CPD Continues Search for 2000 Dodge Intrepid In West Woodlaw Hit-and-Run

The Chicago Tribune first broke news of a hit-and-run that occurred in the West Woodlawn neighborhood of Chicago on August 26th at roughly 11 a.m. The 23 year-old bicyclist was reported as being seriously injured in the crash that occurred on the 600 block of East Marquette Road.

There is a painted bike lane on both sides of E Marquette Road that stretches from the 500 to the 700 block. However, in spite of the presence of bike lanes on that designated block of East Marquette Road there is a lack of stop signs.

The police are searching for the motorist involved in the hit-and-run that hospitalized the bicyclist. According to the testimony of a witness at the scene of the incident, the bicyclist was thrown onto the hood of the 2000 Dodge Intrepid (PICTURED ABOVE), resulting in the car's windshield shattering. The witness proceeded to follow the driver who fled the scene of the crash. Upon later approaching the vehicle, the witness reportedly found the vehicle unattended. Hopefully, the 23-year old bicyclist will be able to find justice for this criminal act that was inflicted upon him in this bicycle accident.

The Illinois Bicycle Lawyers at Keating Law Offices have successfully represented many bicyclist who were involved in hit-and-run collisions. If you have any questions regarding this post or a case involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All emails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are always confidential and free.

Bike Thefts Leading to Vigilantes?

On the tail end of a viral story of citizen vigilantism in Seattle, where a Portland bicyclist recovered his bike from his thief in Seattle, comes some tragic news about an incident that occurred in Belleville, Illinois. A 19 year-old male was arrested and subsequently sentenced to 11 years in prison after the fatal stabbing of an 18 year-old over a physical altercation surrounding possession of the reported stolen bike.

The two news stories mentioned are indicative of the best and worst outcomes of a bike owner confronting the alleged perpetrator of their theft. While the Portland bicyclist was successful in not only retrieving his bike but in also having the perpetrator arrested, the outcome could have very easily taken a turn for the worse. That potential for violence and escalation is a reason why Bike Shepherd, a free registration database and service, strongly recommends that owners and witnesses of a bike theft not confront the thief, regardless of how damning the evidence is against the perpetrator.

Rather than risking confrontation, people are recommended to contact the police; an action that was done by the Portland bicyclist, however, he erred by choosing to confront the thief prior to the arrival of the police. Understandably, bikes and their theft can create a lot of anger and inflamed emotions. Bikes are tools, but they are also someone's possession, sometimes the result of lots of money and/or lots of hours to create. There is a definite emotional connection between bikes and their owners.

To limit theft, take advantage of the services available to bicyclists. Registering your bike on Bike Shepherd, and the Chicago Stolen Bike Registry (an affiliate) is a first line of defense to bike theft. Use a decent to good U-lock or chain lock as a primary lock. Depending on your environment and settings, invest in a secondary lock, whether that is a cable lock or another U-lock. Use social media and forums as a way to coordinate with fellow cyclists in your area to track the whereabouts of your bicycle. And when applicable, call the police.

This post was written by Paul Min, Legal Intern at Keating Law Offices, P.C. in Chicago, Illinois. 

Meijer Recalls 68,000 Bicycles Due to Defective Pedals

The popular retailer Meijer Inc. has announced the recall of approximately 68,000 bicycles due to faulty pedals that could cause a bicycle accident due to a fall. The recall includes models of Huffy, Iron Horse, Moongoose, Northwoods, Pacific, Razor, and Schwinn bicycles. According the CPSC website, the pedals on these models can detached from the bicycle during use, thus creating a dangerous situation for riders. To date, there have been 16 reports of injuries in bike accidents caused by the defective pedals.

The recalled bicycles were sold exclusively at Meijer stores from March 2012 through August 2012 in Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Kentucky. The affected bikes have a “Serve-U-Success” assembly sticker attached to the bottom or back of the bicycle frame. Click here to visit Meijer’s website for a full list of the recalled models.

Keating Law Offices has significant experience and success with product liability cases and injuries resulting from bike usage. In Illinois the manufacturer of a product can be held liable when their product fails and the person was using the product in a reasonably foreseeable manner. Obviously, if would be reasonably foreseeable for a rider to expect a bike pedal to not break so any injury occurred could be the basis for a claim against the manufacturer. 

