Within 3 hours, I’ve now watched two cars on the LFT at Belmont today. Even with the new bollards up, so everyone be vigilant and safe as we seem to be having an influx of drivers with different decision making skills than should be allowed on the road. Good luck.
Be safe out there the next few days, I’ve now seen two cars on the Lake Front Trail
CHI TalksDid you check Reddit later that day for the post talking about it
No, I went roughly 5mph and didn’t run into a soul
Upvote for honesty
It’s ok, I drove UP an exit ramp my first time driving downtown. We all gotta learn somehow.
How did you get out??
With a three point turn and a whole lot of luck that nobody came barreling down the ramp.
Goes with the territory of being new to Chicago. I was here in the city, and delivering food, less than a week when I made a wrong turn onto Lower Wacker and found myself on the ramp heading to Lake Shore Drive. Looked like something out of the Blues Brothers, but on a bike.
Hahaha my friends were in town visiting and riding divvys and accidentally drive them onto I90/94 😂
Not like that we don’t.
I've seen people on the trail who look very confused and regretful. It's hard to be mad
Also people who were very high and needed assistance getting off, and probably shouldn't have been driving at all. At least they were driving slowly.
It's hard to be mad
If someone is confused and goes the wrong way down a one way, that's ok. But if they refuse to reverse back the way they came and will only forge forward - that immediately becomes about them being kind of shitty to other people. That's basically the same situation as these lakefront path drivers.
I went down state street my first time in Madison Wisconsin. Happens to the best of us
To be fair, with buses and delivery vehicles allowed, it's so easy to miss that it's not for regular cars.
They've just now finally routed all vehicle traffic except emergency trucks off parts of State.
I mean, as long as you go slow and turn on your 4-way flashers I don't see what the problem is.
Wow, I guess turning your hazard lights on really does mean you can drive your car wherever you want.
This needs a /s tag. You are being sarcastic, right?
So, I understand backing up down the path is hard. But it's not impossible. And you put other people in danger by continuing to go forward because it was easier for you.
Why should other people's safety be lower than your comfort?
If you read what I said: I was terrified, there was no comfort involved. I was panicked and didn’t know what to do. I responded to another comment saying I went as slow as possible to avoid putting anyone in danger. Personally, my “comfort” when driving does directly relate to others’ safety - I was more concerned about hitting someone going backwards than forward in the moment. I would say I’d keep your opinion in mind going forward, but this won’t happen again because I’m not doing it on purpose, so please don’t equate me to those who do. Thanks for the response.
You were driving a vehicle that could kill someone on a pedestrian path.
I care about the pedestrians and cyclists a lot more than someone sitting in a car.
You don't seem to understand the responsibility you have when you are driving a vehicle. Your feelings at the time are of less of a concern than your actions that put others in danger.
but this won’t happen again because I’m not doing it on purpose, so please don’t equate me to those who do
You didn't do it on purpose. You did it out of blind negligence and now you want my sympathy for some reason for your negligent driving that put people's lives at risk.
I don’t need and didn’t ask for your sympathy, I explained my thought process in a moment of panic and thanked you for your response. Thanks for another in more detail, but I’m not here to debate you like r/politics. Have a nice day.
If you're driving a car you're responsible for a large machine.
If you can't calmly drive the machine you are licensed for and negligently drive onto walking paths that is on you. I don't have to feel any sympathy for you and neither does anyone else. You put people's lives at risk because you can't drive.
I'm not looking to debate you. Your opinions don't matter. Your someone who drives on the lakefront path. Real brain trust you must be with great opinions.
Wow. Because someone makes a mistake while driving, and takes due care to avoid it turning into an accident, they're an idiot and whose opinions must be discounted? I'm assuming you also totally discount anyone who has gotten into an accident as well, following your logic? It's rough that we can't all be as perfect as you.
I bike the lakefront path often, and I see people accidentally driving on the path all the time. If it happens this often, clearly it's not entirely the drivers' fault.. the city shares some of the blame. They're finally starting to put up bollards at a few places on the lake front path. I see these on every bike path in cook county forest preserve, and I have never seen a car there.
