The Chicago Bicycle Advocate

Nitto Handlebars Recalled

2012-01-27T09:08:00.000-06:00

Handlebars made by well-regarded Japanese parts manufacturer Nitto have been recalled. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall after reports that the aluminum handlebars with model number B259AA may break during use. These handlebars are particularly popular among fixed gear and single speed riders. There are two reports of breakage resulting in at least one injury. Users of the handlebars should contact Euro Asia Imports to receive a free replacement.

Chicago Bicyclist In Good Condition After Being Shot

2012-01-27T08:55:00.001-06:00

A Chicago bicyclist is reportedly in good condition after being shot in the leg and buttocks, according to The Chicago Tribune. The incident occurred at 12:20 a.m. this morning near the intersection of Milwaukee Avenue and Pulaski Road in the Avondale neighborhood. The bicyclist is a 22 year old male.

Critical Mass: Bicyclists' Friend!?

2012-01-27T08:37:00.000-06:00

Alex Weaver, a reporter at Medill Reports Chicago, wrote a reasonably balanced article about Critical Mass in which he interviewed yours truly. Read the complete article here.

As I told Mr. Weaver, I have mixed feelings about Critical Mass. Its spirit and purpose is good. Sometimes the implementation is not so much. Here's is the rest of what I said in the interview:

"I have not ridden Critical Mass myself, for no reason other than I just haven't been able to find the time. Critical Mass is good and bad. The message of, "Hey, we are here," is good. Motorists need to get used to seeing bikes on the road. When they do that should help reduce the number of collisions. On the other hand, sometimes the way Critical Mass is carried out may be counter productive to bicycling. I shed no tears for drivers who feel inconvenienced by people on bikes. Drivers often don't realize that a person on a bike is one less car in their way. Also, Illinois law is quite clear that cyclists are permitted users of the streets. However, Critical Mass is sometimes carried out in a way that seems to goad drivers into confrontation. That's bad. Illinois requires cars and bikes to share the road. Motorists often don't get that. But Critical Mass is not sharing either. It is bikes taking over the streets, in a sort of "in your face" way. Chicago police seem to back off most of the time and permit Critical Mass -- from what I've heard and read -- showing considerable restraint."

Bicycle Video Should Be Required Viewing For All Illinoisans

2012-01-26T09:34:00.000-06:00

Below is a very good, and fairly comprehensive video produced by the cities of Champaign and Urbana about bicycle safety and the law. It is not slick, but chock full of real world demonstrations of how bicyclists and motorist should deal with each other, with bicycle specific infrastructure and with old-timey, not-bike-friendly road infrastructure. The central message in the video, Champaign-Urbana Sharing the Road, is that, "Predictability is the key to bicycle safety." I like that the video presents bicycling not merely as a recreational activity, but that people ride for all sorts of reasons, and should be encouraged to do so. It shows and explains that people ride to shop, commute to the office, get to school, as well as for pure pleasure. It encourages cyclists to use the whole road when appropriate and reminders drivers that bicyclists are not only permitted to do so, but should "take the lane" when it is the safest means to traverse an area. This video should be required viewing for all Illinois residents. How about making people watch it every time they renew their driver's licenses?

Chicago Cop Found Guilty In Killing Of 13 Year Old Bicyclist

2012-01-18T16:08:00.000-06:00

A Chicago cop has been found guilty of reckless homicide in the death of a 13 year old bicyclist, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. After deliberating for nine hours a jury found Richard Bolling guilty in the death of Trenton Booker who he struck with his car as the boy rode his bicycle near 81st and Ashland in May, 2009. He faces up to 15 years in jail. In addition to the reckless homicide charge, the off-duty officer was found guilty of aggravated DUI and leaving the scene of an accident. He had denied being intoxicated and that he knew he had struck the boy. Prosecutors had claimed that police officers responding to the scene gave Bolling preferential treatment.

Giant Bicycle Fork Problem Elicits Recall

2012-01-18T14:29:00.000-06:00

Once again, bicycles with fork problems are being recalled. Today, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of 2012 Giant Defy Advanced and Avail Advanced bikes. Reportedly the forks can crack, posing a fall hazard to riders, though no incidents of injuries have been reported. If you own one of these bikes contact a Giant dealer for a free inspection and replacement of the fork.

Click here to read the full press release.

Bike Accidents Are. . . Fun?

2012-01-17T09:43:00.000-06:00

Yeah, not so much. But the whimsical minds of the toy creators at Playmobile apparently have a preternatural ability to find fun even in personal tragedy. Coming soon, the Playmobile mine collapse play set.

(Thanks to Tiberculosis for posting about this over on the Chainlink.)

Chicago Bicycle Commuter Suffers Wrist Fracture After Hit From Behind

2012-01-16T12:39:00.000-06:00

On a sunny and pleasant November morning, a 31 year old Chicago architect was riding his bright orange vintage Schwin Varsity to his office when he was struck from behind by a motorist who failed to notice him. On November 11, 2011 at 8:40 a.m. the bicyclist was turning left from eastbound West Augusta Boulevard onto northbound North Elston Avenue when the driver of a 2009 Toyota Matrix performing the same maneuver hit him from behind. The cyclist was thrown onto the hood of the car then to the ground. The force of the impact with either the car or the ground shattered his right scaphoid, one of the bones of the wrist.

The Illinois Traffic Crash Report states that the responding Chicago Police Officer felt that the causes of the crash were the driver's failure to yield the right of way and her performance of an improper turn. For some reason, however, the driver did not receive a traffic citation.

The bicyclist continues to receive medical care. After seven weeks in a hard arm cast, he continues to wear a wrist brace. His work as an architect, which requires drawing, has been affected. My law firm is representing the bicyclist.

When Taxis Attack

2012-01-13T09:20:00.000-06:00

In August and September, 2011 a 25 year old female graduate student was struck by two taxi cabs in Chicago from the same company. Different drivers were involved in the incidents. In the August incident, the bicyclist was riding southbound on North Clark Street at the intersection with West Ontario. She passed through the intersection with a green light at around 12:20 p.m. At the same time a taxi owned by American United turned left onto southbound Clark Street from westbound Ontario, running the light. The driver struck the bicyclist when she reached the southern most crosswalk at the intersection. After the collision the driver allegedly attempted to flee, but a nearby female witness began beating the cab with her purse insisting that the driver stop. He did.

The bicyclist was treated at nearby Northwestern Memorial Hospital for a back injury and numerous scraps and bruises.

By the end of September the woman's condition had improved and she was back on her bicycle. At around 10:15 a.m. on September 29th she was again riding her bike southbound on Clark, this time just south of Division Street. She was on her way to deliver a completed school assignment. At the same time a taxi driver with American United came up behind her and became impatient. The driver attempted to pass her on the left crossing the center lane of traffic into northbound Clark. When he did he passed so close that his passenger side view mirror hooked the cyclist's backpack and dragged her hard to the ground. The incident re injured the cyclist's back. She continues to work toward recovery more than three months following these incidents.

My law firm is representing the bicyclist against the cab company.

Recording Taken Of Chicago Cop Accused Of Killing 13 Year Old Bicyclist Played For Jury

2012-01-12T08:54:00.000-06:00

A recording of the Chicago police officer accused of hitting and killing a 13 year old bicyclist was played for jurors yesterday revealing some of his early thoughts after striking the boy with his car. Apparently recorded after his arrest by fellow officers they seem to reveal concern for the damage to his car and the fate of some uneaten hamburgers that remained in his vehicle, according to an account by the Chicago Tribune. The recordings also suggest that responding police officers may have failed to abide by ordinary procedures after the arrest of the allegedly intoxicated officer.

Click here to read more.

Trial Of Chicago Cop Accused Of Killing 13 Year Old Bicyclist Starts This Week

2012-01-10T08:36:00.000-06:00

Trial is scheduled to get underway this week against a Chicago police officer charged with aggravated DUI and reckless homicide arising from the death of a 13 year old who was riding his bicycle at 81st Street and Ashland Avenue in May, 2009. The boy, Trenton Booker, was riding with a friend when Richard Bolling, who was off-duty at the time, allegedly struck him with his car then kept going, according to the Chicago Tribune. Witnesses estimated that Bolling had been traveling at about 60 mph in a 30 mph zone. The impact threw the young boy into the air and under a parked car.

It is alleged that when his fellow officers caught up with him there was a less than vigorous effort to gather evidence. Allegedly, he was not given a Breathalyzer until 4 1/2 hours after the crash after pressure was placed by police Internal Affairs. At that time he registered 0.079 percent, just under the legal limit, according to the Trib.

Recall Announced Of Bicycle Helmets Marketed For Children

2012-01-06T13:03:00.000-06:00

Due to a risk of head injury, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission today announced the recall of "Little Tricky" and "Sector 9" bicycle helmets. The helmets, made in China and imported by Triple Eight Distribution, Inc., are marketed for use by children. They were sold nationwide from August 2006 through November 2011. According to a news release from the Commission, "Product testing demonstrated that these helmets do not comply with CPSC safety standards for impact resistance." A child wearing one of these helmets could sustain a serious injury in a fall or crash.

Consumers should not permit children to wear these helmets and should contact Triple Eight for a full refund.

Click here to view the complete press release.

Worker's Mistake At The Lake Injures Chicago Bicyclist

2012-01-04T09:23:00.000-06:00

A 40 year old Chicago man suffered a separated shoulder when he collided with an SUV while riding along the lake front bicycle path on November 15th. The collision occurred at around 11:15 a.m. near the 1600 block of North Lake Shore Drive where the bike path is intersected by West LaSalle Drive. When the southbound bicyclist, an ex-Marine, approached the short crossing, a Meade Electric truck was positioned in front of him in the middle of the crossing. According the company's website, Meade maintains traffic lights for the City of Chicago and the Illinois Department of Transportation. None of Meade's workers were positioned to direct or instruct southbound cyclists. There were no safety cones, flags or signage posted directing users of the bicycle path as to how to navigate around the stopped vehicle. The bicyclist slowed then attempted to pass in front of the truck, which was pointed east toward the lake. Unbeknownst to him, however, a Meade employee positioned on the other side of the International 4300 had waived a motorist operating a 2007 Ford Explorer into the area from the adjacent off ramp of North Lake Shore Drive. West LaSalle Drive at that location serves as an entry point for North Avenue Beach's parking lot. With the truck blocking his sight of the off ramp, the bicyclist was unaware what was happening. When he rounded the truck the SUV suddenly appeared. The bicyclist struck the driver's side of the vehicle, spearing it with his helmeted head and his shoulder. He was taken from the scene by a City of Chicago ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital nearby.

My law firm is representing the bicyclist who was diagnosed with a separated shoulder and related injuries. He has undergone physical therapy and is recovering.

Looking Back At Chicago's Biggest Bicycling Stories Of 2011

2011-12-27T11:23:00.000-06:00

Once again it's time for the obligatory end of the year round-up of the top cycling stories of 2011 in the Chicago area. It must be noted that there were several reported serious injuries and deaths of cyclists in Illinois this year. Of course, any one of those is the biggest story of the year. That grim point duly noted and respectfully put to the side, here are the top five stories of the past year:

5. Bicyclists were banned from texting and other mobile phone usage by the Chicago City Council in early October. This was something of a no-brainer really. No one using the roadway, neither motorists nor cyclists, should be focused on anything but, well, the road. Yet, there was something that felt odd about the passage of this ordinance. Sure, some bicyclists text while riding, but it never seemed like a problem widespread or serious enough to warrant the attention of the City Council. Other cities even seemed interested in the ban. I received a call out of the blue from a reporter at The Washington Times requesting a few words about what I thought about the new ban. The Washington Times? The passage of the ordinance and the interest in it from odd corners of the country struck me as sour grapes against bicyclists who have elbowed their way into a share of the road over the past few years. My sense is that motorists are also sick of being told that much of what they do behind the wheel is wrong: texting, talking, nail painting; even getting behind the wheel at all. The ordinance felt like a bit of push back from motorists toward what some perceive is the snugness of we health conscious, no emissions producing, lycra/skinny jeans wearing, skip-to-the-head-of-the-traffic-line bicyclists.

