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Hello, I'm Beatrice Cuello, Deputy Superintendent of the Chicago Police Bureau of Patrol.
The City of Chicago encourages people to bicycle for transportation – to reduce traffic congestion
and pollution. More and more people are cycling on city streets, and motorists and bicyclists
must share the road.
Every day lives are endangered because of careless or reckless driving and bicycling.
This video will help you identify and enforce Chicago's traffic laws, preventing injuries
and saving lives.
With increased cycling in Chicago, this type of enforcement is more important than ever.
In Chicago, we share the road.
Narrator: I'm Sergeant Karl Scherer of the Chicago Police Department. I've ridden a bike
in the line of duty, and those of us who ride here know it can be tough. Police Officers
and serious cyclists told us just how challenging it is to ride in the city:
You have a lot of people that's driving wild. It's just crazy nowadays.
Owen: Motorists feel like they have an exclusive right to the road, because that's what they're
used to. When I'm riding, I usually take Archer Avenue,
and I'm constantly getting buzzed, honked at.
A lot of people don't consider a bike something they need to stop for.
I'm a legal road user. I should be out there.
I don't understand why 30 seconds isn't worth my life.
You definitely have to be aware at all times out here, and you can't really let your guard
Stephanie Giggetts: When people are trying to go to and from work, they're just in a
hurry, so they're not paying as close attention. They're eating, putting their make up on,
doing their hair.
Brittany Kubes: Especially in the loop, everybody's going everywhere, and bikers are just left
in the dust. It's kinda' scary. People are speeding and going faster than
they probably should be, not slowing down and taking the time to think about what's
really going on out there.
A lot of people never get on a bike, so they don't understand what risk we're at every
day. Officer Geoff Delderfield: Motorists are not
aware of bicyclists as they're driving, and if they see a bicyclist, they give very little
room. I have a lot of issues with motorists when I'm on a bike.
David: Some people think bikes don't belong on the road.
Azsia Tanner: I don't honestly think they should be on the street.
Narrator: But under state and local law, bikes do belong on the road.
In fact, unless they're on a designated bike trail, cyclists age 12 and older are not allowed
to ride on sidewalks, this means that they have to ride on the street with cars.
Chicago has laws on how bicyclists ride in traffic, and how motorists drive around them.
Drivers don't always see things from a bicyclist's perspective,
Cyclists don't always have a motorist's view of things, and people don't always know the
laws: Theresa: a woman came around on the right
side of me and clipped my bike, and I went flying. She stopped for a second and said,
“Oh my God, what did I do?” and then she took off.
Owen: A woman pulled across the lane next to mine. I went flying right into her. …
But she drove off, and I'm pretty sure that she did not feel that she had done anything
wrong. And even if motorists know the laws, there's
so much going on in city traffic that they don't always see bicyclists. Through proper
enforcement, officers can help to make drivers aware.
“Sir, we take very seriously the safety of all persons on the roads, including cyclists.”
Under MCC 9-40-160 motorists are required to exercise due care for bicyclists, just
as they would for pedestrians. That means watching out for them, driving defensively,
and treating bicyclists the same way they would treat the driver of a motor vehicle.
So let's talk about the most dangerous situations between cars and bikes. Intersections are
at the top of the list.
In Chicago it's illegal to turn right in front of a bicyclist -- just like it's illegal to
turn in front of a mass transit bus. Phil: an SUV came up behind and turned right
actually tore out part of my mustache. + The vehicle involved did not stop, and I have
no idea whether they even knew it happened.
Drivers have a responsibility to look for bike riders and yield to them before making
the turn.
If they fail to yield, cite them with violation MCC 9-16-020 (f) Improper right turn in front
of a bicycle
The same goes for making a left turn in front of a bicyclist, violation MCC 9-16-020 (e)
Yield right-of-way to a bicycle on left turn. Misjudging the speed of a bike could cause
a fatal crash. On the other hand, caution costs just a few seconds.
Drivers must also use caution when passing a bicyclist. In Chicago, motorists must leave
at least three feet of space between their vehicle and a bike.
It's almost like an extension of personal space. It's very nerve rattling when cars
pass you six inches when you're on a bike. I've had cars literally, on the ride home,
where I've had the same car about knock me off two or three different times.
It's very nerve rattling when cars pass you six inches when you're on a bike.
How many people are aware of the fact that there's a three-foot rule now when biking?
People don't know that.
So drivers who pass bicyclists at an unsafe distance should be cited under MCC 9-36-010
(c) Overtaking bicyclist at unsafe distance.
Before opening the door of a car, drivers have an obligation to check for traffic coming
from behind, especially bikes. Failure to do this can cause a dangerous crash
– what bicyclists call “dooring” and we call violation MCC 9-80-035 Open door in
traffic.
This can happen on either side of a vehicle.
