sidewalk bicycling in chicago (Lincoln: estate, retire, congested)

[Manigault]

I rode the bus downtown today with my bike on the front rack. Then I rode the bike itself the remaining mile or so to my office. I share the road with cars and taxis. As a matter of fact, I tend to ride much more responsibly then those messengers you see going any which way downtown.

But if a car knocks me down (or a bus) there is a good possibility me and the driver are going to engage in fisticuffs. I do have a temper. The bike lanes and the bike paths are great but some bikers in those areas don't follow the rules, either. They ride three across or come up very fast behind you on your right side. My bike has a rear-view mirror and a bell so I'm aiming at peaceful co-existence. But keep in your lane and I'll do the same.

[Drover]

Originally Posted by mendelman

Sidewalk cycling is prohibited on most of N. Clark in Lincoln Park, which makes sense because the sidewalks in that area are narrow enough anyways (even after the supposed "widening" they did 3 years ago )

Actually they are prohibited on all sidewalks unless that sidewalk is specifically designated as a bike path. Chicago Municipal Code 9-52-020(b) reads: "No person 12 or more years of age shall ride a bicycle upon any sidewalk in any district, unless such sidewalk has been officially designated and marked as a bicycle route."

[Drover]

Originally Posted by Manigault

I rode the bus downtown today with my bike on the front rack. Then I rode the bike itself the remaining mile or so to my office. I share the road with cars and taxis. As a matter of fact, I tend to ride much more responsibly then those messengers you see going any which way downtown.

But if a car knocks me down (or a bus) there is a good possibility me and the driver are going to engage in fisticuffs. I do have a temper. The bike lanes and the bike paths are great but some bikers in those areas don't follow the rules, either. They ride three across or come up very fast behind you on your right side. My bike has a rear-view mirror and a bell so I'm aiming at peaceful co-existence. But keep in your lane and I'll do the same.

My favorite is someone riding their bike the wrong way down the bike lane. "Hey bud, this isn't the UK! The lanes are only so wide, and yours is on the other side over there!"

[j33]

Please stay off the sidewalk (unless nobody is around, I'll admit to riding on the sidewalk in an industrial area with no pedestrians in sight), I hate being almost run over by cyclists on the sidewalk. Personally, I've not had much problem riding my bicycle in the city, you just have to be cautious and always wear a helmet (although recently I have to admit, since I bought my scooter, my bicycle riding has taken a back seat).

[Milliano]

I felt fairly safe cycling on the roads of the south side. The north side felt more crowded and dangerous - maybe because of all the white people. I didn't know there was a no-sidewalk law, but anyway where it's dense, it feels too crowded to ride on the sidewalk anyway. I find it far too rude and dangerous to be cycling on a sidewalk around pedestrians.

People ride their bikes all over downtown Iowa City too, even though it's illegal. It's quite rude and annoying, IMO, even if there is a fair amount of space.

[triton1]

by the way, how fast i travel on my bike also depends on pedestrian traffic. basically, the more open or non busy it is, the faster i go. generally, i usually do about between 4 and 7 miles per hour on sidewalks near moderately commercialized areas, about 8 to 10 miles per hour on residential sidewalks, and where it is wide open clean (empty parking lots, class 1 trails, etc), anywhere between 10 and 20 miles per hour. and if i see signs that say "no bicycling on the sidewalk", i generally would take a detour or find a different route. BTW, i also have a horn and a bell on my bicycle.

[prairiestate]

Look at the Illinois rules of the road book. Bikes are supposed to obey all traffic laws. IOW, ride on the street, stop at stop signs, follow the one way signs, etc. Obviously, no one ever does these things, and no one really cares. Theoretically, you could be ticketed, but I doubt anyone ever has been. As for the signs specifically warning you to keep off the sidewalk, you'll notice those are generally on the most congested sidewalk areas, just to reinforce what you should already know and should be doing.

[j33]

Milliano - uh, white people? I don't get it. I don't like trying to weave in and out of heavy traffic in a crowded pedestrian area on a bicycle either, but the ethnicity of the people around have no bearing on that dislike whatsoever.

[Milliano]

Originally Posted by j33

Milliano - uh, white people? I don't get it. I don't like trying to weave in and out of heavy traffic in a crowded pedestrian area on a bicycle either, but the ethnicity of the people around have no bearing on that dislike whatsoever.

Sorry, that was just a bad joke. What with all the racially oriented discussion on city-data, and the anti South Side talk in this Chicago sub-forum. After I caught myself typing "the South side is safer", I couldn't help but throw in a tongue-in-cheek comment

[prairiestate]

Isn't it possible to discuss anything about Chicago without race being involved? Who would have thought bike riding could be such a racially charged issue!