Pro Bicyclists Reflect On Vulnerability Riding The Open Road

Below is an impressively produced video in which several professional cyclists reflect on the vulnerability of riding on the road.  The video was created by People For Bikes.  A few of the cyclists tell some harrowing tales of run-ins with motorists.  However, the overall message is positive.  It offers hope regarding the growth of bicycling in the United States and expresses in a personal way the benefits and joys of bicycling despite the dangers.  It does two things especially well:  First, it introduces the viewer to some very experienced bicyclists, some of whom have been in serious crashes with motor vehicles, who share personal lessons learned from sharing the road with cars.  Secondly, it offers balance.  The central message is that cooperation between bicyclists and drivers is what is needed to reduce collisions.  It refreshingly declines to promote an us versus them mentality, reminding us that many bicyclists are drivers too.

Recalled Bicycle Brakes May Be An Expensive Failure

Seen by some as an attempt to reinvent the bicycle road brake, eecycleworks' eebrake is a sexy and expensive road bike aftermarket add on.  Now, however, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has ordered the recall of these American made brakes.  The basis of the recall is that the bridge of the brakes may crack and fail posing a threat to the rider, according to a press release from the Commission.  The recall applies to some 400 units among which there have been two reported instances in which the bridge cracked.  Injuries resulted from at least one such instance.

Owners of these brakes are advised to stop using them and contact eecycleworks for a free bridge replacement.  The eecycleworks website contains a detailed instruction manual describing how to replace the bridge.

Driver Strikes Bicyclist In West Woodlawn Causing "Serious" Injuries

Update:  4:20 p.m.:  The driver that struck and seriously injured a bicyclist in Woodlawn yesterday is presently being sought by police, according to The Chicago Tribune.  After striking the 23 year old male cyclist from behind the driver fled.  Witnesses reportedly gave chase and found the abandoned 2000 Dodge Intrepid with a shattered windshield.  The incident occurred as the bicyclist was riding westbound along the 600 block of East Marquette Road.  Neither the cyclist's name nor his current condition have been released.

A driver struck and seriously injured a bicyclist with his vehicle at around 11:15 a.m. yesterday in a residential section of the West Woodlawn neighborhood, according to The Chicago Tribune.  The crash occurred in the 600 block of East Marquette Road.  The age of the cyclist has not been reported but he is referred to as a "man."  His injuries are reported to be "serious," and he was taken by ambulance to John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital of Cook County, according to the Tribune.

There is a bike lane in the vicinity of the crash, but it is unknown at present whether the cyclist was riding in it when he was struck.

An Innovative Way To Reduce Intersection Collisions Between Cars and Bikes

There is no question that many of the car versus bicycle cases that my law firm handles arise from intersection collisions.  For the most part those crashes are caused by the driver simply not seeing the bicyclist for one reason or another.  Many times the driver has no good explanation for why he or she failed to see the cyclist right in their line of sight.  To be fair, some intersections in and around Chicago are just so busy and congested with cars, bikes, pedestrians, lights, signs and all sorts of other distractions that it is not surprising when a crash occurs.  In such intersections perhaps the solution is physical separation of motorists and bicyclists.  But how can that be accomplished?

Apparently, the Dutch have found a way.  It is called the "floating bicycle roundabout," and it looks awesome.  I know what you're going to say:  It looks epensive too.  It probably is, but of course people are needed to build such things, and these days jobs are in short supply.  Also, to the extent that these things can increase ridership, decrease traffic congestion and reduce the number of injuries and deaths among road users, I'm all for them.

The video below is courtesy of Momentum Magazine.

Evanston Police Officer Strikes, Injures Female Bicyclist

A female bicyclist in her twenties was struck and injured by an Evanston police officer driving a police cruiser at a high rate of speed out of an alley near the intersection of Dempster Street and Hartrey Avenue, according to a witness.  The cyclist was riding westbound along the sidewalk on the north side of Dempter Street at the time of the collision.  The police officer was driving an Evanston Police Department SUV southbound out of an alley when he struck the cyclist.  A witness reports that the officer did not stop before reaching the sidewalk.

I have been told that numerous other Evanston police officers were on the scene following the crash.  The injured cyclist has been taken to Evanston Hospital via ambulance.  Her condition is unknown.

This incident has not been reported in the media.  A witness, who does not know the cyclist, contacted me directly to report the incident.

North Side Bicyclist Doored By Delivery Truck Driver

A 27 year old female bicyclist was doored by a driver who had parked his delivery truck along the curb in front of a 7-Eleven store at 2403 North Milwaukee Avenue on August 15th.  The bicyclist was riding her five speed vintage Schwinn home after spending a fun night working on her bike with a friend at West Town Bike's Women & Trans' Night.  The incident occurred just after 11 p.m. as she pedaled in the shared bicycle lane on Milwaukee Avenue.  She was wearing a helmet adorned with reflective tape.  Her bicycle was equipped with a light and reflectors.  The 7-Eleven is just north of West Fullerton Avenue's intersection with Milwaukee.  The woman rode through the intersection on a green light.  As she did she was aware of two cars traveling north on her left, and another cyclist behind her.  As she reached the north end of the intersection she saw the International delivery truck in front of her along the right curb.  As she passed the left side of the truck its driver's side door was suddenly flung open hitting her in the face.

The startling impact threw her to the ground.  Aware of the motor vehicles in close proximity she immediately scrambled out of the way narrowly avoiding being run down.  Seconds later, after getting out of the street, she felt the onrush of pain to her right arm, shoulder and the right side of her face.  She was taken via ambulance to Resurrection St. Mary's Medical Center nearby.

My law firm has been retained to represent the bicyclist.

Bicyclist Struck By Left Turning SUV Whose Driver Claims Sun Obscured His Vision

Early on a warm summer morning, a 31 year old Chicago man was riding his dream bicycle, barely a week old, on his way to work when he was hit by a left turning SUV which did not see him.  At around 6:30 a.m. on August 7th the bicyclist was riding west bound on Howard Street on his way to work.  The driver was traveling east bound on the same road when they both entered the intersection with Dodge Avenue in Evanston.  The cyclist should have been easily seen by the driver as they both traveled through the middle of the intersection.  However, the driver of the 2004 Chevy Blazer claims that the morning sun partially blinded him as he began to turn left onto north bound Dodge.  When he did he crashed hard into the left side of the bicyclist.  The impact was so heavy that the rider's left hip left an imprint in the middle of the SUV's front grill.  Unable to walk following the crash, the cyclist was taken to Resurrection St. Francis Hospital later than morning.

The weight of the impact also demolished the man's brand new, custom built Rivendell bicycle, just over a week old.  The bike has been assessed as a total loss, it's steel frame and many of its components badly damaged.  It is estimated as a $4,000 loss.

Bicyclists in Illinois traveling through an intersection have the legal right of way over left turning vehicles.  Also, motorists whose vision is obscured for any reason are required to act with caution when turning so as to avoid colliding with a bike, pedestrian or another vehicle.

My law firm has been retained to represent the bicyclist.