2nd bicyclist killed in Logan Square

A question to anyone who knows the area: The motorist was going north on Kedzie and the cyclist was going west on Armitage, is there a traffic light at this intersection?

I ride and look out for my own life, I don't assume the vehicles are looking out for my life because they're not.

Just remember the vehicle will always win and a helmet doesn't matter much against a 2000-5000 pound vehicle.

Obama Nanny State wrote:

<quoted text>
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.

Your comments assume that roads should be designed primarily for cars (driving and parking), and other users should just make do (probably best if they get their own car). But the city belongs to all of us, and there's no reason that pedestrians and cyclists should be excluded from road design.

So what if a fully separated bike lane means eliminating parking on some streets? Who made parking a human right? So what if streets devoted exclusively to bikes are lightly used during the winter? Cars would still have the other 95 percent of roads to ride on.

As global warming and rising oil prices convince more and more people to get out of their cars, we're going to have to redesign the city around people instead of cars. I for one think that by reducing road fatalities, pollution, and noise, that would be a wonderful change.

PJB wrote:

A question to anyone who knows the area: The motorist was going north on Kedzie and the cyclist was going west on Armitage, is there a traffic light at this intersection?

Yes there is.

We need more common sense bicycle laws.

Time for Helmets wrote:

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 ...

Helmets are good, but not running red lights or weaving through traffic are even better. I don't want to sound like a jerk, but the attitude you note here is exactly what the San Francisco Chronicle's database noted above was saying: in the vast majority of cases noted there, the bicyclist was at fault in accidents between cars and bicycles.

In today's Tribune article, the police accident reconstruction of last week's accident contends that both the car and the bicycle were running the yellow light, but the bicyclist was turning into oncoming traffic. If this reconstruction is true, then both drivers were at fault for running the yellow, but the bicyclist was also at fault for not yielding to oncoming traffic. That's likely why the car driver was only cited for not reducing speed. If the light was green, then the bicyclist definitely would have been at fault.

If this had been two cars and both drivers had lived, the driver who turned into oncoming traffic would most likely be the one who ends up liable and whose insurance would be paying for the accidents. Sadly in this case, a bicyclist died.

However, in the larger picture, the real problem to me in this accident is that probably it was yet another case of neither driver acknowledging the fact that you don't run yellow lights; they are warning you to slow down and prepare to stop. I wonder how many accidents could be avoided entirely if drivers and bicyclists would remember that yellow does not mean: "drive faster to get through the intersection on red."

And I'm not sure how bike lanes can solve this problem because bike lanes still need to cross mixed-use intersections, and that is the problem in these instances.

jake wrote:

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.

I bike and drive. The only way for to stop this is for all drivers and bikers to stop blasting through red lights and stop signs.

CYCLISTS: STOP RUNNING RED LIGHTS

How many people have to die needlessly because of this?

When driving and approaching a red light I always assume that if it turns green their will be someone running the red from the cross street.

I don't see why bikers want to continue to press their luck with traffic lights?

nap12 wrote:

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

there are bike lanes on chicago streets. unfortunately, they are often used as passing lanes and for parking- forcing cyclists into oft aggressive traffic. i ride 16 miles to work. it takes me less time than driving. "alking" just won't cut it.

vince traherne wrote:

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Yes there is.

Then we just need to know who disobeyed the traffic light.

In keeping with the Tribune stylebook, shouldn't this headline read, "2nd bicyclist killed by car"?

The other headlines always say, "Bicyclist killed by SUV."

jake wrote:

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.

That's lovely, but I count seven lanes on that street. SEVEN. What street in Chicago is seven lanes wide? Where are we gonna put the bike lane?

Even this configuration wouldn't have prevented this death as the rider was not riding parallel to traffic, but across it.

I think at a minimum it would be helpful to raise the pavement for bike lanes slightly to seperate it from the rest of the road, such as what amsterdam has set up
http://www.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads...
painting an extra line on the street is not a solution

Recently I bought a bike thought I would save on gas, help out with the air pollution.
We have wide shoulders to ride on so I thought it would be no problem.
First time out a car drifts into the shoulder runs me off into the grass.
Next time out the cars are seeing how close they can get their mirrors to my bike.
Some peole scream "GET OFF THE ROAD"(I am not on the road) then I get McDonalds trash thrown at me.
This is what it is like to be out on a bike by yourself so I thought I would try a bike club ride.
The club ride is at top speed roaring in mass thru the streets(not good for a milk and eggs).
So the last thing is the praire paths
so give them a try only to find walkers and joggers listening to music with headphones on.
These people do not hear you when you scream out "ON YOUR RIGHT".
They ignore you and continue down the middle of the path then flash you a disgusted look as you slow down and squirm past them.
Other States have bike lanes and bike only paths this is what we need here.
When gas is 4.50 dollars a gallon I would like to take a bike to run local errands but I do so at great risk.
How about not trying to scare the bike riders and realize that they are trying to save the air you breath.

Matt wrote:

I think at a minimum it would be helpful to raise the pavement for bike lanes slightly to seperate it from the rest of the road, such as what amsterdam has set up
http://www.streetsblog.org/wp-content/uploads...
painting an extra line on the street is not a solution

I love that idea. And I'm sure Daley and Stroger have a few friends who could use some no-bid work thrown their way. It's win/win!

I live at this intersection...people drive like complete idiots around there. Just south of there at Cortland and Kedzie is a stop sign and heading east on Kedzie, I couldn't tell you how many times I've almost been T-boned by someone that doesn't stop AT ALL at the stop sign. Its really dangerous. Just a month ago, I was pulling into my alley, and a woman just stopped her car and put it in reverse. I had to honk at her to get her to notice I was inches from her. Seems like I'm one of the few that doesn't blatantly disregard the rules of the road over there...I'm always driving defensively and stay even more aware of my surroundings when I'm walking around.

This is bad, man. I am an avid bicyclist from the West Loop and ride all over the City. There are many bike riders who ignor rules, however drivers have to learn to realize that they are coming at us with a cannon and we have only a squirt gun in return. Please give us more room. When I ride I do not talk on a cell phone, drink coffee, play music or chat with friends. I have more safety wear and reflective material on than most deer hunters and still cars will brush up against me and I obey the rules of the road and ride very defensively. Drivers don't own the road and in this city you must share it with riders and walkers. Please wake up.

In regards to Jake, that's a great picture and a lot of changes would obviously have to take place for something like that to be implemented, but I still don't think it solves the problem.

I apologize for coming off as "anti-bikers" and of course this is a stereotype because I know some bikers aren't like this, but the problem lies in the intersections from what I've seen and bikers hardly slowing down to go through an intersection or blatantly running a red light. That kind of action needs to stop in addition to better street setups for both drivers and bikers.

Cyclists yell all you want. Three things for certain, right or wrong...
1. The car will ALWAYS win.
2. The driver WILL NOT see you.
3. You WILL break as many laws as the driver.
Everybody needs to quit thinking about themselves and realize this is a fight that will not be won by either side.