There are definitely some places where I could see myself accidentally driving on the lake front path if I wasn't more familiar with it. Often there is no grade change from the adjoining road. Like take this point at Belmont harbor.
https://i.imgur.com/hvHiufm.png
Hell, even just better signage would help a lot. You don't see people entering the wrong way on highways this often, and it's for good reason. Offramps are well marked with do not enter signs.
Saw 2 old white ladies smoking cigarettes driving a Hyundai through the path yesterday by the field museum. It reminded me of the episode of South Park we’re all the old people were hitting everyone in town with cars.
Saw a lady just cruising down a road that is 40 mph going 24-28 ish just chilling no fucks given. It’s f-ing dangerous man.
“I saw two big fat naked bikers in the woods off 17 having sex…how am I supposed to CHIP with that going on, Doug?”
That was me and my bestie. They weren't cigarettes.
NASCAR drivers got lost??
Saw a car on the LFT between Irving Park and Addison at about 5:45 AM today. A few minutes later saw a motocross style bike.
Motocross style bikes are not uncommon now. I see massive electric bikes and even full helmets with face coverings on LFT. Electric scooters/bike and blurring the lines and the path is less safe as a result
I was planning on getting rides in early on the LFT to avoid these jags. I guess I’ll have to go down to the burbs to get my miles.
You literally have to avoid Jags now!
Who, the jags driving Jags?
Rolling Stones were in town. Jags driving Jags to see Jagger.
I think we need to start throwing rocks at unauthorized cars on the trail 🤷
My account got suspended on Facebook for saying I wish we could throw dynamite at shoulder riders
Reasonably so. Be civil, always.
Implying that isn’t a civil response to a LFT car driver
Yes it quite literally is the definition of uncivil. Listen, I hate car culture more than most and I’m a cyclist commuter. It’s the city’s fault for not preventing cars from going on the LFT.
Promoting or advocating or normalizing violence isn’t an appropriate method for dealing with individual indiscretions. Become an activist rather than implying that drivers should be attacked via explosives.
If you're allergic to dynamite, just say so. Not many people will make fun of you.
An obvious joke about throwing dynamite is not the same as "promoting or advocating or normalizing violence"
☝🤓
Back in the day that would have been the way. But now with every other 14 year old owning a gun. It’s just too dangerous trying to take this upon your self. They shoot for less now.
lol, there were 2 slingshots parked across the playpen on the bike path yesterday around 19:30. I wanted to call 911 but I don’t want to be involved. If the police cared, this would be addressed long ago
On our way back north, around 31st street harbor, we were passed by idiots on atvs and dirt bikes
We definitely noticed temporary walls set up around soldier field and stuff but you can drive around them - the answer is actual enforcement of the law but I doubt I’d see that day
You can make an anonymous call to CPD. Those are even more likely to be ignored, but won’t have your name attached
Like *67 or the 311 app?
No, you just call 911 and at the end they’ll ask if you want to leave a name and phone number for follow up; you can just say no
Interesting, so I have to say “no pls keep me anonymous”? Bc I’m certain they see phone and location right off the bat
Yeah, I’m sure they do. But yeah just ask to be anonymous if you are worried about your name being attached to a call.
Also who the hell cares if they're associated with the 911 call. It's not the Mafia you're reporting. Nobody is going to infiltrate the 911 center to find your name and come after you because you reported their illegal driving behavior.
Source: I call 911 regularly whenever people are acting up.
31st beach is a joke. Those sling shots are parked all over the trail.
Sure but these ones were parked in the top 1% of foot/bike traffic of the trail by Ohio street beach.
If you can flaunt disrespecting the law there, you can do it anywhere.
What is a parked sling shot?
Those weird 3 wheeled motorcycle thingies.
The CPD would have to get out of their air conditioned SUVs….so…
I actually see their cycling groups a good amount. They are also posted up at a few spots along the LFP for events or escorts too.
