about f'ing time (bike rule enforcement)

Chicago is ramping up RotR and equipment enforcement on cyclists
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ckdown-webaug2
2,0,3716423.story

Based on a survey in the Logan Square neighborhood between 9 and 11
tonight, about 90% of the cyclists in Chicago don't have any kind of
lighting at all, and damn few (less than 50%) even have reflectors.
Out rage us.

I estimate traffic control compliance much better, at about 80% for
lights, but only about 2% for stop signs.

Cycling's guardian angels have been earning phat overtime checks in
Chicago. I'm truly truly astonished there aren't a great many more
car-bike accidents than there are, and i think, frankly, that a great
deal of the credit goes to car drivers.


..max

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max wrote:
Chicago is ramping up RotR and equipment enforcement on cyclists
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ckdown-webaug2
2,0,3716423.story

Based on a survey in the Logan Square neighborhood between 9 and 11
tonight, about 90% of the cyclists in Chicago don't have any kind of
lighting at all, and damn few (less than 50%) even have reflectors.
Out rage us.

I estimate traffic control compliance much better, at about 80% for
lights, but only about 2% for stop signs.

I get not stopping at stop signs when there's noone around or timing
them so you hit the sign at the same time a car going your direction is
going so you don't have to stop. Technically illegal, sure, but not
unsafe. What I don't get is the ****ers like the guy I almost hit by
DePaul who blasted the stop sign as I'm already in the middle of the
intersection, so I had to panic stop not to hit him and then flipped me
off. That guy deserves to get hit, but the person who will hit him
doesn't deserve to go through that. That kind of Critical Masshole
needs to get a damned clue.

On Aug 24, 8:28*am, Geoff Gass wrote:
max wrote:
Chicago is ramping up RotR and equipment enforcement on cyclists
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ckdown-webaug2
2,0,3716423.story

Based on a survey in the Logan Square neighborhood between 9 and 11
tonight, about 90% of the cyclists in Chicago don't have any kind of
lighting at all, and damn few (less than 50%) even have reflectors. *
Out rage us. * *

I estimate traffic control compliance much better, at about 80% for
lights, *but only about 2% for stop signs. *

I get not stopping at stop signs when there's noone around or timing
them so you hit the sign at the same time a car going your direction is
going so you don't have to stop. *Technically illegal, sure, but not
unsafe. *What I don't get is the ****ers like the guy I almost hit by
DePaul who blasted the stop sign as I'm already in the middle of the
intersection, so I had to panic stop not to hit him and then flipped me
off. *That guy deserves to get hit, but the person who will hit him
doesn't deserve to go through that. *That kind of Critical Masshole
needs to get a damned clue.

****in A!

Also, "Critical Masshole"!

Brilliant!

--
YOP...

In article ,
Geoff Gass wrote:

max wrote:
Chicago is ramping up RotR and equipment enforcement on cyclists
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ckdown-webaug2
2,0,3716423.story

Based on a survey in the Logan Square neighborhood between 9 and 11
tonight, about 90% of the cyclists in Chicago don't have any kind of
lighting at all, and damn few (less than 50%) even have reflectors.
Out rage us.

I estimate traffic control compliance much better, at about 80% for
lights, but only about 2% for stop signs.

I get not stopping at stop signs when there's noone around or timing
them so you hit the sign at the same time a car going your direction is
going so you don't have to stop. Technically illegal, sure, but not
unsafe.

ya. i don't get too cranked-up about that.

What I don't get is the ****ers like the guy I almost hit by
DePaul who blasted the stop sign as I'm already in the middle of the
intersection, so I had to panic stop not to hit him and then flipped me
off.

agreed. this lighting stuf (no lights + ironic hipster blaque) really
annoys me.

That guy deserves to get hit, but the person who will hit him
doesn't deserve to go through that. That kind of Critical Masshole
needs to get a damned clue.

yesterday we were at the Lincoln restaurant at Lincoln and Irving Park,
directly across the street from the ghost bike they erekted for that
alley cat dude (Manger Lynch??) that got splattered during a "race"
through that intersection. As i sat there, eating my greek salad and
broody maly, I couldn't help thinking that "victimhood" carries with it
a certain ethic/moral component and that this guy wasn't a victim.
Casualty, yes, but victim? I walked that intersection after lunch and
scoped the sightlines. I was soo tempted to make a sign that said
DUMBASS for the ghost bike, although barb restrained me. But her
message "stupid people die in stupid ways" would have taken too much
foamboard.

