Why I Run Red Lights

I run red lights.  Stop signs too.  Not just sometimes, but often.  When I do it, it is because I view it as the safest way to approach traffic conditions.  I do not do it to simply thumb my nose at the law; and let me be clear, in Illinois running red lights and stop signs on a bicycle is against the law.  Bicyclists in Chicago can and do get ticketed for doing so.  (So far, I've be lucky in that regard.)  I do not do it to be cool.  I'm a 40-something year old, dad and lawyer.  I ain't cool.  I do it because I love to ride in the city and surviving Chicago's congested streets in my opinion sometimes requires disobeying the rules of the road.

Any city cyclist will tell you that the name of the game is staying alive; to not get poleaxed by the much faster, much heavier, fully mechanized vehicles with which we must share our streets.  That means doing whatever possible to just stay away from cars, trucks, buses.    Controlled city intersections often provide the bicyclist with a good opportunity to break away from traffic, to acquire that little cocoon of space so prized in the urban street scape.  For example, when I commute to my office in the Loop I travel in the southbound bike lane along Milwaukee Avenue, make a left on West Kinzie Street , then turn right into the bike lane at North Wells.  The route is reasonably comfortable, until Wells crosses Wacker Drive.  At that point the bike lane ends and I, and many other commuting cyclists must share the one-way street with motor vehicles underneath the "El" tracks.


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At that point riding anywhere but in the main lane for traffic is undesirable to say the least.  Both shoulders are guarded by "El" track support columns, parked cars and rough, uneven pavement.  Between Wacker Drive and the alleyway that accesses my building's bike room I cross three controlled intersections, West Lake Street, West Randolph Street and West Washington Street.  I slow or stop at each, but take any opportunity -- within the bounds of reason and sanity -- to traverse these cross streets when the light is red.  Doing so allows me to get away from motor vehicle traffic behind and adjacent to me.  Illegal?  Yes.  But reasonable and safe in my opinion.  The goal is to say away from motorized traffic whenever and where ever possible.

Here is what the intersection of Wells and Washington looks like:


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My approach is certainly open to valid criticism.  Some may argue that if I, and other bicyclists, want to be treated like traffic we should act like it by obeying the rules to which other roadway users must submit.  I have been a proponent of the "We Are Traffic" slogan often used by bicycle advocates.  Indeed bicyclists are entitled to use the road, equally entitled as a matter of fact to use it just as are cars and trucks.  This is what I think the slogan was originally meant to emphasize.  However, the angry enemies of bicycles have attempted to turn the "We Are Traffic" slogan on its head, to pick nits with every occasion a bicyclist fails to act as a motor vehicle in a given situation as an excuse for railing against cyclists.  To these would-be strict constructionists of decal slogans I would say, we are traffic, but we are not cars.  To require people on bikes to lumber around the city like a 2,000 lbs vehicle is to ignore reality, and, as I've attempted to demonstrate, to prohibit them from exercising a safe and reasonable approach to congested conditions, to selectively contravene traffic signals.

Five Things You Should Never Do On A Bicycle

I am holding myself out as an expert in what not to do while bicycling in the city. I declare myself such not because I consider myself an exceptionally skilled urban cyclist; nor do I do so because am I a boyscout when it comes to following the rules. It's just that I have violated most of what a good urban biker should do and have paid a price for having done so. Thanks, therefore, to my foolishly acquired knowledge of bad biking, and my legitimately acquired knowledge of the law, I share with you in no particular order 5 things you should never, ever do while riding a bike in the city:

1. Don't salmon: I have borrowed this term from blogger Bike Snob NYC who is known for deriding this practice. Salmon, of course, are hardwired to swim against river currents. Similarly, some bicyclists are inclined to ride the wrong way on one way streets. Not only does this practice violate Chicago Municipal Code, it is truly one of the more dangerous things you can do on a bike. Motor vehicles tend not to notice cyclists on city streets when they ride with traffic. If you are doing something wholly unexpected like riding in the wrong direction you are really asking to get hit. Furthermore, if you are in an accident with a vehicle while salmoning and you are seriously injured your chances of recovering from the driver in a lawsuit are slim to none. A jury will likely see your injuries as being the result of your own negligent conduct.

2. Don't ride on the sidewalk: In Chicago "no person shall ride a bicycle upon a sidewalk within a business district." A business district is an area of the city zoned for retail shops, service and commercial use. Outside such districts you must be younger than 12 years old to legally ride on a sidewalk. Frankly, unless you are a small child, riding on the sidewalk is dangerous and plain annoying to other walkway users. Bicycles are to be ridden in the street, period. If you do not feel comfortable riding in the roadway find a bicycle designated path on which to ride. Do not infringe upon pedestrians' use and enjoyment of city sidewalks.

3. Don't ride without lights at night: Several years ago I was hit head on by a motorist while salmoning at night without lights. I was not hurt but I did become a candidate for the dumbass biker of the year award. Even without doubling down on the danger by riding against traffic, riding without a light at night is dangerous. Of course, the city never really gets all that dark thanks to street lighting. But the city is full of distractions for all roadway users, so the purpose of riding with lights is to help motorists see you. The relevant Chicago ordinance states, "Every bicycle when in use at nighttime shall be equipped with a head lamp which shall emit a white light visible from a minimum distance of 500 feet from the front and with a rear red reflector capable of reflecting the head lamp beams of an approaching motor vehicle back to the operator of such vehicle at distances up to 200 feet or a rear lamp emitting a red light visible from a distance of at least 200 feet from the rear."

4. Don't skitch: Some of us may recognize this term from childhood. This practice can involve grabbing onto a car bumper on an icy road to go along for the ride. I've seen many bicyclists in the city grab onto taxis and other vehicles in order to get a free ride. To call this activity dangerous and stupid would be an understatement. Don't even think about it.

5. Don't carry an extra person: I often see adolescents carry a second bike rider on their handlebars. It always makes me cringe. The other day I even saw an adult carrying a very young child on his bicycle in this way. It is very dangerous and against the law. Unless you're riding a bicycle built for two (and please don't do that either. It just looks silly.) avoid this unsafe practice.

There are, of course, other common unsafe ways to ride a bicycle in the city. I wear a helmet while riding and I think others should too. I, and many others, tend to weave through stopped traffic, but those not used to doing so should avoid it. However, the practices I've noted above are in my opinion 5 things no one, regardless of their skill or comfort level, should attempt. Enjoy your bike in the city, but be safe and curtious and no one gets hurt.

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