."  It sounded like you were staying out of his way anyways by remaining behind the taxi (if I'm understanding this brake check term correctly).  Last year, I had a woman do this to me after she screamed at me for taking up the far right lane.  After she passed me, I stayed behind her and noticed her slowing to a crawl for several blocks without signaling to turn/park.  I think she expected me to try and pass her where she would then have the opportunity to hit me with her car.  After 3 blocks, I turned down a street to take an alternate route.  Anyways, I don't know why this guy was being a jerk because Lasalle looks like it's 2 lanes each way.  I'm curious why you didn't take Dearborn.  I know it's no longer protected 2 way by Illinois/Hubbard, but I think the street surface is pretty smooth and not a lot of buses.

Chi Lowe 12.5+ mi said:

To the "driver" of green and white cab #WHATEVER on LaSalle this morning - you brake-checking me from Wacker to Huron, then swerving over to cut me off at the Huron red light, closely enough that I had to brake to avoid hitting you, was not how I'd hoped to start my day. 

I hope the hard, open-handed slaps on your cab communicated how that kind of behavior makes people feel angry and frightened.  The look on your face suggested I might have made a connection.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on May 8, 2013 at 6:05pm

I hardly know where to start, but I will.

To the cyclist northbound on Dearborn at Wacker who went through  the red signal for bikes and cut off the cars who HAD waited for the green arrow to turn left;

To the TWO cyclists with red lights--one eastbound and one westbound--on Division at Wood who cut me off as I crossed Division with a green light;

To the TWO cyclists northwest bound on Milwaukee with a red light at Wolcott who cut off the cars crossing Milwaukee with a green light (one of Wicker Park's worst intersections IMHO);

I hope you all safely make it to your beds tonight, but I would not bet on it.

I am wishing for winter when you were all in your cocoons.

Permalink Reply by Jenn_5.5 mi on May 8, 2013 at 6:42pm
I am ready for winter! I had a flash cab driver in an SUV honk at me while on Chicago then proceed to nudge me with his SUV.

I had a cab driver hit me because he wanted me out of the lane. Thankfully I have good balance is stayed on my bike. Is never okay to use your car or truck to hit someone!!!

If anyone saw this it has a cab number please let me know so I can make a claim.
Permalink Reply by David P. on May 8, 2013 at 8:03pm

On the North Branch Trail this afternoon: two teenage boys who blitheley started barreling across the path from a crossing gravel path without the slightest attention to anything around them. I could see them coming, and, well, they are teenage boys, so I was able to shout 'heads up!' and slow them down enough to not crash, but it makes me think that teenage boys might as well be 6-year-olds for all the situational awareness they seem to have.

Permalink Reply by dan brown on May 9, 2013 at 8:26am

jenn this is horrible ! sorry to read this. where on chicago did this happen ? I am ususally going

west on Chicago Ave. around 4:30-5:00 pm. glad you are OK. good for you staying focused and balanced, etc.

 

DB

Jenn_5.5 mi said:

I am ready for winter! I had a flash cab driver in an SUV honk at me while on Chicago then proceed to nudge me with his SUV.

I had a cab driver hit me because he wanted me out of the lane. Thankfully I have good balance is stayed on my bike. Is never okay to use your car or truck to hit someone!!!

If anyone saw this it has a cab number please let me know so I can make a claim.
Permalink Reply by Tim S on May 9, 2013 at 8:57am
To the two individuals last night at a known bike bar in North Center learn how to lock your bikes without taking up more spots than necessary. Locking long way across the bike rack on both sides prevents others from using the rack... kind of a jerk move.
Permalink Reply by Jenn_5.5 mi on May 9, 2013 at 9:01am

I am pretty sure it was between the Clark & LaSalle. It was around 5:10-5:25. There were a couple other cyclist stopped at Clark so I took the center of the right Lane at the light (in addition to assuming I was faster, I also noted the parked cars - so I knew I need the lane in the next block.)

I stayed in the lane (Center/Right). The driver honked, I continued on my path- but speed up (avg speed around 16+). Then s/he honked again and 'nudged' me. I think the driver was turning North on LaSalle and was annoyed that I was blocking him/her from speeding around me like I assume s/he did to the other cyclist. 

I often take the Lane when needed and when I feel it safe I will go back to the 'curbside' - especially on Chicago Ave since there is no marked 'bike' Lane between Dearborn & Wells. 

Maybe I need to go further north on Dearborn then turn to Wells, I will take suggestions! :)

dan brown 4.4 miles said:

jenn this is horrible ! sorry to read this. where on chicago did this happen ? I am ususally going

west on Chicago Ave. around 4:30-5:00 pm. glad you are OK. good for you staying focused and balanced, etc.

 

DB


Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on May 9, 2013 at 9:27am

If I have to go that way, that is my choice, too. If you start east of or at Dearborn, Dearborn to Kinzie to Franklin is good.

Cameron 7.5 mi said:

Huron is my preferred route from Dearborn to Wells. Lately I've just been avoiding that whole area entirely and when leaving the Loop I take Franklin to Superior to Wells



Jenn_5.5 mi said:

Maybe I need to go further north on Dearborn then turn to Wells, I will take suggestions! :)

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on May 10, 2013 at 7:40pm

To the American United cab driver at Clark and Van Buren when I was walking to LaSalle St. station after work, THANK YOU for obeying the law and yielding to pedestrians in the crosswalk instead of speeding through your right turn. 

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