..max

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This signature can be appended to your outgoing mesages. Many people include in
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In article ,
Geoff Gass wrote:
max wrote:
Chicago is ramping up RotR and equipment enforcement on cyclists
http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/l...ckdown-webaug2
2,0,3716423.story

Based on a survey in the Logan Square neighborhood between 9 and 11
tonight, about 90% of the cyclists in Chicago don't have any kind of
lighting at all, and damn few (less than 50%) even have reflectors.
Out rage us.

I estimate traffic control compliance much better, at about 80% for
lights, but only about 2% for stop signs.

I get not stopping at stop signs when there's noone around or timing
them so you hit the sign at the same time a car going your direction is
going so you don't have to stop. Technically illegal, sure, but not
unsafe. What I don't get is the ****ers like the guy I almost hit by
DePaul who blasted the stop sign as I'm already in the middle of the
intersection, so I had to panic stop not to hit him and then flipped me
off. That guy deserves to get hit, but the person who will hit him
doesn't deserve to go through that. That kind of Critical Masshole
needs to get a damned clue.

And then there are the jerks who for various reasons ride in the
crosswalks at intersections. Some have been riding on the street and
swing over, some some may have been riding on the sidewalk. Once wehen
I was crossing Lawrence at Western, I had 4 indedependent cyclists
coming at me from the opposite direction.

Jamie

Nicko wrote:
Also, "Critical Masshole"!

I take no credit for that one. Someone else posted it in chi.gen

max wrote:
yesterday we were at the Lincoln restaurant at Lincoln and Irving Park,
directly across the street from the ghost bike they erekted for that
alley cat dude (Manger Lynch??) that got splattered during a "race"
through that intersection. As i sat there, eating my greek salad and
broody maly, I couldn't help thinking that "victimhood" carries with it
a certain ethic/moral component and that this guy wasn't a victim.
Casualty, yes, but victim? I walked that intersection after lunch and
scoped the sightlines. I was soo tempted to make a sign that said
DUMBASS for the ghost bike, although barb restrained me. But her
message "stupid people die in stupid ways" would have taken too much
foamboard.

That intersection is one of many 6-ways with the diagonal streets that is
a total mess. Blasting through that against a light, even in the early
morning, it just plain stupid. The morons who were in the press blaming
the van's driver that hit him deserve a whooping too.

max wrote:

yesterday we were at the Lincoln restaurant at Lincoln and Irving Park,
directly across the street from the ghost bike they erekted for that
alley cat dude (Manger Lynch??) that got splattered during a "race"
through that intersection. As i sat there, eating my greek salad and
broody maly, I couldn't help thinking that "victimhood" carries with it
a certain ethic/moral component and that this guy wasn't a victim.
Casualty, yes, but victim?

From what I've read, not even the other alley cat racers considered him
a victim. I guess you interpret the ghost bike as some sort of implicit
victimhood claim, but you could just as easily consider it a reminder to
the alley cats and others that riding like that carries fatal risks.

I walked that intersection after lunch and
scoped the sightlines. I was soo tempted to make a sign that said
DUMBASS for the ghost bike, although barb restrained me. But her
message "stupid people die in stupid ways" would have taken too much
foamboard.

I can't imagine any life that hasn't included some really stupid
moments, they're usually not fatal, thankfully. This guy had the
misfortune of paying the ultimate price. Apparently that wasn't enough
for you?

"Geoff Gass" wrote: I get not stopping at stop signs when there's noone
around or timing
them so you hit the sign at the same time a car going your direction is
going so you don't have to stop. Technically illegal, sure, but not
unsafe. (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
Actually SAFER than stopping and waiting for the next opportunity, AND less
disruptive to traffic.
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
(clip) Critical Masshole (clip)
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
I love it :-)))

"Peter Cole" wrote: (clip) I can't imagine any life that hasn't included
some really stupid
moments, they're usually not fatal, thankfully. This guy had the
misfortune of paying the ultimate price. Apparently that wasn't enough for
you?
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
With all due respect, Peter, I take a slightly different view. He did not
learn from this experience. The comments being offered cannot help him and
cannot hurt him further. But the rest of us should learn to avoid such
"really stupid moments." The comments are directed at helping the rest of
us stay alive.