Even if the door doesn't hit the bicyclist, it could force them to swerve into traffic,
and if a crash results, the person who opened the door is legally responsible.
Bicyclists are also at risk when people drive in bike lanes.
Drivers who use bike lanes to get through traffic should be cited for violating ordinance
MCC 9-40-060 Drive/park vehicle on bicycle lane/path, marked shared lane.
This ordinance also prohibits parking or standing in a bike lane or marked shared lane.
That's because it endangers bicyclists by forcing them to merge with faster-moving traffic.
Vehicles parked in bike lanes and marked shared lanes are subject to a fine and immediate
towing.
Illegally parked cars aren't the only dangers that cyclists have to contend with. Often
times they'll have to ride further out in a travel lane to avoid road hazards, getting
“doored,” or when the lane is too narrow for them to travel safely next to cars and
trucks.
State law, ILVC 11-1505 (a) Position of bicycles and motorized pedal cycles on roadways, allows
people to bike further out in the travel lane in order to stay safe.
Subsection (b) of the same statute permits bike riders to travel in the left lane on
a one-way street.
Cyclists are also permitted to turn left from the extreme left lane under ILVC 5/11 1510
(a) Left turns. So far we've covered motorists' responsibilities
toward bicyclists, and bicyclists' rights on the road.
But what about bicyclists responsibilities?
Just like motorists, bicyclists also have to yield to pedestrians.
This means yielding at crosswalks…
…and staying off the sidewalk.
Only children under the age of 12 are allowed to bicycle on the sidewalk.
At night, the law requires bicyclists to have a headlamp and rear reflector, and you can
see why.
Cyclists need headlamps and reflectors to be seen.
As children, many Americans were taught that riding against traffic is safer, because it
allows you to see oncoming vehicles.
That's not true, and it can cause a crash, since drivers aren't expecting cyclists riding
toward them.
Riding predictably and following the rules is the safest way to ride.
Grace: There has to be awareness on everyone's part. If you're going to use the road, you
have to be aware of all the rules of the road and follow them, whether you're driving a
vehicle or riding a bike.
And when people do get hurt, your good work can make a real difference to someone.
Emily: When the police were there and saw everything and were ready to take action on
that left hook incident, I was so grateful. If you are called to the scene of a crash
involving a bike, there are several things to keep in mind.
First, when filling out a crash report, always treat the bicycle as a vehicle.
Put all of the bicyclist's information under Unit 1 or Unit 2 as applicable and check the
box for “pedal” on the crash form. Always include a written description and a
diagram of the incident. Include a written description of damages to the bicycle in the
case report. And list the crash type -- “pedalcyclist.”
Then mark the specific fields for location and action.
Always include the injury type, write “zero” if there was no injury.
Remember that driver's action, driver's vision, and vehicle defects can be used to describe
the bicyclist's condition as Unit 2.
Pay special attention to the safety equipment and bicyclist's visibility, mark them on the
form.
When taking a bicyclist's statement, be aware that he or she might be suffering from shock
and short-term memory loss. You've just been hit, and you're totally in
shock and full of adrenaline, and then you have to make some pretty important decisions
very, very fast, when you're bleeding. Even if the bicyclist seems fine, you may
need to follow-up the next day or talk with them after a trip to the emergency room.
If the crash causes a serious injury, consider having photographs taken of the damages to
the bicycle.
If the bicycle is not deemed evidence, but the bicyclist is transported to a hospital,
and has to leave the bike behind, do everything possible to ensure that their property is
taken care of. Perhaps a friend or family member could take the bicycle.
For some people, a bicycle is their only form of transportation, and losing their bike can
prevent them from getting to work or school.
If it is necessary to take the bicycle to the station, refer to General Order 81-01,
Inventory System for Property Taken into Custody, and follow the procedures outlined in the
Order.
Crashes between motor vehicles and bikes can be very serious and even tragic for those
involved. Enforcing the violations explained in this video will help prevent these potentially
deadly incidents.
In Chicago, motorists and bicyclists must share the road.
Bicyclists must ride in the same direction as cars, and cars must give bikes a wide berth
– at least three feet – when passing.
Drivers must yield to on-coming bikes and check for bicyclists before opening their
doors. It's illegal to drive in a bike lane, and standing or parking there or in marked
shared lanes is also a ticketable offense.
At night, bicyclists must have a headlamp and rear reflector or light, and only children
under age 12 are permitted to ride on the sidewalk.
When filling out crash reports, put all of the bicyclist's information under Unit 1 or
Unit 2 as applicable, always include a narrative and a diagram of the crash.
It's no accident when drivers and bicyclists get where they're going safely. The public
counts on us to keep the roads safe and to protect those who are at greatest risk.
Juan: As a police department, we should make it easier for people to come out here.
Grace: Just respect each other. Extend common courtesy to each other. That's all.
And when you see a bicyclist out there on the street, remember that it could be someone
you know.