- For motorists who think bicyclists in Chicago have been granted unconditional rights to violate every traffic law on the books, authorities were out in force today to suggest otherwise.
The sting was conducted at only one intersection near downtown, and only for two hours during the morning rush. But the site that was chosen is a complex intersection that’s a magnet for bicycling commuters, widespread disregard for red lights, and plenty of accidents and close calls, officials said.
Some 240 warnings and one ticket were issued by the end of the law enforcement and education operation, which was aimed at bicyclists pedaling through red lights and taking over crosswalks meant for pedestrians only, officials said. It was carried out by the Chicago Police Department, the Chicago Department of Transportation and the City of Chicago’s Bicycling Ambassadors program in what officials dubbed a “share the road” campaign.
OK, we know we've been beating the "mob beatings" stories pretty much to death the past few days, but for good reason. And we know that bikers are pretty much operating with impunity in Chicago. But 240 warning tickets?
Wouldn't we have been better served cracking down on the beaches? We're short manpower across the board and downtown is spiraling out of control. How about we shut off the main fire at the source before we worry about the outlying brush fires? We don't think the disobedient cyclists are going to be impacting the tourism trade with their antics any time soon. And if a few get run over when they're being assholes, well, that's Darwinism for you - send a traffic car, conduct an investigation, ticket the at-fault party.
Wouldn't we have been better served cracking down on the beaches? We're short manpower across the board and downtown is spiraling out of control. How about we shut off the main fire at the source before we worry about the outlying brush fires? We don't think the disobedient cyclists are going to be impacting the tourism trade with their antics any time soon. And if a few get run over when they're being assholes, well, that's Darwinism for you - send a traffic car, conduct an investigation, ticket the at-fault party.