Crash on my morning ride - scared now

[7rider]

I don't have a bell, but shout "on your left" or "CYCLIST! On your left!" when passing pedestrians and cyclists (note that many pedestrians ignore this warning, or respond to it by moving left).

That's one of the reasons why I gave up saying "on your left" and replaced it with "I am passing on your left." Meh...maybe it works, maybe it doesn't, but (fingers crossed, knocking furiously on wood) so far, I get a brief wave of acknowledgement (from those walkers NOT wearing ear buds), and no problems.

But having witnessed my friend's accident, I realize that no amount of being "prepared" could have prevented it - it was so fast, and so unpredictable.

That's exactly it. It was an accident - b/c I highly doubt the jogger turned to be malicious. If you could prepare for every accident, well then, accidents wouldn't happen, right?

The best you can do is ride defensively. Ride like the others are unpredictable, because they are. My sister used to have a bumper sticker when we were kids. It said "Be alert. The world needs more lerts!" I guess you just need to add another lert to the world. But please don't let an accident freak you out and off the bike.

[tulip]

I vote for the airhorn. You cannot deny hearing an airhorn, even with earbuds. And it won't get drowned out by city noises, either.

I think that alot of people (not you, necessarily) think they are shouting "on your left" but it comes out alot softer, and way too late. I've been passed by people who are quietly saying on your left as they are passing me. That doesn't do any good.

I use a bell and it's a loud one (Incredibell) and it seems to really work. With a bell or airhorn, there's no language barrier to overcome, either.

You mention that you yell out, but did your friend yell out "On your left?"

[OakLeaf]

If you could prepare for every accident, well then, accidents wouldn't happen, right?

I really, really strongly disagree with that.

Accidents happen because two (or more) people weren't paying attention. As I said, this isn't necessarily a value judgment. Some people are permanently not paying attention, and them I don't excuse; but over a ride of several hours, no one is immune to having her attention wander from time to time.

Accidents are never unavoidable (with the possible exception of meteorites falling from the sky on a trajectory behind the rider). The minute you start thinking that they are, that becomes an excuse to not pay attention, to not continually hone and maintain your skills.

I think a lot of people walk and bicycle the way they did when they were kids, not considering that they're a vehicle in traffic. Riding a motorcycle cures that, quick.

You need to be able to anticipate what's going to happen in front of you. You need to not be riding faster than your skills, reflexes and attention will allow you to respond to what's going to happen in front of you. No exceptions, no excuses. "Fault" and "right of way" are one thing, but winding up in a medflight chopper is another.

We all push those boundaries and sometimes outright exceed them - I'm no exception to that, especially on fast descents - but to say that an accident is unavoidable in those circumstances is just dodging responsibility.

[channlluv]

Where do you get an airhorn? (You mean those loud, blaster things people blow at ballgames sometimes?)

Roxy

[OakLeaf]

Where do you get an airhorn? (You mean those loud, blaster things people blow at ballgames sometimes?)

Roxy

Yep, those, or you could get your LBS to order one of these.

[kjb]

The Lakeshore path is just jammed with people - most not paying attention. Lots of tourists, too, sightseers and the like, tiny dogs on those ridiculous retractable leashes. It seems like 90% of people on the Lakeshore are wearing headphones, running totally oblivious to their surroundings. I totally understand your reluctance to bike the Lake. It's really prettyI feel much more safe biking down Lawrence than I do at the Lakeshore.

Is there any way you can get out to the North Branch Trail for your morning ride? I ride all the Chicago trails and the NBT is by far my favorite. It's nicely paved, quiet, and not crowded. Or even the North Shore Channel Trail? It's usually pretty quiet during the week, especially in the early morning.

[chicagogal]

I bike the NBT a lot and love it. I take Lawrence to elston to the NBT and also feel safer on Lawrence than on the LFP. But before work, there just isn't time for that ride. I live just off LSD, and before work the lakefront is really the only feasible option. Really early in the morning on week days when the tourists and kids haven't come out yet, the ride is usually doable, and especially pleasant south of the shedd aquarium. (This is unlike weekends when I wouldn't dare venture onto the LFP.) But now, I just don't know. . .

[tab123]

Chicagogal,

I have seen many collisions and near collisions on the path. Like you I live on the lakefront and this is really the only place to ride.

I did my morning ride along the Chicago lakefront path today. As usual I left my house at 5 a.m. and was back a little after 7:00 a.m. To be on the path any later is no fun on a summer weekend. Friends from New York City have said that biking in Central Park is like being in the country compared to the Chicago lakefront path.

The source of most of my frustration is the ever-expanding running groups training for the marathon. These groups are oblivious to anyone around them, and the individuals act like sheep, following their leader without looking and running three or four abreast. (I am finished riding before most of the fun runs, charity walks, etc. start so those do not usually affect me.)

To really enjoy biking in Chicago, you have to be willing to ride in the winter. Despite the awards Chicago is not a bike friendly city.

[tongue_tied]

The Lakeshore path is just jammed with people - most not paying attention. Lots of tourists, too, sightseers and the like, tiny dogs on those ridiculous retractable leashes. It seems like 90% of people on the Lakeshore are wearing headphones, running totally oblivious to their surroundings. I totally understand your reluctance to bike the Lake. It's really prettyI feel much more safe biking down Lawrence than I do at the Lakeshore.

Is there any way you can get out to the North Branch Trail for your morning ride? I ride all the Chicago trails and the NBT is by far my favorite. It's nicely paved, quiet, and not crowded. Or even the North Shore Channel Trail? It's usually pretty quiet during the week, especially in the early morning.

I concur!

[Andrea]

What are the roads like in your area? I generally stay off of MUTs (or just use them as a connector between roads) for that very reason.

[7rider]

I really, really strongly disagree with that.

What I mean is that you can never prepare yourself for every possible contingency in a life filled with inherent risks.

It isn't a function of responsibility or placing blame - it's a function of the universe being a big cosmic jokester with a sick sense of humor.