4. Governor Pat Quinn signed a bill into law that, as of January 1, 2012, will permit bicyclists to proceed through traffic signals that fail to turn from red to green. The new law will only apply outside of Chicago. Cyclists will need to come to a complete stop at red lights, but will be permitted to pedal through after waiting a "reasonable period of time" for the light to change and only when the coast is clear. This is important. Why? Because Illinois lawmakers seem finally to be taking into account how real bicyclists ride in the real world. My assumption is that Illinois cyclists probably were not waiting for faulty lights to turn, sitting idly for long stretches with no cars in sight before traversing uncontested intersections. But, before the new law goes into effect, failure to do so would be illegal. Criminalizing how real bicyclists behave is bad for cycling. It reinforces the notion that bicyclists are social mavericks, rather than regular people trying to get from one place to another, or getting in a bit of exercise. The new law is a step in the right direction toward considering the road from the bicyclist's point of view.

3. So many of the bicyclists whom I represent have been injured by motorists carelessly throwing their doors open without looking. These "dooring" incidents are a serious problem in our city. In April, the State of Illinois for the first time began tracking such incidents by requiring local police departments to note them on traffic crash reports. The collection of information about where doorings happen and how often they occur is no mere academic exercise. Addressing the issue -- with either infrastructure changes or law enforcement initiatives -- requires state and/or federal funding; money that cannot be acquired without data. Therefore, this rule change is a big step toward reducing these dangerous incidents.

2. In June there was a seachange in how bicyclists saw Chicago and how Chicago saw us with the opening of the city's first ever protected bicycle lane along Kinzie Street between Milwaukee Avenue and Wells. Now, bicyclists could experience riding into and from downtown without fear of encroachment into their space by motor vehicles. The effort seems to be a whopping success. I have ridden the Kinzie lane a lot, and it is great. Aside from being protected from vehicle encroachment and doorings, the lane just feels welcoming. The first few times I rode it I felt like I finally had a space where my bike and I belonged, rather than a patch of rode I constantly had to fight for. Many other bicyclists seem to have agreed. By my observation, even in bad weather the lane is well used. But what really made this such a big deal in 2011 is that it was only the beginning of a new attitude, and a new infrastructure. The Kinzie Street bike lane was followed by protected bicycle lanes along Jackson Boulevard and 18th Street. Mayor Rahm Emanuel has promised 100 miles of protected bike lanes during his first four years in office. So far his administration is well underway toward satisfying that ambitious goal.

1. “I am a bike enthusiast — somebody who likes biking myself. But, my principle enthusiasm [is] I want Chicago to be the bike-friendliest city in the country.” That was what Chicago's new mayor, Rahm Emanuel, had to said when he presided over the opening of the city's first protected bike lane. His taking office in May was without a doubt Chicago's biggest cycling story of the year. What Mayor Richard Daley started, Rahm Emanuel has committed to taking much further, making Chicago a truly bicycle friendly city. His appointment of Gabe Klein as Transportation Commissioner, who led a bicycle safety initiative in Washington D.C., demonstrated a commitment to changing our infrastructure in a way that benefits all Chicagoans. Making our city truly bike friendly encourages more people to ride our streets, reducing motor vehicle congestion. This promises to make riding, walking and plain living in the city better. Reduced congestion is also better for motorists by increasing drive times and the overall hassle of getting around. From the bicyclist's perspective Mayor Emanuel's first year has been a good one.

Dane Does Not Think Bicyclists Should Wear Helmets

2011-12-26T08:52:00.000-06:00

Here's a video from Mikael-Colville Andersen on why we should not wear helmets to bike. I am a firm believer that you should wear a helmet to ride. While there is certainly a sizable minority that disagrees with me, most folks, including potential jurors, feel that the prudent course is to wear one. Certainly, no one will hold it against you if you do.

The bottom line is this: Riding in the city is dangerous, period. So wear a helmet. However, it is not so dangerous that you should avoid riding all together. The middle path people; take the middle path.

The video is via Momentum Magazine, via Urban Velo.

U.S. Postal Service Semi Crushes UIC Student's Foot

2011-12-14T18:45:00.000-06:00

Courtesy ABC News

A United States Postal Service semi trailer ran over and crushed the foot of a 22 year old female bicyclist on July 13, 2011. My law firm is representing the injured bicyclist, a student at the University of Illinois Chicago. The incident occurred at around 6:15 p.m. on a pleasant summer evening at the intersection of West Taylor Street and the 90/94 westbound entrance ramp. The bicyclist was riding along the right side of the roadway on westbound Taylor Street one her way home from the lake front's 12th Street Beach. The postal truck was also traveling westbound. The cyclist saw the truck put on its right turn signal so she came to a stop along the curb. As she stood there, the truck made an exceptionally sharp right turn, the tires of the rear bed actually coming up onto the curb. At the same time, a part of the truck bed grasped a part of the bike, dragging it and the rider around to the right several feet. When the bicyclist came unattached from the truck its wheels ran over her left foot, crushing it. The bicyclist was rushed via ambulance to the nearby UIC Medical Center.

My firm will be pursuing legal action against the USPS via the Federal Tort Claims Act, filing the necessary Form 95 as quickly as possible.

Reforms Coming To Chicago's Taxi Industry Good For Bicyclists

2011-12-13T08:36:00.000-06:00

If my own experience representing bicyclists in injury claims is any indication, taxi cabs cause a lot of accidents. It almost seems like taxi drivers go out of their way to find bikes to crash into. I advise cyclists to treat taxis on the road as if they are loaded with explosives about to go off. When you see a cab while riding give it the widest possible berth.

I welcome Mayor Rahm Emanuel's announcement yesterday of new reforms coming to Chicago's taxi industry. These important changes are to include, "real-time monitoring of traffic tickets given to cabbies and limiting drivers to no more than 12 hours of driving each day," according to The Chicago Tribune. There is to be greater and faster monitoring of taxi cab moving violations and an increased emphasis on getting dangerous cab drivers off the streets. Read more here.

Last Week In Chicago. . .

2011-12-13T08:15:00.000-06:00

This was what I saw after walking out of the Secretary of State's office last week:

2012 is going to be an exciting year for my law firm and for the The Chicago Bicycle Advocate blog. Stay tuned. . .

Illinois To Begin Production Of "Share The Road" License Plates

2011-12-04T12:04:00.000-06:00

Finally at least 1500 Illinoisans have reserved "Share the Road" license plates. Production can now begin on these plates which promote bicycling awareness. Due to what the League of Illinois Bicyclists calls, "a lengthy design approval and production process," it is projected that these plates with hit the back end of cars in five to six months. Thanks to all who ordered one. If you haven't yet, please do so.

Chicago Police On the Trail of 8 Year Old Bicyclist's Killer

2011-12-02T14:00:00.001-06:00

Lakeith Morgan

Eight year old Mariela Crisostomo was struck so hard by an SUV while she rode her bicycle back on June 14th that horrified witnesses saw her propelled underneath a parked car near her Chicago Lawn home. The driver sped away, not stopping to give aid or assistance. Mariela died of her injuries about 12 hours later. Now, Chicago police remain on the driver's trail and are looking for Lakeith Morgan, 23, in connection with the incident, according to The Chicago Tribune.

The Tribune reports, "Morgan is black and stands about 5-foot-9 and weighs 160 pounds. His last known address is in the 3000 block of West 64th Street, just blocks from the site of the collision." Anyone with information about Mr. Morgan's whereabouts should call Police Major Accident Investigation at 312.745.4521.

58 Year Old Male Bicyclist Killed By Truck In Champaign

2011-12-01T17:19:00.000-06:00

Peterbilt 330

A 58 year old man was killed on Tuesday evening after being struck by a large truck while riding his bicycle in Champaign. Michael J. Costa III was killed at the intersection of Market Street and Anthony Drive by a 2005 Peterbilt 330 truck being driven by Thomas Pelmore, 63, according to The News-Gazette. Mr. Costa was "semi-responsive" at the scene, but was pronounced dead about 45 minutes later at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana. It is not clear how the accident occurred, or even in which direction Mr. Costa had been traveling prior to impact. The Champaign County Coroner, Duane Northup, speculated that, "The driver of the vehicle may not have seen him. It was dark." The News-Gazette reported that officers at the scene described the bicycle as "smashed and heavily damaged on the front end." The driver of the truck was not ticketed.

Settlement For Bicyclist Injured When Passengers Exit Taxi Into Chicago Bike Lane

2011-11-28T14:35:00.000-06:00

A substantial financial settlement has been reached by our law firm on behalf of a bicyclist doored when a taxi cab driver allowed his passengers to disembark into a dedicated bicycle lane at the 2400 block of North Lincoln Avenue in Chicago on March 17, 2011. The 40 year old cyclist was traveling southbound in the bike lane when passengers suddenly emerged from the taxi, which had stopped in southbound traffic. Unlike the typical dooring incident, the bicyclist in this case was doored from the left rather than the right side. The bicyclist had been wearing a helmet and his bicycle was equipped with lights. He was treated for a sprained knee and left hand fracture.

Taxi cab drivers owe a duty of reasonable care to roadway users in the location and manner in which their passengers are permitted to exit the vehicle. This duty extends to bicyclists, permitted users of Chicago streets

Florida Bicyclist Victim of Turning Fire Truck, Orlando Sentinel

2011-11-21T16:16:00.000-06:00

Sadly, cyclists are killed almost daily all around the country. I generally focus on incidents in Chicago and around Illinois. Unfortunately, there are enough of those to keep me busy. So I ordinarily would not pay much attention to a story about a bicyclist killed in Florida. However, I found the coverage of this sad story by the Orlando Sentinel frustrating so I want to comment about it.

Cullen Detamore, 18 years old and the father of a toddler son, was killed on October 24th when he was run over by a right turning fire truck while riding his bicycle. Mr. Detamore, "Was riding his bike next to the fire truck traveling southbound on Lakemont Avenue, when the truck went to make a right turn," according to a local television station. He was killed when he was run over by the rear wheels of the truck. It seemed that Mr. Detamore was the victim of a driver who turned right without looking in his right rear view mirror for bicyclists. If Mr. Detamore was riding along side the large vehicle when it began its turn he possibly had little time to stop or veer out of the way. Rather than considering the truck driver's failure to look to his right before turning as the cause of this incident, the Orlando Sentinel focused its coverage on the fact that Mr. Detamore was riding that mechanism of mayhem, a fixed gear bicycle. The paper's headline read, Bicyclist Killed By Fire Engire Was Riding Illegally On Bike With No Brakes. Quoting a law enforcement spokesperson the paper stated, "Cullen Detamore was riding a baby-blue racing bicycle designed for indoor tracks. . . The only way to stop on such bicycles is to 'put your feet down or fall over' -- which is why the law requires bicycles ridden on roadways to have working brakes." Further along in the story is considerable mention of how upsetting the event was for fire department personnel. Only passing reference was made of the child Mr. Detamore left behind. There was no reference to whether he was married, or how upsetting his death was for his family and friends.

An illegal bike? This young man must have had a death wish, right? Of course not. If Mr. Detamore was riding a "bicycle designed for indoor tracks" then it had a fixed gear drive train. That means, assuming he was riding with a sensible gear ratio (more on that later), he was riding with a braking system entirely compliant with Florida law which states:

Every bicycle must be equipped with a brake orbrakes that allow the rider to stop within 25 feet froma speed of 10 mph on dry, level, clean pavement[§316.2065(14)].

