2nd bicyclist killed in Logan Square

This death is a pure tragedy. Mandy was my neighbor and friend. She was a beam of light, positive inspiration, exceptionally creative and a friendly smile. This is a true loss that we should all keep in mind while driving around bicyclists and pedestrians.

I know this thread is going to be taken over by anti-bike drivers and anti-car bikers, but come on. People are dying.

The only way this problem is going to be fixed is by building bike lanes separated from both traffic and parked cars. Take a look at this picture:
http://richmondva.files.wordpress.com/2007/03...

And what about making some streets bikes-only? There have to be creative ways to promote increased biking - which is a great thing for the environment, public health, and recreation - while keeping bikers safe, which mainly means keeping them away from cars as much as possible. Let talk about how to do that instead of casting blame.

Let's wait until we get more information before turning this into a bicycles vs. cars forum, as has been done after other recent cyclist accidents.

No matter who is at fault, a person has lost their life, and another person who survives was involved in the death. This is a tragedy all around, and should be a reminder to all to be more careful, no matter what means of transportation you may be utilizing.

As a driver and a rider, I can tell you that neither side is right or wrong - nobody wants this to happen. This is tragic and it happens almost every single day in the nation. I don't know if the riders were wearing helmets or not, but Chicago hospitals are filled with near-dead cyclists that brave the streets without proper protection. Helmets are no guarantee of safety, but an accident without one is nearly a guarantee of devastating injury. I run stop signs and lights, and I weave through cars when necessary, but I always know that I'm on my own. I'm responsible for my own safety out there and I have two lights and one helmet. I've fallen twice and I'm still here to type about it.

Was either bicyclist wearing a helmet (and why was this basic question not addressed in the article)?

I don't know the facts of this case so I wont comment on this particular bicyclist. I work in the 014th Dist where this accident. Bicyclist have to please stop or at least slow down at stop signs. By the way, you are not suppose to be running the red lights, there is a ticket for that. My watch commander has told us to ticket bicyclist if we see them but it's impossible with everything else that is going on in the streets. You would never be on the streets to respond to calls if you started ticketing bicyclist and cell phone users and I think that's why they keep disobeying the law. Bicyclist will have to be more aware. You will not win if you collide with a car.

no disrespect but a lot of bikers think they own part of the street, there s/b a bike lane for them otherwise they are at risk for an accident or being killed. stay safe and when there is too much taffic ride the sidewalk or alk it, walking is good cardio too or stay on a bike path - come on bikers...
drivers open your eyes, the bikers are not
i think if all give an effort everyone can win

I know that there are good riders and bad riders both car and bike. Everyone needs to slow down and respect the other person whether in a car or on a bike.

"She was a 2005 graduate of Moody Bible Institute in Chicago and taught 5th grade at Humboldt Community Christian School"

A real scoflaw huh? I wish people would stop being selfish and share the road. RIP Mandy, for all that you gave you couldn't have been given a few seconds to make it across or a few feet of road to keep you safe.

jake wrote:

And what about making some streets bikes-only? There have to be creative ways to promote increased biking - which is a great thing for the environment, public health, and recreation - while keeping bikers safe, which mainly means keeping them away from cars as much as possible. Let talk about how to do that instead of casting blame.

Its always sad to see someone lose their life in an accident like this.

The bike only streets just won't work in northern cities like Chicago (where I live). The snow and negative 30 degree temps keep all but the hardcore bikers walikng, in cars, on trains, or on buses for 6-plus months a year. Its a real dangerous venture to ride in the streets of Chicago with all the maniac drivers, weaving cabs and even around the careful drivers.

Just ride on the sidewalk slowly when there is heavy fast moving traffic and perhaps venture out onto the street (helmet always needed) when there are fewer cars on the road.

Bike lanes separated by a median are great, but you need a wide road to accomodate the extra lane (also screws up streets that have parking on both sides.

There are no simple answers.

RIP

nap12 wrote:

stay safe and when there is too much traffic ride the sidewalk

Riding on a sidewalk is ILLEGAL, so I would appreciate that if people stop telling bikers to stop breaking the law, and then suggest they do something illegal... not to mention that riding a bike on a sidewalk puts pedestrians at risk.

