The Bike Lady Chimes In

The bike lady, who has been riding bikes all summer for years, has noticed a large increase in the number of people on bikes, some of them not as careful as they should be. 

Bike lady had to speak quite harshly to a rider who was holding up two buses as she crept down Ridge Ave.!  When I told her that bike riding was not allowed on Ridge, that it was the law in Evanston, she said "Well, I don't live in Evanston." Obviously.  Thankfully, she got on the sidewalk at my suggestion.

 A dear friend opened his car door today right into a biker coming from behind.  The biker is OK, the car door is totaled.

Your own bike lady has twice almost come to harm when turning into a bike lane only to be nearly run over by another biker!  Bike lady has had to avoid quite a few pedestrians lately who, when walking against the light, don't consider her to be a fast moving vehicle.  Bike lady almost always, at least slows down a tad at stop signs, but other bikers don't seem to notice those stop signs. Or another  biker crossing the same intersection.  Bike lady is using her  bell a lot these days. 

Bike lady always, always, always stops at a red light because if she gets run over, it isn't going to be because she's one of those stupid bike riders who run red lights.

Bike lady wonders if perhaps the city traffic and safety folk could have a little meeting about bike traffic now that it has increased expotentially with the price of gas.  Perhaps the bike cops could sponsor a safety ride, or a tour of "best routes?" I'd like to see the bike officers with a table at the local festivals this year, maybe even a few concerts?  News has it that bike sales are through the roof and I think a lot of kids are going to be told this summer to rides their bikes. 

Evanston is so "bikable" and getting more so.  But, we need to talk up bike safety and courtesy.  Bikers, that means you.