Note to lakefront cyclists: Slow down!
So I'm getting my road work in Wednesday night around 7, and it turned into quite an eventful run.
I run through Lincoln Park and was nearing the totem pole near Irving Park Road when I approached a minor intersection with a huge puddle near the curb.
So I slow down, glance over my left shoulder and start veering left. I had seen a cyclist behind, but I didn't realize how fast he was going. He doesn't yell anything until he collides with my left arm/shoulder and yells "Watch where you're going!"
So I yell "Slow down!"
He nearly lost control of his bike, but he recovered. I was fine.
Meanwhile, another cyclist comes by and all I heard him say was "Moron." So I yell a two-word reply that I can't print here. He turns around and says "I was talking about the other guy." So we laugh and he pedals on.
Meanwhile, the guy who hit me stops up ahead and gets off his bike. So I figure we're going to have an altercation. But as it turns out, he turned his bike upside down to work on it and didn't look at me as I ran by.
Now I'll admit I could have done a better job of looking behind me, but the lakefront path is NOT a velodrome for racing bikes. Some of those guys are flying by at 50 mph. And it's dangerous. I've seen them hit kids before who are at the beach.
I seriously think they should put speed bumps along the path. It gets too crowded during the summer for guys to be racing by.
So as I'm finishing my run, I'm by the softball fields at North Ave. when I hear screeching brakes and a loud bang. An older guy was going the wrong way on an exit off LSD and would have been going the wrong way on the Drive if he hadn't hit another car. His car was totaled. He had to go to the hospital. A bunch of softball players and I tried to make sure there wouldn't be another accident.
Weird night. I ran 7 miles, which is a little farther than usual, and I wouldn't have had the collision nor seen the accident if I just ran my usual five.
Hope to see a bunch of you guys Sunday. Go to the "Run and Fun" entry to see what I'm talking about.
Comments
Cylclists are even a bigger issue here in the burbs. They completely ignore STOP signs (much to my delight as I love getting at an intersection the same time as 20-30 bikes and make them run into one another). Somehow think they should bike in a regular driving lane - fellas...they're called bike paths.
Complete whacked out Tour de France wannabes...and what's up with those official looking jerseys? Are they looking to catch on with the UPS team now that they're fresh out of doped up bikers (yes, you too Lance).
Kick their ass next time Romo...
Roman responds: I don't want anyone to get hurt, but they can really do some damage if they hit someone.
Posted by: Tommy | May 16, 2008 11:56 AM
Yes, roadies can be asses at times, but so can runners, dog walkers and car drivers. I'm a roadie, but I rarely bike on "bike paths" because they are loaded with runners, dog walkers, families, etc.
To stay safe, I ride early in the morning (4:45 a.m.) and ride on nearly vacant streets.
And Tommy, as far as those official looking jerseys we wear? As soon as fans of the Bulls, Cubs, Bears, White Sox, Hawks, etc. quit wearing their teams' jerseys, then I'll quit wearing my Spiderman, Captain America and Discover Channel jerseys. Okay?
Roman responds: All I ask is that when there are pedestrians, cyclists slow down a bit. You can wear what you want. And if you see a guy with a "Proud to be Vegan" t-shirt, that's me.
Posted by: Seedy Backslash | May 16, 2008 02:17 PM
If there are pedestrians, I always slow down. Unless it's Jim Edmonds wearing a Cubs uniform. Then I speed up.
You're a Vegan? Is that part of the Neoveganism movement -- a practice of eating modern vegetables while wearing Birkenstocks and twirling your dreadlocks?
Posted by: Seedy (Mongoose) Backslash | May 16, 2008 03:15 PM
Fair point Seedy...but how often do you see 45 year old men wearing Bears jerseys playing tackle football down the block?
Posted by: Tommy | May 16, 2008 03:23 PM
Agreed, the guys that fly along the crowded parts of LSD path are nuts. That path doesn't support anyone (on any contraption) moving at that speed
Posted by: lionsfan54 | May 16, 2008 03:46 PM
That would've made for an exellent Fox news story. DERANGED COLUMNIST PUMMELS BIKERS IN LINCOLN PARK.
Posted by: Keylan | May 16, 2008 04:29 PM
Attention all of you lakefront cyclists that regularly read this blog! Roman has a point! If the 0 to 1 of you this applies to would just slow down, the problem would be lessened insigificantly! Thanks!
Well ok, although that post was irrelevant to everything sports, even I re-read that last bit I wrote and think I am a jerk. Roman didn't violate any of the rules of VORPism or EqAtology in this post, so why should I be angry?
Maybe it's Bubba's Mom mandating that I have feelings?
Nah, anger is a feeling. So is frustration. I totally have feelings. See?
Either way, I'm not going to be at the run, so I can't demonstrate that I'm the most athletic person posting on this blog (in addition to the smartest -- that is unquestionable). But have fun everyone!
Posted by: Noles | May 16, 2008 05:00 PM
Roman, you are not a very strict vegan. I've seen you eat.
Posted by: Julie B. | May 16, 2008 05:55 PM
Hey Roman, I'll go to that run thing if you can if you convince Cahill, O'Brien, Koster, and Clark to go.
