The Chicago Tribune and other local papers are placing more and more articles on the bicycling popularity. I am getting a lot of amusement reading about bicycling safety, conspicuity, and the moral high ground of how green it is, yada, yada.

A lot of this info is not reaching the bicycling public. Thus, bicyclists are becoming a safety hazzard like deer. Naturally, the papers like to mention the carnage. "Two bicyclists were killed this week..." No real facts about the incidents. The bicyclists may have made some glaringly idiotic manuver and got run over? Or they may have been victims of the ever popular "I didnt see him." scenario. We don't even know if it was hit&run or if anybody was charged?

I suggest that we keep an eye on the developements of the bicycling public. Maybe we can help out with a few observations to the local papers. Returning adult bicyclists seem to be the very worst. Commuting bicyclists have a wide range of bad habits plus lack most of the proper, legal equipment. Chicagoland might be one of the most lawless places for bicyclists. Red lights are run. Travel the wrong way on one-way streets is common. Any bikers coming thru chicagoland and not on the x-way, would do well to be especially vigilant for bicyclists.

We have a lot of joggers/runners in our streets too. And roller blades, electric scooters and all manner of weird stuff is being used to commute. I am waiting for reports that bicyclists are starting to collide with these groups too.

Bicyclists may/may not be using hand signals for turns. And like the harley riders, bicyclist hand signals are not particularly clear except for some of the universal street gestures. Do not rely on seeing a bicyclist do a head check before turning. And if you do see a head check, it may mean nothing more than the bicyclist is looking for an address or a hot babe.

The high cost of fuel removes some cages from the street (yay). Yet the same costs drive idiots and their behavior into the streets (boo).  And so it goes...

As an erstwhile bicyclist with lots and lots of experience in chicagoland, I sure would like to sit down with Lance and trade a bunch of observations about today's bicyclists.

nobody rides half as well as they know how.

One thing I did that particulary annoyed car drivers was to take the whole lane when I rode (to which I was legally entitled).  This seemed to make some drivers apoplectic.  I always felt that if I was to be taken out by a car, I'd rather it be on purpose than from some idiot trying to squeeze by with not enough room.

I suspect that authoritative bicycle related info for the ordinary cager is sorely lacking. This suspicion is not surprising to me.

nobody rides half as well as they know how.

After having to brake hard and missing a left turn arrow during a weekday commute due to a gager who was pre-occupied with what(?), I caught myself thinking that I am at a standstill burning $5/gal fuel because of an inattentive moron!!!

I wonder how expensive fuel will have to be before the general driving public will want to be sure that they are actually moving while burning it? Wouldn't it be amazing that drivers quit texting, phoning, eating, drinking  and started paying attention so that a bit of progress might be attained?

Na! Never happen.

nobody rides half as well as they know how.

The Legal Rules and Priveliges of the road are the same for bicycles as for any other vehicle on the road.  Bicycles must stop at stop signs and red lights, signal their turns, etc and are subject to fines if not ridden in a safe and legal manner.

By the same token, they are entitled legally to the whole lane.  They have the same right of way priveliges as any other vehicle.

Having said this, excercising all those priveliges all the time is a sure way to provoke road rage.