KazMar 8, 2024

Here's what it's like being a cyclist on the streets of Chicago: I nearly got hit BAD yesterday and forgot to post about it until just now.

Riding in a bike lane, to my left is a long line of cars stuck in traffic. I am always very cautious about this scenario so I'm not going top speed, thankfully. As I pass a Burger King, a car squeezes through a tiny gap in the cars that I didn't even think was big enough and nearly nails me. His front bumper stopped literally 4 inches or less from my wheel.

Show threadKazMar 8, 2024

I am only on this road for like 6 blocks but I really gotta find another option, so many of my close calls are on this road. Why is this tiny stretch so bad? It's filled with car-oriented businesses with drive throughs and huge parking lots and multiple curb cuts.

The land use you build determines how people interact in and with it.

Show threadKazMar 8, 2024
I just looked at a map and remembered why I ride this route. There are train tracks that only have underpasses on major arterials, so I'm stuck riding them to get from one side to the other. There's a slightly better boulevard that goes under them, but then after I get west of it I'm stuck trying to get north with no streets that have a controlled intersection with the arterial I'm trying to avoid, so I can't cross it safely.
Show threadAndy Marfia 📸
@kaz I'm going to guess you were on Milwaukee? The expressways and rail lines make cycling on the NW side challenging. This was a major issue for me when I moved last year.
Mar 8, 2024 at 6:03pmWeb
Show threadKazMar 8, 2024
@andymarfia Nope, Diversey. This was the Burger King just west of Kostner. The issue is train tracks, not the expressway in this case, making E-W travel difficult and it's not helped by lack of safe N-S routes west of Cicero!
Show threadAndy Marfia 📸Mar 8, 2024
@kaz We need better infrastructure for navigating past both expressways and rail lines. Glad you are okay.
Show threadJacob HannanMar 9, 2024

@kaz @andymarfia I’ve used the Wrightwood greenway before. It was alright, but once I matched speeds with a diesel truck that took the street all the way from Laramie to Logan Square for some reason.

North-South is tough, though! Especially during rush hour!