A timeline of the evolution of transportation starts from the invention of the first wheeled vehicles in 3500 BC to the first space shuttle launch in 1981 AD. Do we still use chariots as a mode of transportation? No, because we embraced more convenient modes as time passed. Why can't bicyclists
understand that and just accept that cars rule urban roads now?
The modern bicycle was invented in 1790, so two-wheeling riders had the roads to themselves for 95 years until 1885 when Karl Benz built the world's first practical automobile to be powered by an internal combustion engine.
Bicyclists in Chicago are reminiscent of the Luddites, a social movement of artisans in the early 1800’s in Britain who destroyed mechanized looms because they were against the changes brought about by the Industrial Revolution. Bike riders need to understand that city streets are for automobiles, not bikes, not horses and certainly not chariots. Transportation has evolved. They need to evolve also. Bicycles are to be ridden on bucolic country paths where the only danger is a twig on the trail.
A few weeks ago, while leaving a cab on Clark Street, I was correctly exiting the taxi curbside. I opened the door and hit a bicyclist who was attempting to continue peddling by squeezing between the vehicle and the sidewalk. The door knocked the cyclist down. I was concerned and asked the rider if he were okay. He started screaming invectives at me in a loud abusive tone like I had done something wrong. I feared that he was going to physically assault me. He was the one who had acted incorrectly but I was being treated as the guilty party. I apologized to calm him down even though I was innocent. He finally pedaled away.
As the weather warms up in Chicago, the Active Transportation Alliance (ATA) the Luddite type group that wants to make roads "so safe, convenient and fun that we will achieve a significant shift from environmentally harmful, sedentary travel to clean, active travel,” is launching a campaign to increase public awareness of “dooring crashes.”
The ATA is asking the Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) to keep track of dooring accidents so the group can create statistics that prove a problem exists. They need the stats to apply for federal and state traffic-safety funds.
IDOT’s response, according to the Chicago Tribune, was, “that they aren't opposed to collecting dooring-accident data, but they haven't received many requests to do so and it might not be relevant in rural parts of the state, IDOT spokesman Guy Tridgell said. There is also a concern that an overly lengthy police accident report form would be a burden on the more than 1,000 law enforcement agencies required to file crash data to the state. Police fill in more than 100 fields on an accident form for a single-vehicle crash.”
The Chicago Tribune also reported, “Seventy-six dooring crashes were reported to Chicago police last year and 62 in 2009.” And, “A Tribune request for violations data showed that since 2008, Chicago police issued no tickets for opening a vehicle door into the path of a bicyclist or turning in front of a bicyclist.”
Since there are millions of automobiles traveling on Chicago streets during a year, the percentage of dooring accidents is so miniscule I cannot even figure out the percentage. Plus, of those crashes, how many were the fault of the bicyclist as in my case?
I have written before about how city streets belong to automobiles, why can’t bikers get the message? Maybe a few dooring accidents will jar their brains into sanity and they will get a car.
Bonnie writes:
ReplyDelete"The bicyclists make the case that the cars are dangerous and intimidating. But what about us pedestrians? The bicyclists are just as dangerous and intimidating to us walkers when they ride on our sidewalks--a practice which just so happens to be against the law. "
Bob writes:
ReplyDelete"Just for informational purposes: Bikers have another problem. Chicago ordinance prohibits anyone above the age of 12 from riding a bicycle on a city sidewalk. This, of course, does not apply to park paths authorized for both cyclists and walkers/joggers. The guy you hit seems to be a jerk. However, particularly on streets with marked bicycle lanes, drivers should check before opening their doors…just as they might check for on-coming cars."
Latonia writes:
ReplyDelete"I must say that I agree wholeheartedly with your assessment of the cycling situation. I think that your last sentence sums up my opinion oh so eloquently!!!!
If you think the bike riders attitudes are bad in Chicago, visit Los Angeles or San Francisco. They not only act as if they own the whole road, they are actively trying to take them over with stalls in intersections.
ReplyDeleteJenny B writes:
ReplyDelete"Well, you know my stance, but I'll re-state it just because...and I'm sure my thoughts will be very random so bear with me.
I used to have a car in the city and often bike in the city, so I am familiar and can relate to both sides of the coin. While driving a car or riding a bike, I am ALWAYS cognizant of my surroundings and obey the rules of the road. On a bike: I wear a helmet and a bright construction orange vest and have a lights and reflectors for night riding. I move with the flow of traffic and heed all the rules of the road. In a car: I make sure to know my surroundings and am aware that a pedestrian, biker, roller blader or the like can at any time dart in front of me.
BIKE:
I have been "doored" before and it SUCKS. Luckily, I was able to peddle away with minor injuries. I have also received a ticket for riding my bike on the sidewalk (this was years ago, on the northside) while trying to avoid a congested street.
CAR:
I have had bikers, roller bladers and peds wander aimlessly in front of the car. At times, I have called out, "I bike the city too and you are making all of look bad."
The bottomline:
There are nutsack bikers, automobile drivers, pedestrians, roller bladers, etc, etc, etc. Unfortunately, there will always be a few bad apples to spoil every bunch. The best we can do is continue to educate the many idiots who disobey the rules of the road."
Karen P writes:
ReplyDelete"Every bicycler who was 'hit' by a woman getting out of a taxi (who couldn't stop because he was late) will now know where to direct his attorney.
And really . . . regardless of which door you open on a vehicle (although pedestrian side is preferred), always be cautious . . . YOU too could easily sustain an injury in the process :)