Category Archives: Chicago

Chicago Hosts Silent Ride For Fallen Bicyclists

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There is no doubt that Chicago is a “bicycle friendly” city, with bicycle dedicated lanes on almost every major street. On warm weather days you will see dozens cyclists biking their way to work for their morning commute. Despite the biking lanes and Mayor Daley’s focus on making Chicago as biker friendly as possible, there are still hazards to bicycling around town.   According to the Illinois Department of Transportation 15 cyclists have were killed in crashes between 2006 and 2008. 

Chicago hosted its’  annual “silent ride” this week in the memory of area bicyclists who have been killed riding in Chicago.“It’s a celebration of these people’s lives,” said Elizabeth Adamczyck, the organizer of Chicago’s Ride of Silence. “It’s a celebration of this activity that we all love to do, of the fact that we’re all still out there doing this.” 

 

The annual Chicago Ride of Silence was one of more than 310 such rides world-wide this year. Adamczyck said the event was as much about spreading the message of respectfully sharing the roadways as it was about remembrance.

“It’s important that we’re all there to make this stand,” Adamczyck said, “to ride in camaraderie with our fellow cyclists and to respect those who have gone before us. I like to think they’re looking down upon us and smiling saying, ‘Right on! Thanks for being there for me, and helping to advocate that those of us still alive have a right to share these roads.”

Below are safety tips for bicyclists from Mayor Daley’s Office:

 

  • Before you pull over, put on your turn signal, then look over your shoulder to check for bicyclists. If you see any bicyclists, yield. Let them pass before you pull over.
  • When you stop tem­porarily, put on your hazard lights so bicy­clists know it’s safe to pass.
  • To avoid a “dooring,” check over your shoulder for bicyclists before exiting your vehicle on the driver’s side.
  • When bicyclists merge in front of you, let them in and don’t follow too closely.
  • Don’t honk at a bicyclists unless it is a case of extreme danger.
  • If you can, you should change lanes before passing bicy­clists. Always slow down and pass them with at least three feet of space. Then wait until you can see them in your mirror before going back into the lane.

  • Avoid a drive-out. Before exiting an alley or drive­way, stop, sound your horn, and look for bicyclists and pedes­trians on the sidewalk and street.

  • When entering the bike lane to turn or parallel park, always:
    • Yield to bicyclists.
    • Use your turn signal.
    • Pull all the way into the bike lane so bicyclists will pass on the left.

If you or someone you know has been involved in Chicago car accident or Chicago bicycle accident , then call Chicago accident attorney  Aaron Bryant for a free consultation  at 312-588-3384 or go to the firm website www.BLCHICAGO.com

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Red Light Camera Tickets Being Dismissed For Chicago Employees

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I have written about the controversy of red light cameras in the past. There have been mixed reviews on their effectiveness. I have received one of these tickets and I have had numerous clients call me about taking care of these traffic violations. Unfortunately there is not a lot anyone or an attorney can do as they are a non-moving violation.  Although, one can request an administrative hearing to challenge the ticket. This is an uphill battle as they are facing videotaped and photographed evidence of the violation.

Now more controversy surrounds the red light cameras in Chicago. The Chicago Sun Times reports that a large portion of red light camera tickets issued to city employees have been dismissed.

Since January 2007, 2,685 red-light-camera tickets have been issued to vehicles registered to city departments. At $100 a pop, that should have generated $268,500. Instead, only $77,167 has been collected.

1,830 of those tickets were dismissed for reasons that include the municipal code exemption for emergency vehicles. Not all of those vehicles were responding to emergencies with lights flashing and sirens blaring. Some police vehicles were working undercover. Some were vehicles assigned to city departments not typically considered emergency departments.

I would like to see a better breakdown as to why some of these tickets are being dismissed. Click here to read the entire Sun Times article.

If you or someone you know has been involved in a Chicago car accident or Chicago truck accident, then call Chicago Accident attorney Aaron Bryant for a free consultation at 312-588-3384.