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 Julia 3.5/7.5 mi on May 8, 2015 at 6:20pm

Alright, I've got a humorous one on this dreary day -

Riding under the expressway on Diversey this evening, it's rush hour and raining, so I'm in the center of the right-most lane with lights on, bright yellow, etc. I notice a bumper start creeping up out of my left eye, and there's a guy riding my tail, in the center of 2 lanes. I'm already going about 18mph, a decent speed for being rainy and all, so I do a "hold tight" and/or "gimme a second" sign because I'm moving in step with traffic. So he proceeds to be impatient behind me until he too has to stop at the red light at California. As he makes a right turn, he rolls down his window and yells, "SHARE THE ROAD!"

LOL. "Share the road" != "run people outta your way." You're doing it wrong.

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Permalink Reply by Cheryl on May 18, 2015 at 2:10pm

White government van BE501L (couldn't tell if it was city or state) turning left from Dearborn on to Wacker at 1:50 pm today, started going through the red turn arrow. I was walking in the crosswalk and yelled to him that he had a red light and pointed it out to him, he smiled and nodded and proceeded through the red. I thought everyone but tourists had figured out the left turn arrows by now....

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Permalink Reply by Matt Talbert on May 22, 2015 at 9:36am

To the guy riding on Elston this morning, old Trek road bike, U of. Illinois gloves and giant black headphones. First I ask you nicely to not blow red lights, and you just interrupt me saying "yeah yeah calm down." You then proceed to blow more red lights, and then get on the sidewalk at Diversey and Western. That is when I let you have it, even worse after you kept telling me to calm down. You gave me great footage on my helmet cam to make a video, "How to commute like a tool on your bike."

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Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on May 23, 2015 at 10:01am

Somebody in that story sounds irrationally upset and it isn't the other person.

Why do you care how they ride their bike?

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Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on May 23, 2015 at 10:02pm

O.M.F.G.

And where are the police when you need them?

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on June 4, 2015 at 3:36pm

I made the mistake of using Urban Dictionary, instead of Google, to find out what this means. Although I eventually discovered the meaning of "Idaho stop", I learned a few other *really* odd terms. Spoiler alert: Don't go there!

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on June 5, 2015 at 8:28am

That's the best explanation I've heard so far for the behavior of many cyclists. The *good* part is that they're riding bikes, but they still think bikes are toys and rules don't apply.

Steve

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Permalink Reply by grayn8 on June 5, 2015 at 10:00am

Last night I was riding east bound on lake (from Damen to Halsted) and had a similar scary swerving going on behind me. I pulled over and the driver yelled at me "F off". I seriously was just pulling over cause the driving was scaring me. Lake and Harrison used to be my go to's for easy east west passage. I just think it's spring-summer fever.

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Permalink Reply by Steve Weeks on June 5, 2015 at 10:21am

The car's license plate is clearly visible. I wonder if you could file a complaint.

I seem to remember a place on the City of Chicago web site where cars parked in bike lanes could be reported by posting their images. Can't find it now, but did locate this, FWIW: Chicago Bike Rules.

Thanks for the great documentation.

Steve

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Permalink Reply by Matt Talbert on June 5, 2015 at 10:52am

Please let me know if photos/videos are grounds enough to report a vehicle even after they have left the scene. I didn't think they were (I called ActiveTrans to ask them this). I wear a camera on my helmet when I commute and catch this behavior ALL the time. If the footage can be used to teach the driver a lesson, let me know and I will take action. I do know you absolutely can do this with Taxi drivers. I caught a taxi on video using the bike lane to jump traffic. I reported it and sent the footage to the city. The driver was reprimanded.

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Permalink Reply by The Korn on June 7, 2015 at 9:18am

For the record, Skokie Police don't give two fucks unless you're actually hit by the car.

Source: presented video at skokie police HQ where car was so close that I had to ditch off my bike or be knocked off, video had clear shot of license plate, GPS coordinates, and time. Number of fucks given by skokie police: zero. Actually threatened me with issuing a disturbing the peace citation since I yelled "WHAT THE FUCK ASSHOLE?" while ditching.

Lesson learned: next time get killed, then the police will feign to care. (yeah right.)