Fixed gear bikes do not have freewheels so the rider cannot coast. Instead, the bike's rear cog is fixed to the rear wheel so that if the rear wheel is spinning so is the cog. When the bike is moving, either forwards or backwards, the chain is turning, the pedals are spinning and the rider's legs are working. The bicycle's drive train, consisting of the fixed rear cog, chain, cranks, pedals and the rider's legs, act as a braking system, one that works better than the uninitiated may think. It is quite possible, and in fact common, to quickly stop pedaling, locking up the rear wheel and bringing the bike to a complete skidding stop. A fixed gear bicycle is entirely compliant with Florida's (and Illinois') law regarding bike brakes. The reasonableness of riding with a fixed gear braking system is not as controversial was one might think. At least one U.S. jurisdiction rewrote its vehicular law to accommodate fixed gear bicycle riders. Amended in July, 2006 Washington D.C.'s vehicle code states:

Each bicycle shall be equipped with a brake which enables the operator to cause the braked wheels to skid on dry, level, clean pavement; provided, that a fixed gear bicycle is not required to have a separate brake, but an operator of a fixed gear bicycle shall be able to stop the bicycle using the pedals.18 DCMR 1204.1

Not only was Mr. Detamore's bike likely compliant with Florida law, his ability to brake or not brake may have had nothing to do with his death. As noted above, according to at least one account, he was riding along side the fire truck when the vehicle turned. It is not clear whether the truck utilized its turn signal, or how quickly it initiated its turn. The bicyclist may have had little reason to anticipate that the truck was about to turn in front of him. He may not have been able to stop in time to avoid the collision no matter what sort of braking system his bike was equipped with. Unfortunately, none of this is mentioned in the Sentinel's article.

In my opinion, fixed gear bikes are legal. . . usually. Stopping one of these bikes is not exceptionally difficult. (Even this 40 something year old lawyer can do it.) But it takes some practice before the novice rider gets the hang of it. It feels weird at first and the rider must remember to use his or her legs to stop. Also, the bike's gear ratio must be considered. Some gear ratios will make it nearly impossible to bring the bike to a quick stop. For example, a front chainring with 53 teeth and a rear cog with 13 teeth is going to be almost impossible to bring to a skid stop. It is way too efficient. Much of the energy exerted to the cranks is transmitted to the rear cog and wheel. On the other hand, riding with a gear ratio of 46/18 will make it much, much easier to accelerate and stop. And let's be clear, if you cannot successfully bring your fixed gear bike to a skid stop then, unless you have an additional braking system on the bike, you are not in compliance with a statute like the one in Florida, and in Illinois. But riding a fixed gear bike does not necessary make the cyclist a reckless scafflaw.

Urban Bicyclists May Finally Get A Witness

2011-11-11T10:45:00.000-06:00

Fort Tree Bikes

Can I get a witness?! Well, yes. Cycling accessory manufacturer Cat Eye has come up with a handlebar mountable video and still camera, dubbed the "Inou", that can be used to record and track your ride. While other manufacturers have created similar devices there are a couple of things I really like about this one. First, it can take both video and still photos automatically at intervals that you can choose. Secondly, it has a GPS tracking device built in and records your location throughout your ride. You can view your route after your ride by logging onto the integrated computer application Cat Eye has created for the device. Thirdly, the Inou detaches from the included handlebar mount quickly and easily, just like a typical headlight. This feature is a must for urban bicyclists who would have to take the device with them after locking up. Finally, the Inou is pretty small and non-obtrusive, again making it practical to use daily in the urban setting.

One of the biggest challenges in representing bicyclists in litigation against motorists is finding a witness. The motorist and the bicyclist rarely seem to agree on how a crash occurred. Since the victim has the burden of proof in personal injury litigation, if a witness cannot be found to support the bicyclist's version of events the case may be a lost cause. A handlebar mounted camera could, in many circumstances, tip the scales in the bicyclist's favor by revealing exactly what happened. Dooring incidents and intersection crashes could be documented by a front facing camera. Other "action cameras" I've seen are good, but frankly impractical for daily city use. They've tended to be too big, too bulky and too difficult to take with you. Cat Eye may have come up with a viable option that could help the city cyclist protect his or her rights in the event of an accident.

I have not used the Inou myself, but I would certainly love to hear from anyone who has to learn whether the device actually lives up to its promise. Below is a video from Interbike 2010 demonstrating some of the Inou's features:

Chicago Bicyclist Struck By Semi To Undergo Pelvic Reconstruction, Battling Infection

2011-11-08T09:23:00.000-06:00

The female bicyclist struck by a semi tractor trailer on Friday afternoon is fighting infection and is to undergo surgery to repair a shattered pelvis at Loyola University Medical Center, according to a reader of this blog who contacted me last night via email. The bicyclist, Terri Cenar, was struck at around 1:45 p.m. on November 4th and initially taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. No details have been reported regarding the cause of this incident. Prayers for her recovery have been requested.

Poking around online revealed Ms. Cenar to be an avid cyclist and frequent bike commuter. She is a current or former fitness instructor.

Bicycle Seriously Injured By Semi On Near Northside

2011-11-07T10:38:00.000-06:00

A semi tractor trailer struck and seriously injured a female bicyclist near Chicago Avenue and LaSalle Street on Friday afternoon, November 4th. The women was reportedly taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital following the collision. The incident occurred at around 1:45 p.m. No information is presently available regarding the cause of the crash or how the victim fared over the weekend.

Cab Driver's Failure To Use Caution Dropping Off Passenger Causes Cyclist's Injury

2011-11-02T15:10:00.000-05:00

Chicago taxicab drivers must exercise caution when dropping off passengers. Passengers should be permitted to disembark only where it is reasonably safe to do so. That usually means pulling to the curb. Stopping so as to give a passenger the option of either exiting the cab into moving motor vehicle traffic, or into a busy bicycle lane is negligence on the part of the driver. Once again a cab driver's poor decision as to where to drop off a passenger has resulted in injury to a bicyclist. Our law firm is representing the cyclist. On Halloween evening at around 7:30 p.m. a 35 year old female cyclist was injured when a southbound taxi cab on Wells Street, about a half a block south of North Avenue, dropped off his passenger into a dedicated bicycle lane. In this instance, the right wheels of the taxi encroached into the bike lane, an ordinance violation. When the passenger opened the right rear door it struck the left hand of the bicyclist causing severe finger tendon laceration requiring eight stitches. It is not yet clear whether surgery will be necessary to restore full function to the finger and hand.

The bicyclist would have been easily visible. Her bike was equipped with operating lights and she was wearing light colored clothing at the time of the incident. She was wearing a helmet and did not sustain a head injury.

Wells Street at the location of this incident has one southbound and one northbound lane. Cab drivers on this and similar roadways simply cannot provide their passengers with two unsafe options of exiting and simply hope nothing bad happens. In such instances, the passenger is offered the option of either exiting on the left of the cab and into moving motorized traffic, or on the right into a busy bicycle lane. This is negligence plain and simple. Cab drivers must drop off passengers in a reasonably safe place so as to avoid putting either the passenger or other roadway users at risk.

Trek Announces Recall Over Seat Clamp Bolt Failure

2011-10-31T14:55:00.000-05:00

A seat clamp bolt that may be prone to break has lead Trek Bicycles and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission to announce the recall of some 27,000 Trek bikes. The recall pertains to 2012 models which have exhibited hydrogen embrittlement in the bolt that secures the seat to the seat post and which has caused the bolt to break in some incidents. In at least one incident, the failure of the bolt has led to a broken tooth and lip injury. If you own one of these bikes contact an authorized Trek dealer for a free replacement bolt.

Bicyclist Presumed Dead After Incident At Western Avenue & Logan Boulevard

2011-10-24T09:15:00.000-05:00

A bicyclist is presumed dead after a serious incident occurring at the intersection of Western Avenue and Logan Boulevard on Chicago's north side Saturday morning. Witnesses on the Chainlink forum have described seeing a mangled bicycle at the scene and a motionless body laying in the road covered by a coat or blanket. Two cars at the scene appeared to have rear-ended each other. It is not clear how the incident occurred. There has been no coverage of this event by media outlets.

It is worth noting that the intersection involved is heavily trafficked by bikes and motor vehicles and is well-known to be exceptionally dangerous. A ghost bike memorializing the death of Tyler Fabeck is located at the intersection.

Republicans and Democrats Agree, Bikes Are Cool

2011-10-19T10:36:00.000-05:00

Ever wonder why some members of Congress wear little bicycle pins on their lapels? Yeah, me neither. But it turns out that many do because they are members of something called the Congressional Bike Caucus. Launched by Representative Earl Blumenauer of Oregon (surprise, surprise) after first being elected to Congress in 1996, the Caucus now includes more than 160 members from both political parties, representing all parts of the nation. Initially the Caucus started as an informal group meant to provide an outlet for members of Congress and their staffs who were into cycling to get together and ride. Since then, however, it has come to provide, "Congressional leadership" in efforts to promote "policies that aim to integrate bicycling as an attractive transportation and recreational alternative." Their are ten members of the Caucus from Illinois: Jerry Costello (D), Danny K. Davis (D), Luis V. Gutierrez (D), Jesse Jackson, Jr. (D), Timothy V. Johnson (R), Daniel Lipinski (D), Don Manzullo (R), Peter Roskam (R), Janice Schakowsky (D) and John Shimkus (R). Senator Richard Durbin (D) is a member of the Senate Bike Caucus.

During this prolonged period of political acrimony it is nice to know that there is something Republicans and Democrats can agree upon; bikes are cool and more people should be encouraged to ride.

Bicycle Texting Ban In Place, But What About Enforcement?

2011-10-13T09:41:00.000-05:00

Two weeks ago the Chicago City Council approved without dissent a ban on texting and talking on the phone while bicycling. Penalties for doing so increase with the number of offenses. As I told the Washington Times recently, it would be hard for any sane person to be against such an obvious no-no. That point noted, I hope that the ordinance will not be used by police to harass bicyclists on Chicago roads. Here's hoping also that the CPD is just as aggressive citing motor vehicle drivers for using their cell phones as they are citing cyclists. Fingers crossed.

Female Bicyclist Suffers Ruptured Spleen Following Crash With Van On Milwaukee Avenue

2011-10-10T16:03:00.000-05:00

A female bicyclist suffered a ruptured spleen after being struck by a 2005 Ford Econoline van at the intersection of North Milwaukee Avenue and North Ogden Avenue in Chicago on August 22nd. The crash occurred at around 8:00 a.m. as the 24 year old cyclist was on her way to work. The bicyclist was riding southbound in the bike lane on Milwaukee when she was suddenly "t-boned" by the left turning van. Both vehicles had a green light, but under Illinois law the straight-ahead cyclist had the right of way at the time of the crash. Immediately following the crash she was taken to Rush University Medical Center via ambulance. She remains in treatment. Our law firm is representing the bicyclist.

Twenty-Five Year Old Bicyclist Recovering From Head Injury

2011-10-10T14:49:00.000-05:00

A twenty-five year old male bicyclist was rendered unconscious after being struck by a 1997 Dodge Dakota at around 6 p.m. on September 21st at the intersection of North Elston Avenue and West Gunnison Avenue in Chicago. The bicyclist was riding through the t-intersection when he suddenly heard a revving engine then saw the vehicle coming at him. According to witnesses, the impact propelled him onto the vehicle's windshield before he was thrown to the ground. Numerous photographs of the crash site showing the cyclist laying in the street with blood covering his face have been acquired thanks to a witness who posted them online. Our law firm is representing the bicyclist against the driver of the vehicle. The bicyclist continues to undergo treatment for facial scarring and possible cognitive deficits due to head trauma.

Avid 81 Year Old Bicyclist Killed By CTA Bus

2011-09-21T10:00:00.000-05:00

Heart and legs pumping, at age 81 Lane Swanson, an avid cyclist, was pedaling in the bike lane on Dodge Avenue at around 10:15 a.m. on September 12th when a CTA bus collided with him. He was pronounced dead the following afternoon at St. Francis Hospital having suffered a head injury. TribLocal reporter, Jonathan Bullington, reports that the force of the collision cracked Mr. Swanson's bike helmet.

The cause of the accident is not entirely clear. According to the Tribune report, Mr. Swanson was riding in the designated bike lane when he was passed by the bus. Allegedly, a witness saw the cyclist swerve into the right side of the bus as it passed. The vantage point of the witness has not been reported. If he did swerve, it is not clear whether he was attempting to avoid an obstacle in the bike lane.

