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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Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on March 17, 2014 at 7:08am
What does due care even mean? Brendan? Michael? Jim?
Permalink Reply by Simon Phearson on March 17, 2014 at 8:00am

I'd bet it's something like exercising whatever level of care that a reasonable, experienced cyclist would use in comparable circumstances. And whatever that would mean would be kind of up to the community consensus/behavior. So - what do you think is reasonable?

Personally, there are circumstances where I'll pass on the right, but weaving through standing traffic is not typically one of them. I also won't try to insinuate myself into intersections where all traffic lanes are occupied by cars. But whether that's the dominant view, or an overly cautious one, I don't know. 

Julie Hochstadter said:

What does due care even mean? Brendan? Michael? Jim?
Permalink Reply by PFEggs on March 17, 2014 at 8:26am

A pedestrian walking between parked cars is not an example of 'others who are obeying the rules.'  Pretty sure that's jaywalking.



Jeff Schneider said:

In simple terms I think it means we have to give others, who are obeying the rules of the road, a chance to avoid a collision with us.  Even drivers who check before opening a door may not be able to see you if you are approaching very close and fast, for example.  Drivers may also unintentionally cut you off if you are riding in their blind spot (especially if you are passing on their right while they are signaling a right turn).  As another example, consider the pedestrian who is walking between parked cars.  They need to be able to take a step beyond the cars to see oncoming traffic.  If we ride fast and close to the parked cars, they can't do that without being hit by us.


Julie Hochstadter said:

What does due care even mean? Brendan? Michael? Jim?
Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 17, 2014 at 2:39pm

Here's an online legal dictionary definition of "due care."  It includes this sentence: "The precise definition is usually made on a case-by-case basis, judged upon the law and circumstances in each case." 

Permalink Reply by Vilda on March 17, 2014 at 3:52pm

We should start a thread called Tangents. Would just be a thread of things that happen when another thread is taken off course. :-)

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on March 17, 2014 at 5:26pm

Heh... I  don't know about you, Jeff, but I usually just look *over* the parked cars.  ;-)

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

...consider the pedestrian who is walking between parked cars.  They need to be able to take a step beyond the cars to see oncoming traffic.

Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 18, 2014 at 9:58am

I do that all the time, but if the cyclist and/or the pedestrian are very short, especially if there's a big SUV at the curb, that doesn't always work.

Steve Weeks said:

Heh... I  don't know about you, Jeff, but I usually just look *over* the parked cars.  ;-)

Steve

Jeff Schneider said:

...consider the pedestrian who is walking between parked cars.  They need to be able to take a step beyond the cars to see oncoming traffic.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Gordon on March 23, 2014 at 2:24pm

I've been thinking about this for some time and now I have to admit to a slight bit of confusion.  I thought it was agreed among both cyclists and drivers that cycles have to follow all the rules of the road.  But now you say that because we are "devices" not "vehicles" there are some exceptions to that standard.  Which rules do we follow as cyclists and which do we ignore because we don't have to follow them?  And who decides?

David Altenburg said:

Lisa Gordon said:

You're absolutely right about that.  The 3-foot law applies to all vehicles, not just to motorized ones.  We have to give cars 3 feet as well.  I think that means that you can't legally zip between a parked car and a moving one unless there is a full 6 feet between the two. 

 

Umm, what? This is the text of the relevant section of the Illinois Vehicle Code, which clearly limits its application to motor vehicles:

 

(d) The operator of a motor vehicle overtaking a bicycle or individual proceeding in the same direction on a highway shall leave a safe distance, but not less than 3 feet, when passing the bicycle or individual and shall maintain that distance until safely past the overtaken bicycle or individual.

(http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/ilcs/ilcs4.asp?DocName=062500050HCh...)

Note that bicycles are considered "devices", not "vehicles" in the Illinois code. Additionally, last year, Chicago passed a clarification allowing bicycles to pass on the right:

 

Any bicyclist upon a roadway is permitted to pass on the right side of a slower-moving or standing vehicle or bicycle, but must exercise due care when doing so

(http://www.mybikeadvocate.com/2013/06/it-is-crystal-clear-chicago-c...).

 

I'm not a lawyer - just a nerd - so maybe I'm missing something. I certainly don't advise anyone to ride quickly in the door zone or narrow gaps between cars, especially given the current plethora of craters in the streets, but I don't see how the fact that some cyclists do so should have any bearing on motorists' responsibility to pass cyclists with a safe amount of space.

Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on March 23, 2014 at 9:07pm

We do. "Same rights, same responsibilities".

The permissions to pass on the right, etc, are privileges and should not, IMO, be abused by flaunting them in front of motorists.

Steve

Lisa Gordon said:

I've been thinking about this for some time and now I have to admit to a slight bit of confusion.  I thought it was agreed among both cyclists and drivers that cycles have to follow all the rules of the road.

1s20gdv3auw5hPermalink Reply by 1s20gdv3auw5h on March 26, 2014 at 9:12pm

Yehaa! Finally road in the sun today!!

Permalink Reply by Tim S on April 8, 2014 at 8:28am

I have given up on admonishing most riders who are afraid to ride on North Ave but a special call out to the fella in a blue and white coat with a black back pack that felt road speed, no notification of approach from behind traveling in the wrong direction on a narrow side walk in order to get to the Cherry Ave bridge almost clipping me while I was walking.

fuck you, I prefer my coffee to do the waking up for me. 

Be a better person, more conscious of others especially when you are doing the wrong thing. You are the reason people dislike bicycles. Better yet grow a pair and ride on the street, wimp. 

Permalink Reply by David P. on April 8, 2014 at 10:03am

I was with you until the last two sentences. Although I ride in the right lane, I blame nobody for preferring the sidewalk on that stretch. Telling someone to 'grow a pair...wimp' is snide and dismissive. And as for people not liking bicycles, or more properly cyclists, that's their own problem; people will dislike you for riding on the sidewalk, and they'll dislike you for riding on the road. They'll dislike you for breaking rules, and they'lll dislike you for following them if it dares inconvenience them slightly. The root of tha tttitude lies in the other person, not with the cyclist.

Tim S said:

I have given up on admonishing most riders who are afraid to ride on North Ave but a special call out to the fella in a blue and white coat with a black back pack that felt road speed, no notification of approach from behind traveling in the wrong direction on a narrow side walk in order to get to the Cherry Ave bridge almost clipping me while I was walking.

fuck you, I prefer my coffee to do the waking up for me. 

Be a better person, more conscious of others especially when you are doing the wrong thing. You are the reason people dislike bicycles. Better yet grow a pair and ride on the street, wimp. 

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