Posted by: Ricky O | May 16, 2008 08:53 PM
I completely agree! I still have scars from getting hit by a biker running along the lake and actually had a friend whose knee was dislocated because of biker foul play..as for the "Proud to be Vegan" t-shirt...seriously Roman..can you say hypocrite...lol
Posted by: Ben Louis | May 16, 2008 10:48 PM
I hate those Budweiser commercials. But....DUDE.....
keep it real. What's going on in Chicago sports...well, Soriano is definitely back(missed topic), the Sox are showing us they are pretty good (long over due topic), Someone decided they would rather coach the Knickerbastards than deal with the ho-hum whitebread business tactics of John and Jerry (ice cream soon?).....did Pat Foley ever come back(can't tell from way up north). I loved A.J.s picture on 70's night......and it was in California (the only thing more boring is the Brady Bunch stadium the Dodgers play in) of all places.
In short.....people all over the world ride their bikes at 50 miles an hour....and worse...drive 20 + miles over the speed limit. Don't get all riled up over what you can control, just set a good example and WRITE ABOUT CHICAGO SPORTS. I'm done.
Posted by: stuckinwisconsin | May 17, 2008 01:07 AM
I empathize with you Roman, but from another arena. It is those idiots who drive vehicles weighing four thousand pounds or more, and don't comprehend MERGE means 'SLOW DOWN AND GRADUALLY DO IT WITH CAUTION!' It does not mean "I am FORCING my DAMN way onto the expressway!"
If I was a truck driver of an 18 wheeler, I would never try to advert some knucklehead pulling in front of me, who slows down to twenty five mphs after doing 60 mps plus easily and realizes "What the #$%^!! There is my off ramp!"
Also, I don't understand the people who try to forced their way onto the expressway without realizing traffic is moving at a pretty decent speed, another driver can't simply drop to 30 mphs slower than before or heaven forbids try to move over into the next lane where traffic is going faster just to let you on.
Roman, SUCKER PUNCH the next guy! Then he will understand what he did wrong. Bike Messengers are EVEN WORSE!(they actually think it is cool to have collisions) (Simply testy and I ride the CTA just about everyday!...*lol*)
TO ALL DRIVERS, THERE IS ANOTHER RAMP ON OR OFF JUST A FEW MILES DOWN THE ROAD! Use it and stop causing accidents!
Posted by: Don't Drive Over Me!..I will let you on if I can! | May 17, 2008 03:54 PM
Julie sez: "Roman, you are not a very strict vegan. I've seen you eat."
It was probably a soy burger or a veggie dog at the ball park.
Vegans never lie.
Posted by: Villano | May 18, 2008 10:48 AM
I hope the run went well this morning and there were no collisions with bicycles.
Noles, love your comments!
Posted by: Bubba's Mom | May 18, 2008 01:22 PM
Villano, when was the last time you were at Wrigley? Soy burgers and veggie dogs? I don't think so. Alas, it was peanuts for the Romanator at the ballpark, and he was apparently saving some for later in his teeth.
Posted by: Julie B. | May 18, 2008 06:26 PM
I kid you not, there is an anti-eating plants movement now, because plants have feelings too!!!
VLF Anti Vegan Home PageVegetable Liberation Front - Anti Vegan Activists Unite!
www.geocities.com/rainforest/vines/3652/ - 9k - Cached - Similar pages - Note this
Posted by: pv1 | May 19, 2008 08:44 AM
Tommy:
I see 45 year olds wearing Bears jerseys and playing tackle football just about every Sunday in the fall.
Oops, sorry, that was the Bears offensive line that I was watching.
Romanator:
You mean there were people jogging on the street this weekend and I missed an oppty to do some damage? Damn! Every place I rode this weekend, joggers were running on the sidewalks. I was riding in the street.
I usually wait in the shadows near one of the "Ped-X" signs for an unsuspecting target to appear. Kinda like those wolves in the banged up car at a "Deer-X" sign in a "Far Side" comic strip.
I had to quit doing this though, because my Captain America and Spiderman jerseys were too easy for the injured to remember. I am hoping they come out with an Iron Man bike jersey.
Posted by: Seedy Backslash | May 19, 2008 09:44 AM
Hey, I'm closer to 45 than 25, and sometimes I wear my Bears jersey to play football. I can't run seven miles Roman, but I can walk it.
Posted by: Chuck | May 19, 2008 11:11 PM
Noles:
"Either way, I'm not going to be at the run, so I can't demonstrate that I'm the most athletic person posting on this blog."
Well, you've certainly got the most flexible wrists.
Posted by: Keylan | May 20, 2008 02:23 PM
Keylan...wasnt that a Seinfeld episode?
Posted by: Bculz | May 22, 2008 09:02 AM
I remember that one. Who could go the longest without running a finger marathon? Classic.
Posted by: Keylan | May 22, 2008 03:11 PM
No..Jerry claimed to have won a race against his old school yard rival...but he actually got a false start jump on the rest of the pack, so when the old school yard buddy resurfaces..he challenges Jerry to a RE RACE and Jerry refuses, because he knows the truth and knows he got a jump and to race again would totally bust his "fast runner" bubble.
Posted by: bculz | May 26, 2008 10:59 AM