UIC Student, Bicyclist Struck By Motorist

2011-09-13T13:59:00.000-05:00

A UIC student was struck by the driver of a 1999 Mercury Mystique at the intersection of Leavitt Street and Warren Boulevard while riding her bicycle on August 31st suffering three fracture vertebrae. The female bicyclist was hit at around 9:45 a.m. as she was on her way to school traveling southbound on Leavitt. She was struck from behind as she slowed to wait for a northbound vehicle to pass so she could turn left onto Warren Boulevard. The impact threw her from her bike and into the intersection where she struck her lower back, pelvis, elbow and head on the pavement. She was wearing a helmet.

An ambulance transported her to Stroger Hospital for treatment. She received additional treatment at UIC Medical Center. She continues to receive medical care. Our law firm has been retained to represent the bicyclist.

Chicago Bicycle Commuters On The Move

2011-09-11T10:52:00.000-05:00

Here is an interesting chart from today's New York Times depicting the increase in bicycle commuting among a few major U.S. cities, including Chicago:

Chicago Bicyclist Hit By Suzuki To Be Compensated

2011-09-08T12:38:00.000-05:00

A female bicyclist injured on April 26, 2011 when a motorist crashed into her as she rode along West Division Street, just east of Wells Street, will receive the full amount of available insurance as compensation for her injuries. Our firm represented the cyclist in her claim against the driver and his insurer. The bicyclist was riding along the right side of the roadway, her boyfriend on his bike a few feet ahead of her, just after 5:00 when a 2002 Suzuki Aerio suddenly merged into her from her left. The impact sent the rider over her handlebars and onto the street where her helmeted head struck the pavement.

An ambulance transported her to Northwestern Memorial Hospital where she was treated for a fracture elbow. Thankfully, CT scans of her brain revealed no significant head injury. In the months since the incident she has achieved a full recovery.

Bicyclist Remains On Ventilator, Driver Charged With Aggravated DUI For Madison Street Crash

2011-09-06T09:20:00.001-05:00

Bicyclist, Frederick Johnson of the 3800 block of West Taylor Street, remains on a ventilator in critical condition after being struck by a motorist who flipped her car on Madison Street after striking a barrier on September 1st. The driver, Sheila B. Kane has been charged with aggravated driving under the influence causing great bodily harm and other charges, according to The Chicago Tribune. She allegedly consumed six tall glasses of vodka and water at West End bar within two hours of getting behind the wheel of her 2008 Mercury Sable.

Car Flips and Strikes Bicyclist Near Chicago's United Center

2011-09-01T09:08:00.000-05:00

A bicyclist was critically injured early this morning near the United Center when a motorist flipped her car over then crashed into the cyclist. The incident occurred near the intersection of Madison Street and Hoyne Avenue. The Chicago Tribune and ABC News report that the driver appeared to have struck a roadway median causing the car to flip over and strike the bicyclist. The driver was also injured. Both the motorist and the bicyclist were taken to Stroger Hospital. No names have been released.

Bicyclist Killed In Pilsen Was A Gifted Musician; Driver Charged With Reckless Homicide, DUI

2011-08-24T07:59:00.000-05:00

The bicyclist killed by a hit and run driver in Pilsen on Tuesday morning was 30 year old Fredrick Kobrick of the 1700 block of South Desplaines. A reader of this blog informs me that Mr. Kobrick was a gifted artist involved with a music project "Geometric Temples."

The name of Mr. Kobrick's alleged killed has also been released. 38 year old Ignacio Ramirez, who initially fled the scene, has been charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI stemming from the incident.

Bicyclist Killed By Hit and Run Driver In Pilsen

2011-08-23T10:02:00.000-05:00

A 30 year old man was killed this morning in Pilsen when a motorist struck him as he rode his bicycle. The bicyclist was riding near West 18th Street and South Carpenter Street just before 1:00 a.m. when he was struck. He was on his way to meet friends when the driver allegedly veered into him, according to police. The driver did not stop, but a suspect is in custody, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Neither the name of the bicyclist nor that of the driver have been published.

Six Year Old Bicyclist Killed By Backing Pickup

2011-08-15T09:37:00.000-05:00

Six year old Ricardo Navarro was killed on Friday afternoon while riding his bicycle around the corner from his home near East 88th Street and South Buffalo Avenue, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. The young boy sustained massive head injuries after the driver of a pickup truck, Jesus Alvarez, backed his vehicle up without properly looking for children. He was cited for negligent driving by police at the scene.

Ricardo was often seen in the neighborhood riding his bike. The driver lived just a few doors down from the boy's family.

Few Facts Revealed Regarding Crash Between Chicago Police Vehicle and 10 Year Old Bicyclist

2011-08-11T12:48:00.000-05:00

A 10 year old child was taken to Loretto Hospital last night after sustaining injuries when he was involved in a crash with a police car while riding his bicycle, according to the Chicago Tribune. The incident occurred at around 5 p.m. along the 5500 block of West Van Buren Street, a residential area close to Columbus Park. Very few details of this incident have been reported. Neither the extent of the child's injuries, nor how the crash occurred have so far been revealed. Even the child's gender is apparently unknown to the media.

Bicyclist Crushed By Dump Truck Was No Wobbly Rider

2011-08-08T10:57:00.001-05:00

I.A.M. Wellness

The gruesome death of 25 year old Jacqueline Marie Michon is an especially vivid reminder of the dangers faced by even experienced bicyclists on our city's streets. Miss Michon fell underneath a dump truck allegedly stopped at a red light at 227 North Wabash Avenue and was crushed to death after the light changed, according to the Chicago Tribune. Reportedly, she rode her bike between a car stopped next to the truck then lost her balance. Miss Michon was no wobbly newcomer to cycling. She's been described as a passionate cyclist and was a spinning instructor. Her other passions included hiking and rock climbing. She grew up an avid swimmer and lacrosse player. Miss Michon worked as a personal trainer. In addition to spinning, she taught boot camp and kickboxing.

How or why she lost her balance on Friday night is not clear. Speculating as to the cause of this tragedy would be foolish. Riding in the city is dangerous, to note the obvious. Streets designed to make cycling less dangerous will hopefully reduce the need to come so close to some of the behemoths that use our roadways. This is already underway in Chicago; and not a moment too soon.

79 Year Old Bicyclist Struck and Killed By Motorist In Maywood

2011-08-01T10:22:00.000-05:00

The driver of a motor vehicle turned himself in after striking and killing a 79 year old bicyclist in Maywood on Friday night. The bicyclist, Harold Moore, was struck at the intersection of 9th Avenue and Fillmore Street in a quiet residential area just two blocks from his home at around 8 p.m. It is not clear whether the driver initially left the scene, but the Chicago Tribune reports that he turned himself in at Loyola University Medical Center where the bicyclist was taken. Mr. Moore was pronounced dead less than an hour after the collision.

After A Bike Crash, Go To The Damn Hospital

2011-07-28T10:16:00.002-05:00

I've been representing injured people for some 15 years and if anything drives me nuts it is when someone blows off going to the hospital after an accident. This frustration was driven home last week when I read about the death of Francisco Moreno. After he was struck by a van while riding his bicycle a trip to the hospital was delayed until he lost consciousness at home many hours after the incident. One has to wonder if he would be live today if he had been taken to the hospital right after the crash.

Let me be succinct, if your are involved in a bicycle crash and some part of your body hurts, go to the damn hospital. The seriousness of your injuries may not be immediately apparent. After a crash your adrenaline may be flowing. You may not be thinking straight, so just play it safe a get to the ER. This is especially true if you even lightly hit your head, with or without a helmet. If it turns out that you are fine, good. Don't worry about wasting your time or anyone else's time. Don't feel embarrassed. Just do what has to be done to rule out a serious injury.

Aside from protecting your own health, seeking immediate medical care following a crash will help you or your attorney later if a claim or lawsuit arises from the incident. Time and again I see insurance companies fail to take seriously a claim brought where the injured bicyclist did not seek treatment right away following a crash. Their thinking is, how serious could the injury be if he/she didn't go to the hospital. Insurance adjusters tend to be cynical people. Delayed medical treatment tends to raise a red flag in the adjuster's mind: Maybe we're being scammed. Maybe the injury happened after the bike accident. Don't give an insurance company any reason to be doubtful about your claim and the cause of your injuries. Seek immediate medical treatment.

There are all sorts of reasons, in my experience, to explain why the bicyclist blows off a trip to the hospital after a crash. Lack of medical insurance coverage is one big reason. All I can say is cost is just something you'll have to worry about later. Take care of yourself first. A hospital ER will not turn you away for lack of insurance. Also, most hospitals will work with you on a sensible payment plan if you cannot afford to pay the bill. If you have a claim against an at fault driver, the hospital will lien your claim and your lawyer will help you make sure your bill is paid at the end of your case. Whatever concerns or fears you might have about going to the hospital after a crash, remember Francisco Moreno.

Raw Video Of A Ride Along Chicago's New Kinzie Bicycle Lane

2011-07-21T10:24:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of chainlinker, Travis Kluska, here is a video of a ride eastbound along Chicago's new Kinzie cycle track. The video comes with warts: Mr. Kluska runs numerous stop signs and the light at Kinzie and Milwaukee. At one point another bicyclist briefly approaches him in the bike lane in the wrong direction. But is video is honest. I've ridden Kinzie several times now since completion of the new bike lane and the way it is ridden in the video is consistent with how I've seen the majority of bicyclists ride it. The conditions it demonstrates are typical in my experience.

Logan Square Bicyclist Killed By Van

2011-07-19T14:40:00.000-05:00

A 46 year old Logan Square bicyclist died this morning after being struck by a van. After the collision the van allegedly fled the scene. The Chicago Sun-Times reported this event but did not report the date of the collision. The paper simply noted that it occurred at "2 p.m."

The cyclist, Francisco Moreno, was helped to his home after the crash. He was later taken to Saints Mary and Elizabeth Medical Center by family members after he lost consciousness. The location of the crash has not be reported.

Recumbent Bicyclist Struck By Motorist Along Lakefront Bicycle Path, Suffers Head Injury

2011-07-14T16:36:00.000-05:00

A bicyclist on a recumbent suffered a head injury when she was struck by a motor vehicle as she crossed West Wilson Avenue along Chicago's lakefront bicycle path. The crash occurred just before 1:00 p.m. on June 26th. The bicyclist was traveling northbound on the path. When she reached the intersection with Wilson Avenue she slowed when she saw a vehicle at the eastbound stop sign. Bicycle traffic at that location is not required to stop or yield to motor vehicles and has the right of way. The cyclist proceeded across Wilson. As she approached the median dividing east and westbound traffic the car that had been stopped at the sign suddenly accelerated forward and crashed into her. She was propelled from her recumbent bicycle up onto the car's hood, smashing the windshield with her helmeted head. She was then thrown to the ground where she slid along the pavement before loosing consciousness. She was taken via ambulance to Weiss Memorial Hospital where she received an extensive workup.

Our law firm is representing the bicyclist against the driver. This is the second time within the last year that we have represented a bicyclist injured at West Wilson Avenue's intersection with the lakefront path. The bicyclist continues to receive medical treatment.

Motorist Fails to Yield to Bicyclist In Oak Park, Rider Seriously Injured

2011-07-12T16:26:00.000-05:00

A female bicyclist lays in intensive care with a serious head injury after being struck by a left turning motor vehicle in Oak Park at around 7:30 this morning. Apparently, the cyclist was riding westbound on Washington Boulevard when a motorist driving eastbound attempted to turn left onto Ridgeland Boulevard, crashing into the bicyclist. The Chicago Tribune reported this story but does not make it entirely clear whether the cyclist was on Washington or Ridgeland when she was struck.

Illinois law mandates that left turning motor vehicles yield to bicyclists approaching from the opposite direction. The driver was cited by police following this incident.

The name of the cyclist has not been reported. It seems that though serious her injuries are not life threatening.