However, it is true that when riding, I often run stop signs and red lights in a much more brazen way than cars do. The problem is that bikes seem sort of half way between being in a car and walking, so it seems okay to take advantages of the benefits of both. I act like a car by riding in the road. But when I see people jaywalking, I think "hey, I can do that too, after all I am much faster on a bike than they are on foot!" and ride against a light like a pedestrian.

When is this city going to get serious about protecting bicyclists. I am tired of riding over pothole-ridden streets because someone got a license to dig a hole and put in some new cable service and then patch the street in a way that it becomes hazardous to bikes. I am tired of blowhards talking into their cellphones as they make a right turn forcing bikers off the road. I am tired of cabs dispatching passengers in the middle of the road -- without checking to see if a biker is trying to get by the door before it opens unexpectedly and causes a great deal of harm. All of this is illegal. Who do you have to bribe to make it safer for bicycllists?

Well, the city and bikes don't really mix too well, traffic is too chaotic, bike riders don't obey rules of road, and drivers also don't yield, frankly, riding a bike in a congested city is a accident waiting to happen, sadly a young lady lost her life.

It is illegal to ride on the sidewalk if you are above a certain age, 12-13 or something like that. There was no mention of a helmet in any of the news articles. If she wasn't wearing one, then it's a shame that her death could possibly have been prevented.

An unfortunate tragedy? Maybe. Obviously someone, the driver or the biker, failed to obey the laws of common sense. As a lifelong roadie, the one rule I live by is that the car ALWAYS wins. RIP.

Ugh, I was driving over to my Y in west Humboldt Park yesterday about 4:30 pm, and this must've been why Kedzie was blocked off at Palmer & I could see it went down until Armitage.

Had forgotten about this until I read the article.

And here I question & wonder why I am not riding my bike over to the gym? Because of poor accidents like this.

Either way, this is a tragedy; it sounds as if this young woman was a good person, teaching our neighborhood children.

Please hold judgment, but I agree, riding bicycles in this city is way too dangerous. I cringe at the horrific driving in this city; running red lights, turning left way after it is acceptable, tailgating into the intersection long past the yellow lights.

I only ride my bicycle for leisure/exercise, and follow all the boulevard streets over to Humboldt Park, and my mother still worries every time I tell her I'm going for a bike ride.......

This city needs to SLOW DOWN, practice safe driving & think about others. What is the problem with stopping at one red light? Is it going to save you that much time to break the law & sneak through that one intersection?

shakespeare wrote:

...My watch commander has told us to ticket bicyclist ..."

Hope you're equally aggressive ticketing cars that don't lane-share, drive/park in bike lanes, cut off and "door" bikes. I commute daily, follow the rules, wear a helmet, use lights, and wear high-vis clothing, but still suffer a "near-miss" or "clip" about weekly, IN THE BIKE LANES, from drivers that simply ignore these rules.

It is a tragedy that this young woman died and my heart goes out to her family. Since there are no facts on what occurred in this well-written story, one can only speculate.

I read the SF Chronicle's online news source SFGate.Com . Yesterday they provided a database for bicycle accidents in SF and it was amazing. In over 200 bike/car accidents, the car was liable 44 times and the bicyclists the remainder. That is shocking and sad, but it does go to the importance of bicycle safety and following the rules of the road. I hope this young lady was following the rules of the road, otherwise it would just be one more senseless tragedy with no more logic than those who participate in Critical Mass.

Charm Schmarm wrote:

An unfortunate tragedy? Maybe. Obviously someone, the driver or the biker, failed to obey the laws of common sense. As a lifelong roadie, the one rule I live by is that the car ALWAYS wins. RIP.

Agreed, I've been riding bikes and motorcycles for years. The car always wins. If you decide to cut corners when riding you have to accept the consequences not matter how tempting beating that yellow light might seem.

The Bike Federation needs to put as much effort into safty as it does into lobbying City Hall for bike lanes.