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Specialized Extends ANOTHER Recall of Break Levers

Specialized Bicycle Components, Inc., the company that manufactures and distributes bikes and bike components under the “Specialized” brand, has announced a recall of an additional 100 brake levers. In April 2012, Keating LawOffices reported that Specialized had previously recalled 600 Tektro TL-83 break levers.

The expanded recall includes Tektro TL-83 brake levers sold as original components on 2012 S-Works Shiv bicycle frame modules and 2012 S-Works Shiv TT bicycle frame modules. The recalled brake levers were also sold as aftermarket service parts for both of these modules.  The brake levers are black aluminum and have a quick release slot at the top of the lever arm. Model number “TL-720” can be read on the side of the lever arm when the lever is engaged.

The voluntary recall was done because the adjuster cap on the brake lever and the brake cable within it can slide out of position. This results in non-functional breaks, which can obviously cause a serious and dangerous situation for a bicyclist resulting in a bicycle accident. Specialized is aware of at least one bike accident where the rider lost complete function of both breaks. 

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving a bicycle accident, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Open Letter to John Kass of the Chicago Tribune

John Kass
Chicago Tribune
435 North Michigan Avenue
Chicago, IL 60611
Via Email: jskass@tribune.com

Dear Mr. Kass,

Your attack on Chicago's bicyclists is not only inaccurate and misguided, it borders on delusional. The reality is that the purpose of increasing Chicago's bicycling infrastructure was to make Chicago more easily accessible, more affordable and less congested. These are goals that no Chicagoan should oppose.

Yet, in spite of these truly noble efforts and the opportunity for "The City That Works" to make this happen, you chose to aim your sights on bicycles and portray bicyclists as free-loading scofflaws. Equally troublesome is that you use the very serious issue of gang-related murder in Chicago as a contrasting issue. This is a simple minded tactic to try and transfer Chicago's residents' real concern about the serious issue of crime overwhelming parts of the city onto Chicago's plans for the development of bicycling infrastructure.

As I understand your point, all the money spent on bicycles and bicycle infrastructure by the City of Chicago could otherwise be used to help fund the Chicago Police Department's efforts to fight crime in the city. This same argument could be made about any single line item in the City's budget. In addition, instead of using your considerable platform to shine light on an issue that does not get the attention a crime wave should, you want to write about bicycles and the relatively minor budget for the development of Chicago's bicycle infrastructure. Shame on you and the Chicago Tribune for printing this nonsense.

In the most simple terms I can use, bicycling is a good thing and it is good for Chicago. Bicycling increases citizens' quality of life and their relationship with their city. It also promotes a healthy lifestyle and reduces the number of cars on the roads. Chicago's plans to make itself one of the world's great bicycling cities is the kind of vision that makes this city great. Chicago's master architect, Daniel Burnham, is famously quoted as saying, ""Make no little plans. They have no magic to stir men's blood and probably will not themselves be realized."

Chicago, led by Mayor Emanuel, has made no small plans when it comes to bicycling. For that, Chicagoans should be grateful. The violence that currently plagues this great city is a totally separate issue. And one that needs a voice with a powerful platform. Someone like John Kass of the Chicago Tribune, "The World's Greatest Newspaper." Rise to the occasion, Mr. Kass, and fight the good fight. And let Chicago's plans for bicycling be a positive force in this city. We need all the positivity possible.

Sincerely,

Michael S. Keating
Keating Law Offices, P.C.
Author: www.IllinoisBicycleLaw.com

Will Protected Bike Lanes in the Loop Reduce Bike Accidents in Chicago?

Earlier this month, Mayor Rahm Emanuel announced a plan to build protected bike lanes in the Loop. According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the newest protected bike lanes will run along Dearborn Street in the Loop and will include red lights for bicycles. The lanes on Dearborn will run in both directions from Polk Street to Kinzie Street.