Chicago Bicyclists Are Not Barred From Using City Crosswalks

2011-07-07T17:31:00.001-05:00

Katherine Hitt

Defense attorneys, insurance adjusters and even some well meaning bicycle advocates have suggested to me that riding a bicycle in Chicago in a crosswalk is illegal. It is not. Neither local ordinance nor state statute prohibit riding a bicycle in a crosswalk. The matter is not addressed at all in Chicago's municipal code. In the Illinois Compiled Statutes, however, it is expressly permitted, with some caveats. The state statute states:

(a) A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall yield the right of way to any pedestrian and shall give audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian. (b) A person shall not ride a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, where such use of bicycles is prohibited by official traffic-control devices. (c) A person propelling a bicycle upon and along a sidewalk, or across a roadway upon and along a crosswalk, shall have all the rights and duties applicable to a pedestrian under the same circumstances.

625 ILCS 5/11-1512.

A bicycle may be ridden in a crosswalk, but pedestrians have the right of way, unless authorities have explicitly chosen to bar bikes. In Chicago, local ordinance bars adults from riding on city sidewalks, but not crosswalks.

It is not clear to me why some folks believe it is always illegal to ride in a crosswalk. Perhaps this misunderstanding comes from Chicago's sidewalk prohibition. Many of us tend to think of a crosswalk as a natural extension of a sidewalk. There is some logic in this thinking, but the law defines crosswalks and sidewalks differently. Chicago ordinance defines a crosswalk as

[T]hat portion of a roadway ordinarily included within the prolongation or connection of sidewalk lines at intersections, or any other portion of a roadway clearly indicated for pedestrian crossing by markings.

Municipal Code of Chicago 9-4-010 (emphasis added).

State statute defines a crosswalk as

(a) That part of a roadway at an intersection included within the connections of the lateral lines of the sidewalks on opposite sides of the highway measured from the curbs, or in the absence of curbs, from the edges of the traversable roadway, and in the absence of a sidewalk on one side of the highway, that part of the highway included within the extension of the lateral lines of the existing sidewalk to the side of the highway without the sidewalk, with such extension forming a right angle to the centerline of the highway;

(b) Any portion of a roadway at an intersection or elsewhere distinctly indicated for pedestrian crossing by lines or other markings on the surface placed in accordance with the provisions in the Manual adopted by the Department of Transportation as authorized in Section 11-301.

625 ILCS 5/1-113.

A sidewalk, pursuant to both local ordinance and state statute, is

[T]hat portion of a public way between the curb, or the lateral lines of the roadway, and the adjacent property lines, intended for the use of pedestrians.

Municipal Code of Chicago 9-4-010; 625 ILCS 5/1-188.

A crosswalk is a part of the roadway. A sidewalk is not. If lawmakers had meant for crosswalks to be considered a part of sidewalks presumably they would have said so. They have not. Also, though crosswalks are intended primarily for pedestrians, I am not aware of any statute, ordinance or case that states that pedestrians are the only permitted users of crosswalks. (As we saw in Boub v. Township of Wayne one may be a permitted though not an intended user of a roadway.) There simply is no legal reason that supports the notion that just because it may be illegal to ride on a sidewalk that it is also illegal to ride in a crosswalk, especially in light of the language in Sec. 11-1512 which permits bikes in crosswalks so long as pedestrians are given the right of way.

Even if crosswalks exist primarily for pedestrians rather than bicyclists, there are often legitimate reasons for a cyclist to ride in a crosswalk. An urban bicyclist will often do so when preparing to make a left turn at an intersection. Sec. 11-1510 of the Illinois Motor Vehicle Code describes one way in which a bicyclist may legally make a left:

A person riding a bicycle . . . intending to turn left shall approach the turn as close as practicable to the right curb or edge of the roadway. After proceeding across the intersecting roadway to the far corner of the curb or intersection of the roadway edges, the bicyclist . . . shall stop, as much as practicable out of the way of traffic. After stopping the person shall yield to any traffic proceeding in either direction along the roadway such person had been using. After yielding, the bicycle . . . shall comply with any official traffic control device or police officer regulating traffic on the highway along which he intends to proceed.

In other words, simply cross the road onto which you wish to travel and wait with cross traffic. When doing so the bicyclist may find, depending on the specific roadway design and traffic circumstances, that the safest and perhaps only place in which to accomplish this maneuver is in a crosswalk. In Chicago, and in parts of Illinois, this is perfectly legal.

I am not advocating that bicyclists unnecessarily occupy crosswalks that are clogged with pedestrians. Doing so will often place pedestrians at unnecessary risk for injury. On the other hand, where few or no pedestrians are present and the circumstances require it, a bicyclist should not hesitate to use the crosswalk to his or her advantage.

Should You Flash Motorists? The Moth Effect and The Bicycle

2011-06-30T09:34:00.001-05:00

Nowadays many Chicago bicyclists equip their bikes with red rear flashing lights that alert motorists coming from behind of their presence. This is a good thing. Generally, when a motorist sees a bicyclists he or she will make every effort to steer clear. Illinois law does not require rear facing lights on bicycles. Only front headlamps and rear reflectors are legally necessary. However, taking the extra step of equipping both the front and rear of a bicycle with lights is an excellent idea. There is some debate, however, regarding the best and safest way to illuminate the bicycle rear: Should the rear light blink or remain steady?

The debate arises from something dubbed the "moth effect." Studies considering when emergency vehicles should and should not utilize flashing lights at a crash scene have sometimes demonstrated this effect. Like a moth to a flickering flame, a human being behind the wheel will be attracted to a light blinking in the darkness. The implication is that blinking lights on vehicles, and on the back of bicycles, may be more dangerous than steady lights. Rather than alerting and repelling the motorist, a flashing light may actually draw the approaching vehicle to the light's source causing a collision. Apparently, steady lights do not have such an effect. There is little science, however, that supports the existence of this supposed effect. According to James D. Wells Jr., who conducted a comprehensive 2004 study of the moth effect, "There are no known studies that have not been disproven that substantiate the actual existence of this effect in real world driving." Furthermore, even if there is some evidence for the moth effect in the emergency vehicle context, there are no studies I'm aware of considering its application to bicycles, which generally do not emit nearly as much light as say an ambulance with all lights a-blazin'.

In a dense urban atmosphere bicycles at night at competing to be seen with a lot of illuminated objects, i.e. cars, street lights, flashing pawn broker signs, etc. Moreover, bikes are small in comparison to other vehicles on the road and bike lights can offer relatively little candle power compared to these other illuminated sources. It seems that using a flashing light would help the bicyclist been seen best in the urban road discotheque. The bicyclist should, of course, make up his or her own mind on the subject. Either option is perfectly legal in Illinois. I recommend reading an excellent treatment of the moth effect by human factors expert, Marc Green, complete with study references.

Bicyclist Doored In Front Of Chicago's East Bank Club

2011-06-22T10:42:00.000-05:00

On his way home from work, a Chicago bicyclist was injured on May 25th when the driver of a 2010 Mercedes-Benz opened her car door without looking for traffic on West Kinzie Street in front of the East Bank Club. Immediately following the collision the cyclist was transported via ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital with a severe right leg injury.

The dooring incident took place at around 5:40 p.m. just east of Kinzie Street's intersection with North Kingsbury Street. The bicyclist was riding eastbound along the ride side of Kinzie just after stopping at the sign controlled intersection. He had split second notice that the door was about to open in his path and attempted to swerve to his left. However, his effort to avoid impact was not successful, his right leg crashing hard into the driver's door. The bicyclist had been wearing a helmet.

The bicyclist suffered what appears to be significant tearing of the muscle in his lower right leg which has resulted in a foot drop. It is not clear whether this will be a permanent injury but he has not yet regained full use of his leg. Our law firm is representing the cyclist in this matter.

Chicago's New Cycle Track Will Not Be Optional For Bicyclists

2011-06-21T15:06:00.001-05:00

Our beautiful new cycle track on Kinzie Avenue is nearly complete. It provides a safe pathway for bicyclists traveling into Chicago's Loop from Milwaukee Avenue to Wells Street, segregated from motor vehicles. Long overdue, the track promises to be the first 1/2 mile of a promised 100 miles of protected bikeways to be built in Chicago over the next few years. Segregating bicyclists from motor vehicles is likely to make riding in the city safer and will encourage more folks to pedal around town, decreasing motor vehicle congestion and increasing the city's overall health and livability.

Bicyclists, like any other loosely defined "community" of individuals, like to complain about stuff. And I have already heard concerns among bicyclists over the new cycle track. Some worry -- not unreasonably -- that funneling riders into a insulated space will make getting around by bike slower, less enjoyable. The cycle track, some fear, will get clogged with slower riders, and that it will be difficult for quicker riders to pass due to the presence of the segregating barriers. Some of those concerned about being forced to "go Dutch" have declared an intent to simply ignore the cycle track, to ride Kinzie in the regular lane of traffic. Well, not so fast. Once the Kinzie cycle track is complete, riding in it will be required for bicyclists, not an option. Section 9-52-020 of Chicago's Municipal Code states,

(d) Whenever a usable path for bicycles has been provided adjacent to a roadway, bicycle riders shall use such path and shall not use the roadway.

The only time when a bicyclist may arguably avoid the cycle track will be if its use is not feasible, i.e. due to the collection of snow or debris. Otherwise, it must be utilized when traveling that stretch of Kinzie.

I like going fast. I am guessing there are going to be times during my commute when I am frustrated because I am behind a slow poke in flip flops on a cruiser carrying 25 plastic bags of junk. But I am hoping that will happen rarely, and in any event is a fair trade-off for not constantly fearing for my life while trying to get to work in the morning.

Someone On Chicago Lawn Street Likely Knows Who Killed 8 Year Old On Bicycle

2011-06-16T09:33:00.000-05:00

Someone on the block where this young girl lived likely knows the driver of the SUV that killed her. According to the report below by NBC the vehicle had been parked on the residential street just before striking Mariela. I would anticipate the Chicago Police Department going door to door looking for witnesses.

View more videos at: http://nbcchicago.com.

Police Searching for Silver SUV That Struck, Killed 8 Year Old Riding Bicycle In Front Of Her Home

2011-06-15T09:45:00.002-05:00

Eight year old Mariela Crisostomo died early this morning of injuries suffered when she was struck by a hit-and-run SUV as she rode her bicycle in front of her home in Chicago Lawn. Mariela lived with her parents on a quiet street on the 3300 bock of West 62nd Place. Her parents only allowed her to ride near her home which they felt would keep her away from motor vehicle traffic. Yesterday, however, the female driver of a gray or silver SUV violated the serenity of the neighborhood, crashing into young Mariela so hard that she was thrown off her bicycle and underneath a parked car. Neighbors who witnessed the horrifying scene saw the woman speed away from the collision. Police are still looking for the driver.

This story was reported by William Lee of the Chicago Tribune. Read the full article here.

8 Year Old Girl Seriously Injured After Being Struck By Vehicle In Crystal Lake

2011-06-09T09:30:00.001-05:00

An 8 year old girl suffered serious head injuries yesterday morning as she rode her bicycle on a quiet residential street in Crystal Lake. At around 7:35 a.m. the girl was riding across North Avenue toward Millard Avenue with her 12 year old brother when she was struck by a 2004 Acura traveling east on North. The impact threw the girl onto the windshield of the car, rendering her unconscious. She was taken to Advocate Lutheran General Hospital in Park Ridge. It was not been reported how fast the car was traveling at the time of the incident.

Recall of Civia Bicycle Front Racks Announced

2011-06-09T09:03:00.000-05:00

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Quality Bicycle Products yesterday announced the recall of front bicycle racks sold with Civia Loring bicycles and as an aftermarket upgrade.* The company received one report of the rack mount breaking causing the rack, installed over the front wheel, to collapse causing injury to a rider. If you have one of these racks you should remove it and contact the retailer from which you purchased it for a refund or replacement.

*Civia's website notes that the recall applies only to racks purchased as an aftermarket upgrade. However, the Safety Commission's press release makes no distinction between racks purchased with the Civia Loring bicycle and those purchased as an upgrade. It is not clear to me if or how the racks may be different, but consumers with one of these racks are encouraged to contact Civia/QBP with questions or concerns.

Mayor Emanuel Breaks Ground On Chicago's First Protected Bicycle Lane

2011-06-07T14:39:00.002-05:00

The new bike lane is scheduled for completion by June 17th.

