The Chainlink

'Walk your bike on the sidewalk' sting operation...I got a ticket as did others

Corner of Michigan and Monroe..last couple of blocks before lakefront path

Just wishing they would pick a more clear cut spot if they wanted to enforce some of the many traffic violations that bikers are responsible for.  

There's really no good choice here (in my opinion).  Cars are going faster past Michigan going East on Monroe and there's not a lot of room for bikes on the side.  Many if not most bikers, ride on the sidewalk here for this reason.  

According to the grumpy cop who wrote my ticket, he doesn't care and I can call my alderman. Yay.  

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wish they start giving out tickets for bikers running red lights....

wish they start giving out tickets for drivers not using turn signals...

Jacky Chau said:

wish they start giving out tickets for bikers running red lights....

You might have read it in the Tribune. It was signed into law August 9th and will go into effect on January 1, 2015.

Lisa Curcio 6.6mi said:

The hearing (should you choose to attend) is at 400 W. Superior which is the city's administrative hearing court.  Not the same as traffic court.  That might be one reason there was no requirement to post a bond.  The other thing is I seem to remember reading recently that drivers' licenses were not going to be taken as bond even in moving violations, but I don't remember where or when I read it.

A co-worker of mine had his license taken away for rolling through a red light on his motorcycle yesterday. Luckily he was able to go to the station (or where ever he was supposed to go) the same day to get it back. 

djm - thanks for the clarification on why they do this. It seems to me that taking the license is a bunch of needless paperwork and wasted time.

This morning at around 8:00 there was some sort of film crew parked on Monroe between Columbus and Michigan and a bunch of police cars with them.  I took the street, so could not see if they were giving tickets to people on bikes on the sidewalk.  Actually, it would have been tough to ride a bike on the sidewalk because they had a bunch of stuff set up on the sidewalk about mid-way between Columbus and Michigan.

There's really no good choice here (in my opinion).  Cars are going faster past Michigan going East on Monroe and there's not a lot of room for bikes on the side.  Many if not most bikers, ride on the sidewalk here for this reason.  

 

It's ridiculous that there is still no east-west bike lane that people can use to get from the Loop (and through the Loop) to the Lakefront Trail, neither on Monroe, nor Jackson, nor Randolph, nor through Millennium Park. Of course sane people are going to ride bikes on the sidewalk instead of on the wide streets that drivers treat as expressways heading to or from Lake Shore Drive.

I was thinking about the "riding on sidewalks" last night up by Granville & Sheridan. There are a bunch of spraypainted/stenciled signs on the sidewalks advising people to walk their bikes. I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Round these parts we have stencils on the sidewalks warning pedestrians to watch for bikes on the sidewalk!

Jaik S. said:

I was thinking about the "riding on sidewalks" last night up by Granville & Sheridan. There are a bunch of spraypainted/stenciled signs on the sidewalks advising people to walk their bikes. I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

I saw this just the other day at http://www.illinoisbicyclelaw.com/2013/06/chicago-city-council-appr...:


"Amendment to 9-52-020 Riding bicycles on sidewalks

Current Law: Bicyclists over the age of 12 should not ride on sidewalks.

Amendment: Bicyclists of any age may ride on the sidewalks outside of the Loop if the sidewalks is marked as a bicycle route, is used to enter the nearest street or to get to a bicycle sharing station."


Jaik S. said:

... I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

It seems there is some dastardly behind-the-scenes plan to decriminalize bicycle riding in Chicago bit by bit.

My money's on one of those sniveling advocacy organizations being behind this.

JeffB (7+ miles) said:

I saw this just the other day at http://www.illinoisbicyclelaw.com/2013/06/chicago-city-council-appr...:


"Amendment to 9-52-020 Riding bicycles on sidewalks

Current Law: Bicyclists over the age of 12 should not ride on sidewalks.

Amendment: Bicyclists of any age may ride on the sidewalks outside of the Loop if the sidewalks is marked as a bicycle route, is used to enter the nearest street or to get to a bicycle sharing station."


Jaik S. said:

... I could have swore around the start of the Divvy craze, there was a law passed making it not illegal for short distances on sidewalks.

Maybe I'm wrong.

Quinn just signed a law outlawing the taking of the license. Not sure when it goes into effect.

Best way to path, as has been discussed elsewhere, is probably up Randolph and through the new park, under the building, through the garage.

See this post a little further up the page:

You might have read it in the Tribune. It was signed into law August 9th and will go into effect on January 1, 2015.

Lisa Curcio 6.6mi said:

. . . . I seem to remember reading recently that drivers' licenses were not going to be taken as bond even in moving violations, but I don't remember where or when I read it.



Tominator said:

Quinn just signed a law outlawing the taking of the license. Not sure when it goes into effect.

Best way to path, as has been discussed elsewhere, is probably up Randolph and through the new park, under the building, through the garage.

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