Postal Driver Nearly Delivers Right Hook To Chicago Bicyclist

An aggressive U.S. postal driver nearly delivered a right hook as I rode home in the Kinzie bike lane last night.

Illinois law generally requires bicyclists riding slower than motor vehicle traffic to travel along the right side of the roadway.  Right turning drivers who fail to look for bicyclists on their right are among the most common causes of bike crashes in urban areas.  These collisions are common enough in Chicago that the city's municipal code addresses them.  Section 9-16-020(f)  states:

When a motor vehicle and a bicycle are traveling in the same direction on any highway, street or road, the operator of the motor vehicle overtaking such bicycle traveling on the right side of the roadway shall not turn to the right in front of the bicycle at that intersection or at any alley or driveway until such vehicle has overtaken and is safely clear of the bicycle.

The situation represented in the video above was particularly frustrating.  The driver must have seen me.  Firstly, I was riding in a clearly marked bicycle lane.  Secondly, I must have been very visible to any driver.  I had a red flashing light on the rear of my bike, panniers with reflective strips, tires with reflective sidewalls (Schwalbe Marathon), and a bright flashing white light on the front of my bike.  Thirdly, there is a sign located at the intersection (Kinzie and Jefferson) that instructs turning drivers to stop for bicyclists and pedestrians.  (Bicyclists are only required to stop at that intersection when pedestrians are present.)

I was able to avoid colliding with the mail truck because I was not riding very fast.  Also, the driver did use his/her turn signal.  Thankfully, I noticed it.

Click here to learn more about right hooks.

U.S. Postal Service Settles Case Brought By Bicyclist, UIC Student For Injuries

The United States Postal Service has agreed to settlement in a case brought against one of its drivers who ran over the foot of 22 year old female student at the University of Illinois Chicago last summer. The case was brought against the USPS pursuant to the Federal Tort Claims Act by my law firm.

At around 6:15 p.m. on July 13, 2011 the student was riding her bicycle home from the lake front westbound on West Taylor Street.  As she approached the intersection with the 90/94 westbound entrance ramp the postal semi truck passed her on the left.  When the heavy vehicle came to the on ramp the driver swung the truck to the right directly in front of the cyclist.  She squeezed her brakes, bringing her bike to a halt as quickly as she could.  As the large truck veered right, the bicyclist realized that the semi trailer was coming right at her. She tried to lean away, but it was moving too quickly.  A portion of the trailer hooked and grabbed the rear of her bicycle dragging it and her several feet around the corner.  The rear wheels of the truck's trailer ran over her bicycle's rear wheel and her left foot.

The cyclist was transported via ambulance to the University of Illinois Medical Center for care and treatment of a crush injury to her foot. Surprisingly, she suffered no fractures and after a period of convalescence made a full recovery.

We brought our claim against the federal agency alleging that the postal driver violated Chicago Municipal Ordinance 9-16-020(f) which prohibits a motorist from turning right in front of a bicyclist unless it is safe to do so.  We also alleged that the driver executed his right turn too sharply for conditions and failed to appreciate the turning radius of the semi tractor trailer he was operating.  Of course, we also asserted that failed to look out for the presence of bicyclists at or near the intersection.

Complicating the matter was a witness whose testimony would have been damaging to the bicyclist's case.  He stated that the bicyclist simply rode into the side of the truck without attempting to stop.  However, we pointed out that the witness, a USPS employee who was driving another truck behind the vehicle involved in the collision, was obviously biased.  We also pointed out that his testimony was inconsistent with the physical evidence.  Had the cyclist simply rode her bike into the side of the truck she would have sustained injury to her head, face and neck and that her bike would have shown front end damage.  No such evidence existed.

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

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.