View more videos at: http://www.nbcchicago.com.

Bicyclist In Serious Condition After Being Struck By City of Chicago Vehicle

2011-06-02T09:09:00.000-05:00

A City of Chicago vehicle caused serious injury to a 20 year old female bicyclist yesterday afternoon near the intersection of Lincoln Avenue and Cullom Avenue. Passersby at the scene after the collision reported seeing a badly damaged bicycle and a significant amount of blood. The type of city vehicle has not been revealed, but at least one passerby noted that it seemed to be a sanitation vehicle. The bicyclist was taken to Illinois Masonic Medical Center after in the incident. Her current condition is unknown.

It has not be reported how the collision occurred. It has been suggested that the bicyclist may have ran a stop sign, but no basis for that speculation has been cited. Based on the seeming severity of the cyclist's injuries it seems unlikely that her point of view has been gathered.

25 Year Old Bicyclist Struck By Motorist In Chicago's Old Town Neighborhood

2011-06-01T11:22:00.001-05:00

A 25 year old Chicagoan sustained a left elbow fracture and a concussion after being struck by a motorist as she rode her bicycle near 149 West Division Street on April 26th. The bicyclist was taken from the scene via ambulance to Northwestern Memorial Hospital. She had been wearing a helmet, which may have saved her from sustaining a far worse head injury. She remains in treatment for her elbow fracture. Our law firm is aggressively pursuing a claim against the at fault motorist on the bicyclist's behalf.

The incident occurred at around 5:10 p.m. as the cyclist rode at a modest pace eastbound along the right side of West Division behind her boyfriend in Chicago's Old Town neighborhood. As the two approached Division's intersection with LaSalle Street, the driver of a 2002 Suzuki Aerio, also headed eastbound on Divisioin, suddenly merged right into the bicyclist, the front of his vehicle striking her rear wheel. Her boyfriend, traveling about 10 feet in front of her, heard a sickening crunch as her head and left side struck the pavement.

Bicycle Helmets Marketed For Aggressive Downhill Riding May Fail; Recall Announced

2011-06-01T09:36:00.000-05:00

The makers of Bell helmets, along with the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission and Health Canada, have issued a recall of some of its full-face bicycle helmets. The plastic buckle that connects the chin strap of the helmet, marketed for aggressive downhill riding, can fail causing the helmet to come off the wearing's head. Bell Sports has received one report of a buckle failure during a crash, resulting in injury. Consumers are advised to stop using the helmets and to contact Bell Sports for a replacement or refund.

New Illinois Law To Permit Bicyclists To Proceed Through Faulty Traffic Signals, Chicago Exempted

2011-05-31T10:24:00.000-05:00

Illinois Governor Patrick Quinn is expected to sign a bill into law that will allow bicyclists outside of Chicago to proceed through traffic lights that fail to turn from red to green. The new law, which originated as House Bill 2860, does not permit bicyclists to run red lights. It requires cyclists to come to a complete stop at red lights, but permits them to pedal through after waiting a "reasonable period of time" for the light to change and only when the coast is clear. The new provision states:

After stopping as required by paragraph 1 or 2 or this subsection, the driver of a motorcycle or bicycle, facing a steady red signal which fails to change to a green signal within a reasonable period of time because of a signal malfunction or because the signal has failed to detect the arrival of the motorcycle or bicycle due to the vehicle's size or weight, shall have the right to proceed subject to the rules applicable after making a stop at a stop sign as required by Section 11-1204 of this Code.

The new law will apply only to municipalities with less than 2 million inhabitants, obviously exempting Chicago.

The house bill seems to have been initially proposed due to a perceived problem for motorcyclists who sometimes find themselves, especially in less populated parts of the state, sitting at traffic signals for inordinate periods of time with nary a car or truck in sight. Apparently, a motorcycle may not be large or heavy enough to trip the sensors that facilitate light change. Bicyclists were later added to the bill.

Despite the late addition of bicyclists to this legislation -- and its exemption in Chicago -- this law should be viewed as progress for Illinois cyclists. Our traffic laws do not reasonably reflect the realities of how bicyclists use our roadways. Bicyclists should not simply blow through red lights and stop signs without looking. At the same time we should not be required to lumber about like a two ton motor vehicle. It would be reasonable, in my opinion, for bicyclists throughout the state to be permitted to treat traffic signs and signals as yield signs. That is how most people ride anyway. If the coast is clear, after slowing to a stop or near stop, bicyclists should be permitted to proceed. This is not the law. But the new provision to be signed by Governor Quinn is a step in that sensible direction.

Chicago Bicyclist Doored In Bridgeport

2011-05-27T16:17:00.001-05:00

A 30 year old woman suffered injuries to her wrists, shoulder and head after being doored while riding her bicycle in Chicago's Bridgeport neighborhood on May 9th. Our law firm is representing her. The incident occurred at around 8:20 p.m. as the woman rode her bicycle northbound along the 2900 block of South Throop Street. Pedaling at modest speed, with a flashing light on the front of her bike, she had no warning that the door of a Chrysler PT Cruiser parked on the right side of the street was about to be thrown open in her path. The collision threw her from the bicycle, causing her injures. She had been wearing a helmet.

After the incident she was taken via ambulance to the University of Illinois Chicago Medical Center. She continues to treat for her injuries.

Ghost Bike Ceremony In The News

2011-05-24T09:04:00.000-05:00

Here is some video from Univision of the Ghost Bike Ceremony held on Saturday in honor of Dion Harris who was struck and killed by a motorist on May 8th.

Ghost Bike Ceremony To Honor Sixteen Year Old Bicyclist

2011-05-20T08:54:00.000-05:00

A Ghost Bike ceremony will be held tomorrow morning in honor of a sixteen year old boy who was killed by a motor vehicle as he road his bicycle on May 8th. A permanent Ghost Bike will be installed near the intersection of West Grand Avenue and Kolmar Avenue by friends of Dion Harris at 10:00 a.m. So far, 69 people have agreed to participate, according to a Facebook page set up to promote the event. All are invited.

Bicyclists Take To The Streets To Remember The Fallen

2011-05-19T13:54:00.000-05:00

Yesterday, a few hundred riders across Illinois braved lousy weather and the siren song of Bulls playoff basketball to join many others from around the world in commemorating bicyclists killed and injured by motor vehicles. The Ride of Silence occurs worldwide each year. This time the ride included 126 riders in Chicago, 136 in Peoria, 58 in Joliet and 68 in Arlington Heights who solemnly cycled past several Ghost Bikes set up as memorials marking the sites of bicycle crashes. Here is a link to photos from the Chicago ride.

Chicago Bicycle Commuter Injured By SUV Along Milwaukee Avenue To Be Compensated

2011-05-13T14:06:00.000-05:00

A Chicago bicycle commuter will be compensated for injuries he received when an SUV pulled in front of him as he rode in the bike lane along Milwaukee Avenue, near the intersection with Ogden Avenue, in August. A settlement agreement was reached yesterday between the bicyclist, whom we represent, and the driver. The cyclist sustained a facial laceration and a neck injury when the vehicle abruptly pulled out of a drug store parking lot and into the dedicated bike lane. The bicyclist immediately grabbed for his brakes but could not avoid cashing into the side of the SUV. The incident occurred at around 7:30 p.m. The cyclist was riding home from his office in the Loop.

Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel's Transition Plan Offers Big Benefits To Chicago Bicyclists

2011-05-12T10:27:00.000-05:00

Courtesy of Transportation Nation

Chicago's new mayor-elect has released his 2011 Transition Plan which contains some significant benefits for city bicyclists. Rahm Emanuel's plan proposes the creation of 25 miles of protected bike lanes yearly for use by persons of all ages and abilities beginning in his first year in office. A two mile long pilot location for a protected lane is to be chosen within his first 100 days in office. Protected bike lanes will be located between the sidewalk and parked cars which would shield cyclists from moving motor vehicle traffic. The City will prioritize creation of these new lanes to link various neighborhoods to Downtown and to each other. (See Initiative #25 on page 37).

The bicycle will be taken seriously as a mode of intracity transportation when it becomes reasonably safe and convenient of everyone. Protected bike lanes mean that shuttling young children to school or daycare in a trailer, bakfiet or child seat becomes a viable option for more people. Take the fear of getting poleaxed by a car out the the equation and more Chicagoans will perform more errands on their bikes, reducing the number of cars on city streets. This will reduce congestion for drivers and cyclists alike, lessen carbon emissions and make streets safer for all.

Sixteen Year Old On Bicycle Killed At Chicago Intersection

2011-05-09T10:01:00.000-05:00

Sixteen year old Dion Harris of the 1600 block of North Kolmar Avenue was killed last night when he and a motor vehicle collided as he rode his bicycle near the intersection of West Grand Avenue and Kolmar Avenue in Chicago, according to the Chicago Breaking News Center. Chicago Police apparently report that the boy ran a stop sign, causing the crash. However, few facts have been reported. The News Center states that, "The youth was taken in very serious condition to the hospital where he was pronounced dead." No witnesses are identified. Presumably, the only version of events was that of the driver. Also, the News Center reports that the boy "was riding his bike in the 4500 block of West Grand Avenue when he disobeyed a stop sign at Kolmar Avenue and ran into the middle of traffic." It adds that, "The teen struck a vehicle driving on Grand near Kolmar. There are no stop signs or traffic lights at that intersection in the direction the vehicle was traveling." This report makes it sound like both Harris and the driver where traveling on West Grand Avenue at the time of the crash. However, the story also gives the overall impression that the bicyclist and the driver approached the intersection perpendicular to one another. At the intersection, Kolmar Avenue is controlled by a stop sign. No sign controls traffic traveling on West Grand.

Harris' died about one block from his home. Hopefully, additional facts will be brought to light in the coming hours and days.

Are Some Shimano Dura Ace 7800 Cranksets Prone To Break?

2011-05-05T11:27:00.000-05:00

What's up with Shimano Dura Ace 7800 cranksets? I've recently heard stories from two attorneys in different parts of the country that these expensive "hollowtech" cranks may be prone to crank arm failure. I wish to emphasize that to the best of my knowledge there has been no product recall announced, nor am I aware of an serious injury being linked to crank arm failure. Still. In one incident, a bicyclist was pedaling uphill when his Shimano Dura Ace 7800 crank arm "suddenly snapped, throwing him to the ground." In another incident a cycling physician saw his crank brake while riding with it after only three years of use.

Fracture of a crank arm while under stress could certainly result in serious injury. A brief search for more information online uncovered other anecdotes of crank failure. However, it is not at all clear how widespread this problem is.

Bicyclist Killed in Wheeling, Illinois Leaving Wife, Two Children

2011-04-27T14:36:00.000-05:00

A 43 year old man was killed in Wheeling, Illinois on Monday afternoon when he was struck by a truck as he rode his bicycle along Wolf Road. The man, Alfonso Delgado Balderas, is survived by his wife and two children. No witnesses have been identified by either the Chicago Breaking News Center or Journal Online. However, the driver of the truck apparently recounted to police that Mr. Balderas was riding on the right side of Wolf just south of Messner Drive when he attempted to turn left. The truck driver stated he could not avoid hitting him.

Police are still investigating.

Fox Chicago Highlights Dooring Danger and Illinois' New Efforts To Record Incidents

2011-04-26T08:59:00.000-05:00

State to Track 'Dooring' Accidents Involving Cyclists: MyFoxCHICAGO.com

Illinois Takes A Big Step Toward Reducing Dooring Incidents

2011-04-25T11:37:00.000-05:00

An announcement is expected today that for the first time the State of Illinois will keep a record of bicycle dooring incidents, according to an article posted yesterday evening on The Chicago Tribune's website. The change was ordered by Governor Pat Quinn and will take effect immediately. Collection of data regarding the number of such incidents is to be facilitated by requiring all police departments in the state to record dooring incidents on traffic crash forms, according to the Trib.

Doorings in Chicago are frequent and often result in serious injury for the cyclist. The collection of information about where it happens and how often it occurs is no mere academic exercise. Addressing the issue -- with either infrastructure changes or law enforcement initiatives -- requires state and/or federal funding; money that cannot be acquired without data. Therefore, this rule change is a big step toward reducing these dangerous incidents.