This announcement reaffirmed Emanuel’s commitment to make Chicago a biker-friendly city. Dating back to his campaign for Mayor, Emanuel has held firm to his goal of making Chicago the best big city for bicycling in the United States.  Chicago’s Streets for Cycling Plan 2020, to be released later this month, sets forth a strategy to achieve Emanuel’s goal of making Chicago the best big city for bicycling in America. While speaking at Malcolm X College in early August Mayor Emanuel stated, “By next year I believe the City of Chicago will lead the country in protected bike lanes and dedicated bike lanes, and it will be the bike friendliest city in the country.”

In protected bike lanes, bicycle traffic runs along the curb, and is protected from street traffic by skinny plastic pylons. If street parking is permitted in an area of the protected lanes, the cars park next to the plastic pylons, several feet away from the curb. The lanes are designed to protect bicyclist from the dangers of bicycle accidents. While the plastic pylons do not act as an actual barrier from cars, what it does it clearly define the area for bicyclists and act as a warning to motorists that bicyclists are common and present. This is what planners call "traffic calming measures." 

By the end of the year the Chicago Department of Transportation will install 34 miles of new bike facilities, including:

• A two-way north-south protected bike route through the Loop on Dearborn Street from Polk Street to Kinzie Street.  The City will also extend the Kinzie bike route east to meet up with this new route.  The Dearborn bikeway will separate bicyclists from high-speed traffic and include bicycle signals to separate bicycle and motor vehicle conflicts.
• The City’s first “Neighborhood Greenway” to begin construction later this summer on Berteau Avenue, connecting the bike routes on Lincoln Avenue and Clark Street.
•  The start of the Milwaukee Avenue “spoke route,” which will provide a safe and comfortable bikeway connection between the popular Kinzie and Elston protected bike lanes. 
•  New buffered bike lanes as part of a “road diet” on South Chicago Avenue that will increase safety for pedestrians, bicyclists and motorists.  The improvement will work to reduce crashes along South Chicago Avenue, which is consistently ranked as one of the city’s highest crash corridors.
•  Newly installed protected and buffered bike routes on parts of: Wabash Avenue; Halsted Street, Jackson Boulevard, 55th Street, 31st Street, Clark Street, Martin Luther King Drive and the West Side Boulevards. 

However, the question remains how much protection these lanes will actually provide to bicyclists. Regardless of the numbers of traffic calming measures, the users of the roadways, bicyclists and motorists alike, have to cooperate and abide by the traffic laws and regulations to make bicycling safer and reduce the number of bicycle accidents in Chicago.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving a bicycle accident or Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Bicycling Culture Increases Not Just In Chicago, But Internationally

After writing the post comparing the changes to Chicago cycling culture and infrastructure between 2012 and 1993, an article by Reuters presented another contrast that is becoming present on the international level. Of the countries affected by the debt crisis in Europe, Greece has been hit particularly hard, with thousands ending up jobless and businesses shutting down. However, in light of the drastic economic downturn in that country, one industry has seen a large upsurge (can you guess?)....Bicycling.

Cycling in Greece has seen a significant increase in correlation with high road taxes and fuel prices; it has been reported that more than 200,000 bicycles were sold in the year 2011. Conversely, car use has decreased by "more than 40 percent in each of the last two years." What is interesting to note is that the people of Greece seem to be approaching the notion of cycling as a primary means of transportation from a predominantly pragmatic perspective. With the financial security of so many of its citizens in question, the negative connotations that were traditionally attached to bicycles in Greece are being dispelled.

The equalizing effect that the debt crisis has had in Greece is illustrated in the changing role of the bicycle as a symbol of poverty to one of social and economic dynamism. The issue of being "green" and/or environmentally conscious seems to be more of a beneficial afterthought. Which therein potentially lies the success of an enduring bike culture taking a foothold in Greece. The issue of ideologies can become murky as disagreements can arise between even similarly minded factions; however the idea of increasing the amount of disposable income in one's account is always going to have positive connotations attached to it.

Bicycle shops are reportedly "sprouting up like mushrooms," the demand is so large to service the needs of cycling enthusiasts and beginners. Though the demand has at the moment outrun the government's ability to supply an adequate infrastructure for the rapid expansion in number of cyclists, that has not seemed to deter them from taking to the roads. In a fashion reminiscent of Mayor Daley's pledge to improve cycling infrastructure in Chicago in 1993 for the city's burgeoning bike culture, the mayor of Athens has proposed a plan to improve cycling for the capital's bike-minded inhabitants, albeit with the latter proposal being more ambitious than the former thanks to the advancements of time and technology.