CPD is always out on LFT at various points in ATVs, bikes. They don't patrol in cars on the LFT--you already know that (I would hope).
Hmm
You wanted to call the police but didn't want to be involved but then you complained that the police haven't done anything?
You know you don't have to go to court because you called the police, right? FFS, report that shit, man.
If it was some back end part of the lake front, I’d agree.
However, this is right next to the playpen, a beach, and navy pier - there is constant surveillance so they def already knew. I’d rather not make the call and be further disappointed.
Next time I see something, il dm you location and you can make the call :)
Deal. I'll call that shit daily if I have to.
Sometimes it's fixed, sometimes it's not, but people will keep doing shit like that if it's not addressed.
I just got back from a run along the trail. I saw one car and one four wheeler, but both were driven by police. The four wheeler officer was also smoking a cigar and driving quite quickly and somewhat erratically. Things you only see in Chicago.
I saw the same cigar smoking cop patrolling North Ave Beach haha
Seems kind of hypocritical to allow police to drive on the trail.
They finally put bollards up?! I lived across from Belmont Harbor for nearly 30 years, and I can't tell you how often I suggested that to the alderman and park district.
They put bollards where there was already a curb. The crossing where drivers are getting on wasn't changed.
Chicago at its finest! Don't actually address the problem. (I'm old, so I remember about 12 years ago when someone drove onto the path, then drove through the fence and into the harbor. The park district fixed the fence without bothering to notice that there was a car in the harbor. The poor family had to wait about a month until someone spotted the car and pulled out their deceased loved one.)
I don't buy it that they didn't see that car. Sounds more like a bad case of "not my job".
If that's the case I hope they rot in hell. I have always wanted to give them the benefit of the doubt, but.... I've wondered how it didn't occur to them. Those fences are not flimsy
For those unfamiliar with this death: https://www.chicagotribune.com/2010/05/24/body-found-in-missing-students-car-in-belmont-harbor/
I don’t know what it is but every time I ride my bicycle on the Robert McClory path near Waukegan there is always someone driving on the trail.
I saw a Lexus SUV on Sunday trying to drive on it
People can't stand being told they can't drive their car somewhere
Or that they can't park somewhere, such as in bike lanes
Like into me and my newborn. I got yelled at for punching his car after he almost killed us.
There are millions of cars in Chicagoland area and 2 people drive down the path and you make a generalization about "people"?
Do you drive around here daily? This behavior is not even close to isolated.
Look through the comments, it's more than 2 people
It's still an incredibly silly generalization.
No it's not.
🫠
I just saw one over by theater on the Lake
Looks like you can buy spike strips and caltrops on Amazon...
A strip of plywood and nails are cheaper if you’re on a budget
Monkeywrenching on a shoestring!
My friend was talking about this. I thought he was crazy. But I guess not.
Thx for this.
I hate tourist season…
Probably off duty cops, same people doing the street takeover crap. And who coordinated with the looters.
You mean an influx of assholes.
Devil’s advocate: If NASCAR can be on our main streets, why can’t we do whatever we want to do to?
I saw a car parked (with blinkers on) in the protected bike lane on Dearborn today (a block or two south of Wacker).
I saw an entire block of cars parked on the protected bike lane on 31st, in front of a park. They had to actually maneuver to all get in there.
I saw a guy uptown litter.
Lol
and that has what to do with a post about cars on bike paths? Littering doesn't hurt anyone directly (though not really good for the environment). Cars on bike paths present a real danger.
Oh. It was you.
my newly single mom had just learned how to drive. We went to the navy Pier when suddenly we realized instead of being in the southbound lanes we were in fact in the northbound lanes. I just remember four or five lanes of traffic bearing down on our little blue Chevy Nova head on.
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I have a confession: many years ago, I accidentally drove my car on the lakefront trail around 31st around a very confusing entrance. I was terrified after I realized it because I couldn’t turn around, and just drove forward until I could get off. I am prepared to be ridiculed.