Much thanks must go to the Active Transportation Alliance, Steven Vance and the Chicago Tribune's Jon Hilkevitch for bringing this important issue to the forefront and advocating for change.

Chicago's Intersection Camera Go To Guy

2011-04-21T15:47:00.000-05:00

Attorneys handling bicycle crash cases should know that there is a human being at the Chicago Department of Transportation -- and a very pleasant one I'm told -- who is the go-to guy for red light camera footage. As I described in December, video footage of a bicycle vs. motor vehicle intersection collision may be very helpful in pursuing a claim on the cyclist's behalf. If the crash occurred within a camera covered intersection, contact Eric Green at CDOT. His preferred method of communication is email: egreen@cityofchicago.org. His office is located at 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 1100, Chicago, Illinois 60602. His phone number is 312.742.6379.

Mr. Green told our office that if there is a traffic law violation in a covered intersection, the footage is never destroyed. However, if there is no violation, the footage is automatically erased after 72 hours.

Chicago's Mayor-Elect Sees Protected Bicycle Lanes In City's Future

2011-04-15T16:39:00.000-05:00

Protected bicycle lanes are in Chicago's future. Or, so it would seem based upon the present discussion going on over at Mayor-elect Rahm Emanuel's blog. His Transportation and Infrastructure Committee is considering ideas "to make Chicago’s transportation network safer, easier, and more convenient and fun." Among those ideas apparently receiving serious consideration is protected lanes. The Committee states, "A major reason people say they avoid biking is dangerous traffic. By building protected bike lanes – which are physically separated from motor vehicle travel lanes, parking lanes, and sidewalks – Chicago can make urban cycling safer."

The idea is to pilot a two mile long protected bike way along a major corridor. They are seeking the public's suggestions regarding where it should be. Click here to provide your input. (Raise your hand if you think it should be Milwaukee Avenue.)

Bicyclists Are People (and Parents) Too

2011-04-13T11:57:00.000-05:00

Some years ago signs could be found in and around road work sites encouraging drivers to slow down by reminding them that it wasn't just "road crews" that they could be placing in harm's way, but someone's mom or dad. It was a good idea. Signs like this would also offer a helpful reminder to drivers that a guy or gal on a bike isn't just a "bicyclist" but someone's loving parent:

Courtesy Quickrelease.tv

Satirist P.J. O'Rourke Defends The Bicycle (Again)

2011-04-07T13:15:00.000-05:00

Every 25 years or so conservative satirist (his real job title), P.J. O'Rourke, descends from Mount Wisdom to use his prodigious wit to save we wretched bicyclists. He last awakened to rescue us in 1987, and now our guardian angel is back. Last week, P.J. (if I may) wrote a satirical piece that appeared in the Wall Street Journal defending bicyclists against the crude enemies of bike lanes, and bikes in general. It was a gaudily clever essay in which he assumed the role of Neanderthal, mocking cartoonishly those of us who would blight the pristine landscape of the big city by riding our bikes rather than driving. By using satire, rather than dry reason, P.J. makes the haters of bicycles appear obviously stupid in their opposition. Bravo sir!

P.S.-P.J.: I take seriously your concern that there are no statues of any national heroes on bicycles anywhere in the world. Rest assured, however, there will be.

An Electronic Solution To A Bicycle Litigation Problem

2011-04-06T17:17:00.000-05:00

The most challenging aspect of handling bicycle crash cases is securing witness testimony that corroborates the cyclist victim's description of how the incident occurred. Often no one but the parties involved actually saw how the crash happened. In my experience, most bike crashes occur when a cyclist is out riding alone, rather than with a group so there is no one to backup his or her version of events. However, there is at least one solution to this problem: the wearable/bike mountable video camera. With one of these things mounted on your helmet or handlebars a video record may be created to combat the defendant's version of what happened. I know, pedaling around town with a video camera on your head seems a little (a lot?) dorky. But these things are small, really small. Some models are about the size of a modern, detachable bike headlight. Some models can be attached directly to your bike's handlebars. Once you get where you are going and lock your bike up, simply detach the camera, throw it in your bag and take it with you. If you are involved in a wreck with one of these cameras you will have preserved a valuable piece of evidence that may help you and your attorney latter.

Allegedly Drunk Driver Derails Bicyclist's Peace Corps. Service

2011-03-31T13:08:00.001-05:00

Today, we were retained to represent a bicyclist struck by an allegedly intoxicated motorist near the corner of West Diversey Avenue and North Major Avenue on July 5, 2010. The incident occurred in the early evening, the sun setting but not completely down, as the cyclist rode in the shared bike lane on eastbound Diversey Avenue. Just after passing North Major a westbound vehicle suddenly attempted to make a left turn into a liquor store parking lot, slamming into the biker. The motor vehicle's front bumper smashed directly into the rider's left knee causing significant damage. The driver then attempted to flee the scene, speeding the wrong way down a nearby one way street. Police arrived quickly to the scene, however, and were able to apprehend him.

The bicyclist was transported via ambulance to Our Lady of the Resurrection Hospital for treatment. He would be diagnosed with disruption of his left medial collateral ligament and various other injuries. He would require months of difficult and painful physical therapy to heal. These injuries came at an especially unfortuitous time, as he had recently completed the lengthy application process to join the Peace Corps. Cruelly, the day after the incident, he received word that he had been accepted. He was given an assignment and date of departure. However, he was unable to complete the necessary medical evaluation. As a result his entry into the Peace Corps. remains on hold.

Chicago Bicyclist Doored by Taxicab Discharging Passengers Into Bike Lane

2011-03-30T16:00:00.002-05:00

On March 17th a 40 year old Chicago man was struck by a taxicab door while riding his bicycle southbound in the dedicate bike lane along the 2400 block of North Lincoln Avenue. This was an unusual dooring incident in that the bicyclist was struck by the door from his left. The taxi had stopped in the street to allow passengers to alight as the cyclist pedaled by. As he passed along the vehicle's right side the door opened unexpectedly, crashing into the side of the bicycle vaulting the rider into a parked car.

The bicyclist was transported from the scene via ambulance to Illinois Masonic Medical Center where he was treated for a left hand fracture and sprained knee. Though released from the hospital he is still undergoing medical treatment. Our law firm has been hired to represent the cyclist. By discharging his passengers into a dedicated bike lane, the cab driver violated the Municipal Code of Chicago which requires all drivers to avoid opening a vehicle door into moving bike traffic. The Code also prohibits blocking any portion of a bike lane with any part of a vehicle.

Illinois Bicycling Advocates Consider Proposing Legislation To Keep Track of Dooring Incidents

2011-03-21T16:21:00.001-05:00

Getting doored is almost always on the minds bicyclists who ride in trafficked streets. Bicycling advocacy group, the Active Transportation Alliance believes that "more than half the people who bike on streets have been doored at least once." In my law practice, I represent lots of cyclists seriously injured because a car door was flung open in their paths. However, those in a position to address this problem have had trouble getting federal and state traffic safety funds to do so because no statewide statistics are kept documenting how often it really happens. While the City of Chicago keeps track of dooring incidents, the Illinois Department of Transportation has declined to do so. According to an article by Jon Hilkevitch at chicagobreakingnews.com, Active Trans "has asked IDOT to require law enforcement agencies to report dooring agencies," but has been rebuffed. In response the group is considering seeking legislation that requires such record keeping the the Illinois General Assembly. Good idea.

More Faulty Steering Tubes Lead to Recall

2011-03-18T16:05:00.000-05:00

After receiving reports of four injuries, including a fractured wrist, Rocky Mountain Bicycles/Procycle Group, Inc. and the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission announced the recall of several Rocky Mountain Bicycle models due to steering tube problems. According to a Release from the Commission, the front fork steering tube of the effected models can break, "posing a fall injury hazard." Owners of the bikes are advised to stop using them and to contact Procycle with the serial number to arrange to receive a free replacement fork.

Distracted Driver Kills One Bicyclist and Injures Another Near Champaign, Illinois

2011-03-08T12:32:00.003-06:00

Update: March 9, 2011 - Some have questioned how a disabled man and his blind wife could ride a tandem bicycle. Well, here is a photo of David and Cindy Combs doing just that quite well several years ago:

Courtesy Urbana-Champaign Cycling Ventures
Update: 2:24 p.m. - A friend of Mr. and Mrs. Combs has shared some additional details about them. They were no ordinary couple. "David is disabled; Cindy was blind. Their bike was their freedom," said SiouxGeonz, who apparently met Cindy Combs through a singing group. Despite their disabilities they were passionate about cycling and rode just about everywhere. "David is disabled and doesn't drive. I remember one day when he told me that Cindy had screamed on their way to the ride... because she was so glad to be going on a ride with us," SiouxGeonz wrote in a comment made on this blog. (Click on the Comment link below the main post to read more.)

Main Post - A 53 year old woman was killed and her husband, 51, was seriously injured when they were struck from behind by a motorist as they rode their tandem bicycle in rural Champaign County yesterday. Cindy C. Combs and David Combs were riding south on County Road E., just north of 1800 North near Bondville, at around 4:30 p.m. when they were hit from behind by a driver who "may have been distracted by reading a map," according to the Champaign/Urbana News-Gazette. The driver was identified as 31 year old Errol T. Maul, 31, of nearby Tolono, IL.

Mrs. Combs was pronounced dead at the scene. Her husband is in critical condition at Carle Foundation Hospital in Urbana.

Justice For Chicago Bicyclist Doored Along Milwaukee Avenue

2011-03-01T10:12:00.000-06:00

Our law firm has obtained a substantial settlement for a bicyclist doored along North Milwaukee Avenue on August 10, 2010. The incident occurred at around 10:00 a.m. while our client was commuting to work in Milwaukee Avenue's southbound dedicated bike lane. When he reached the 1300 block of Milwaukee, near the intersection with North Paulina Street, a motorist, whose Ford Windstar was stopped along the right hand curb, suddenly opened his door without looking for traffic in the bike lane. The bicyclist tried to avoid a collision but his right hand struck the door causing him to crash and sustain a knuckle fracture along with numerous bumps and bruises.

Successful resolution of this matter required educating the motorist's out-of-state insurer, Geico, regarding both Illinois law and Chicago ordinance in place to protect bicyclists from dooring incidents. Illinois statute 735 ILCS 5/11-1407 and Chicago Municipal Code 9-80-035 prohibit persons from opening vehicle doors unless it is reasonably safe to do so.

In Horrific Scene, Motorist Intentionally Plows Into Group of Young Bicyclists

2011-02-28T09:44:00.000-06:00

On Friday, February 25th, a motorist intentionally plowed through a large group of bicyclists participating in a Critical Mass ride in Porto Alegre, Brazil. On the last Friday of every month hundreds of bicyclists in cities around the world, including here in Chicago, gather together to ride the streets in order to raise awareness regarding bike safety. Drivers have been known to express frustration when encountering a Critical Mass ride because it tends to slow motorized traffic. In Porto Alegre, in a shocking act of violence, a driver attempted to kill numerous young people on their bicycles because. . . they were riding their bicycles.

Below is some raw and graphic video of the event. I found it difficult to watch.

Chicago's Bicycle Crash Map Now New and Improved, Contains Bike Traffic Data

2011-02-25T14:44:00.000-06:00

Chicago's recently created bicycle crash map now contains bike count data. Now the number of crashes in the city between 2007 and 2009 can be compared to the total amount of bicycle traffic at various locations. The crash map, and the newest version with the traffic overlay, is the creation of Steven Vance, a blogger, urban planner and Chicago cyclist using data from the Illinois Department of Transportation, the Chicago Department of Transportation and his own know-how. Click here to view the map.

The map seems to reveal some of what one might expect. For example, there is a lot of bicycle traffic overall along Milwaukee Avenue. However, the significance of much of the data isn't immediately clear. Why, for example, is there so much bike traffic on South Blue Island Avenue but so few recorded bike crashes? Also, there are important areas with high incidents of crashes but no bike traffic data, like the Loop. In any event, I'm sure that folks skilled in interpreting such data will have a go at making sense of all of this. Thanks Mr. Vance!

Forked Up: Two Bicycle Recalls Announced Due to Faulty Forks

2011-02-24T10:49:00.000-06:00

Two recalls were announced this week by the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission due to faulty forks. REI is recalling its Novara Fusion Bicycles because, "The alloy steerer tube could separate from the fork causing the rider to lose control." These bicycles were sold at REI stores nationwide from November 2009 to November 2010. If you own one of these bikes you should contact REI about receiving a replacement fork. Click here to read the recall release.

Felt Bicycles is also recalling certain of this models due to concerns about faulty forks. The recall affects all 2011 Felt F3, F4, F5 and F75 bikes with carbon fiber frames and forks. The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission warns that, "The bicycles' fork can break, causing the rider to lose control, fall and suffer injuries." It is not clear in what way the forks can break. Nevertheless, owners of these bikes are encouraged to contact Felt for a free inspection and repair.

An Extreme (and funny) View of Segregated Cycling

2011-02-23T09:14:00.000-06:00

So, you want segregated cycling? Well, here you go;-)

(Borrowed from Quickrelease.tv)

Settlement For Bicyclist Injured By Taxi On North Kingsbury Street, Despite Not Guilty Finding

2011-02-22T12:51:00.000-06:00

Today, our law firm obtained a substantial settlement for a bicyclist injured in June, 2010 by a taxi cab in the 700 block of North Kingsbury Street in Chicago. On the morning of June 3rd, our client was riding his bike to his Loop office when a taxi, which had been stopped along the curb on Kingsbury, suddenly pulled into the street, crashing into him. The bicyclist sustained a fractured collar bone.

The driver was ticketed at the scene, but was found not guilty by a Cook County Traffic Court judge at the citation hearing. However, with some hard investigative work -- and a little luck -- we were able to locate a witness to the incident. The witness' statement likely aided us in obtaining a good result for our client despite the not guilty finding.

New Map Plots Bicycle Accidents In Chicago

2011-02-21T12:23:00.000-06:00

If you ever wanted to see where bicycle crashes tend to occur in Chicago now you can. Urban planner and blogger, Steven Vance, has created an online map pinpointing the location of all 6,369 reported bicycle accidents in the city between 2007 and 2009, the last year for which information is available. Having gathered crash data from the Illinois Department of Transportation via the Freedom of Information Act, Mr. Vance plotted the bike crash sites on a map generated by Google. Click here to view the map.

The map is quite interesting. I was struck immediately by the sheer number of crashes along Milwaukee Avenue, a well-known bike commuter route between the Northwest Side and the Loop. The data is consistent with my own observations. During most of the year I tend to get a lot of calls from bicyclists looking for an attorney following a collision with a motor vehicle on Milwaukee. As Mr. Vance notes, however, it is important not to draw too many conclusions from the crash map. Lots of collisions along Milwaukee Avenue, for instance, does not mean that the locale is a particularly dangerous place to ride. It may simply mean that there is a lot of bike traffic there, naturally increasing the opportunities for a bike and motor vehicle to collide. It may be that roads with fewer red dots are more dangerous; that the number of crashes compared to the number of cyclists using the roadway is higher. The map doesn't reveal that data. It also does not suggest the severity of the plotted crashes. If there are clusters of crashes involving very serious injuries along specific routes, the map does not reveal that.

These limitations are no knock on Mr. Vance's effort, which is laudable. I point them out to caution the viewer not to jump to conclusions about which routes through the city are safe and which are not. In an interview with The Bay Citizen, Mr. Vance acknowledged as much stating, "I don't think we can draw many conclusions from this map except to target our infrastructure (new bike lanes, and hopefully some protected or separated bike lanes in some areas) as well as our education efforts for people who bike and people who drive."

Judge Questions Advantages of Bicycle Helmet Law

2011-02-15T10:18:00.001-06:00

Recently, a judge in Australia overturned a citation issued to a woman ticketed for riding her bike without a helmet and acknowledged the on-going controversy regarding the effectiveness of bicycle helmets in reducing injury. The bicyclist had been cited for violating a law requiring helmet use for adults. She fought back arguing that she should have a choice as to whether to wear a helmet or not. She argued that, "if she fell from her bike while wearing a helmet she would be at greater risk of brain damage from 'diffuse external injury'." What that means is that when your helmeted head hits the ground at speed the helmet grips the road "twisting the head more quickly than if the skull were unprotected." In such a way, she argued, helmet use may increased the likelihood of sustaining injury in a crash. The appellate judge was persuaded stating, "I frankly don't think there is anything advantageous and there may well be a disadvantage in situations to have a helmet -- and it seems to me that it's one of those areas where it ought to be a matter of choice." Click here to read the full story.

Before you get ready to chuck your helmet consider the full picture. There is plenty of research that has found that helmet use does save lives, particularly when utilized by children. A recent study of helmet use among children found that, “helmet laws significantly reduced bicycling fatalities among youths age 0-15 (i.e., youths who were directly treated by most states’ age-16 helmet laws) by about 19 percent.”

In Illinois helmet use among adults is not mandatory. Also, in the context of a personal injury claim arising from a bike crash, lack of helmet use cannot be introduced as evidence that the bicyclist failed to take proper precautions to look out for his or her safety.

Using The Social Network To Deter Bike Theft

2011-02-07T11:00:00.001-06:00

Can the social network be used to help prevent bicycle theft? The folks at Bike Revolution think so. They've come up with a pretty cool new way to deter bike thieves. Via the company's website you may purchase a set of three "Pulse ID tags" which you place on your bike. Essentially, they are stickers that can be scanned with your smart phone (with a free downloadable app). When scanned, an online database is automatically checked to determine if the bike is stolen. If it is, alerts may "go out to the police, local clubs, shops and our army of Bike Detectives." Your Facebook friends and Twitter followers may also be notified. In Illinois, the company has partnered up with the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry. You can even set your ebay account to alert you if someone tries to sell the bike. Critical to the program is the participation of regular folks, "Bike Detectives," armed with their smart phones and the Bike Revolution app. If you see a bike with one of the tags, scan it. If it has not been reported stolen then you just carry on your way. If it comes back stolen, click the "Contact Us" button, and the system goes to work. You can then go on your way, having done the bike's rightful owner a solid.

When I learned about this service I sent an email to the company's director, Briand Beausoleil, with a question: Couldn't a bike thief just remove the sticker? This was his response:

The tags are not ordinary. They're made of similar material as VIN material found in cars, only better. They're destructible, which means they come apart in bits...lots of bits. This takes an inordinate amount of time and x 3 that's considerable. You can't take them off in one piece either using knives etc., as they're very thin. They're also UV proof, water and weatherproof and can be read even with 25% of the tag destroyed.

The Pulse ID number on the tag is also tied to the bike frame number so if the tag is removed the bike can still be traced using the frame # registered to the acct. Taking the tag off leaves evidence of tampering and can even hurt the bike. The good folks at Penn Cycles in Minneapolis did just that, harming the bike in the process. Thieves can mark over the tags but again this just shows evidence of tampering and will make buyers suspicious.

For people wishing to buy second hand used bikes online, simply typing the serial number into our search database will link to other databases to provide the most thorough view of that bike's status. If that bike is listed on an register, it will come up.

In all honesty, no tag will withstand concerted effort over time. But these have been designed to act as a second layer of deterrence, and with 3 tags, 2 smaller and 1 visible, branded anti-theft tag, many thieves will move on to the next bike.

Remember too that thieves will want to sell these bikes on - to handlers or online sales. A handler deals in dozens of used bikes a day and hates traceable merchandise. He won't take kindly being delivered bikes that are traceable and may pass on the risk. This then has an effect on the thief, who will not make that mistake again and go on to easier prey.

In addition, every time a bike is scanned, a record of that tag is displayed on the website, showing the location. So a bike can be tracked simply by scanning the tag. We're working on next gen tags that are even more robust.

In the end, nothing with stop a determined bike thief, but this seems to me an easy way to make their jobs harder. I also just love the social aspect to this approach which utilizes the entire cycling community to prevent theft and help retrieve stolen bikes.

Rahm Emanuel Plans To Take Chicago To The Top Of The Bicycle Food Chain

2011-01-31T11:15:00.000-06:00

Last spring, Bicycling Magazine ranked Chicago the 10th best city in the U.S. for bicycling. 10th! That stinks. We can do better than that and apparently Chicago's mayor-to-be, Rahm Emanuel, thinks so as well. Yesterday, he announced his vision for the future of the city's cycling infrastructure. Noting that Chicago, "Continues to lag far behind may large cities," he plans to see to it that our bike lane network is the best in the U.S., including making Chicago "a pioneer in the creation and expansion of protected bike lanes." Portland, Minneapolis, watch your backs, and don't be surprised if you find dead fish in your mailboxes. Here is a link Rahm Emanuel's plan for expanding Chicago's bicycle network.

Photograph Released of Bicyclist Struck and Left For Dead On Chicago's South Side

2011-01-24T09:48:00.000-06:00

There's been no word yet on whether Chicago police have successfully located a tank truck sought in connection with the hit-and-run death of a bicyclist on the city's South Side last week. Presumably, the search for the driver that struck 65 year old Robert Felice then left him laying in the road next to his mangled bike continues. Over the weekend a person who was close to Mr. Felice sent me a photograph of the man know locally as the "Florida Fisherman."

Chicago Police Searching For Tanker Truck Which May Have Been Involved In Hit and Run Death of Bicyclist

2011-01-20T13:47:00.001-06:00

Chicago police are looking for a "semi truck with a tanker and red extended cab" that may have been involved in an incident on the South Side that left a bicyclist dead on Monday night, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. The Chicago Sun-Times reports that the truck was last seen speeding eastbound on Pershing Road at around the time the man was struck. The victim, Robert Felice, 65, was found lying dead in the eastbound lanes "with a heavily damaged bicycle" in the 300 block of West Pershing Road by a city snowplow driver.

If you have any information regarding this matter please contact the Chicago Police Department or the city's 311 non-emergency line.

Update (1:55 p.m.): Mr. Felice was know locally as "The Florida Fisherman," having resided in Florida with his mother before moving to the Bridgeport area. He is survived by two sons, Robert, Jr. and Anthony, who are , I'm told, as yet unaware of their father's death.

Chicago Bicyclist Left For Dead In Street After Apparent Hit-And-Run, CPD Investigating

2011-01-18T15:09:00.000-06:00

Found by a snowplow driver, a bicyclist lay dead in the street this morning on the city's South Side, the apparent victim of a hit-and-run. The man, probably in his 40s, was found in the 300 block of West Pershing Road. The Chicago Police Department's Major Accident Investigation Unit is investigating.

Read more here.

Car Company Promotes "Share The Road" Message In Commercial

2011-01-17T12:09:00.000-06:00

Getting the "Share The Road" message out to both motorists and bicyclists is vitally important. The State of Illinois has deemed it important enough to issue specialty license plates containing the message. Apparently, the message is gaining some traction; enough that even a car company is promoting it. Check out this recent ad from KIA:

The commercial states that KIA started out as a bicycle company. According to Wikipedia's entry for the company, "Kia was founded on June "9, 1944 as a manufacturer of steel tubing and bicycle parts by hand."

Thanks to Urban Velo for posting this video.

Chicago Bike Program Produces New Video To Promote Road Sharing

2011-01-13T09:33:00.000-06:00

Bicyclists and motorists alike can benefit from viewing this new video produced by the Chicago Bike Program. It provides a nice overview of how best to share the road.

FSA Crank Sets Recalled

2011-01-11T14:42:00.001-06:00

Yesterday, Health Canada announced the recall of certain FSA crank sets that came as original equipment on some models of Cannondale bicycles. According to the Recall Notice, the FSA Gossamer BB30 crank sets have fixing bolts and crank arms on the non-drive side that can crack under certain conditions, "posing a fall or crash hazard to riders." FSA "received 11 reports of incidents in the U.S., including 2 reports of injuries."

Click here to learn more and to contact FSA about obtaining a replacement.