It is interesting to see parallels in the development of the cycling culture taking hold in Greece now with the one that gained traction in Chicago back in 1993. And though Greece may be late in seriously contemplating the viability of cycling as a mode of alternative transportation in comparison with other cities and countries, with its late entry it has the benefit of potentially learning from the mistakes and successes of its predecessors in Europe and throughout the world. And perhaps by modeling the successes of cities like Copenhagen which has translated the large percentage of its bicycle users into monetary savings for the government, a country like Greece can piggyback economically off the expanding number of its cycling citizens.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Chicago Bicyclist Killed in Hit-and-Run by Truck Near Truck Depot

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News outlets are reporting that a woman on a bicycle was hit and killed by a truck in the Fuller Park neighborhood on the South Side of Chicago. The bicycle accident took place around 1:40 p.m. just west of the Dan Ryan expressway on West 47th Street. The bicyclist was dead at the scene. This is another tragic example of a bicyclist losing their life in a traffic collision.

The fact that the offending vehicle in this deadly bicycle accident may not be happenstance. Located south of 47th Street is a rail car depot. Tractor trailers picking up a freight will load up and drop off at this location and then head back onto the Dan Ryan Expressway. Nonetheless, the fact that the tractor trailer driver fled the scene speaks volumes about who the responsible party probably was in this bicycle accident.

 If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.

Bicyclist Killed in Tragic Bicycle Accident at Olympics

News outlets are reporting that a 28 year-old man was killed in a bicycle accident after he collided with an Olympics media shuttle bus carrying journalists away from Olympic Park. The crash occurred on Wednesday (August 1) at roughly 7:30 p.m within a mile of the sporting complex. Witnesses reported that the bicyclist was underneath the bus and his mangled bicycle to the side.

Police constables arrived at the scene shortly thereafter and proceeded to arrest a 60 year-old man under suspicion of reckless driving; it is alleged that the driver's actions may have contributed to the untimely and tragic death in this bicycle accident. Although swift action was reportedly undertaken by paramedics and first-responders, the victim was pronounced dead at the scene at 8:14 p.m.

An investigation into this bicycle accident has been opened by the Traffic Investigation Unit and is ongoing at the moment.

10-Year Old Boy Killed While Bicycling in Broadview

It has been reported that a 10 year-old cyclist died on Monday, July 23, as a result of the injuries sustained after being struck by a motor vehicle in west suburban Broadview. The collision occurred on 25th Avenue, north of Cermak Road in the mid-afternoon of that Sunday of July 22. According to preliminary reports, the 17 year-old motorist was allegedly driving southbound on 25th Avenue when the crash occurred. No information has been released about the direction in which the cyclist was heading. No citations or charges have been issued. 

Although further details surrounding the investigation have not been released, upon analyzing aerial and street views of the intersection at which the bicycle accident occurred, there are some issues of interest. 

•  25th Avenue has a stated speed limit of 35mph. However, there are no traffic lights from 26th Street to Roosevelt Road (Roosevelt Rd is north of Cermak Rd), a distance of approximately 1.5 miles. This long stretch of asphalt plus the lack of any traffic lights could potentially contribute to speeding. According to the statistics compiled under the Chicago Forward plan, a cyclist struck by a motor vehicle traveling at 30mph has about a 55% chance of surviving. An increase in speed of just 10mph significantly reduces a cyclist surviving a car collision to just 15%.  
•  Under Illinois law, children under the age of 12 are permitted to ride on most sidewalks. The victim was 10 years old. No information has been released of whether the victim was on a sidewalk or the street when the collision occurred. Upon passing Cermak Rd, there is a stretch of sidewalk that abruptly ends at 22nd Street.  In addition to the potential use of the sidewalk, from 26th Street to Cermak Rd, there are gravel shoulders marked for bicycle use. 
•  Heading north on 25th Avenue from Cermak Road to 22nd Street, vehicles are passing underneath a bridge that may briefly deteriorate clear visibility of the road. Within that defined length of road on 25th Ave is the short stretch of sidewalk.

In light of the tragedy of this boy's death in this bicycle accident, it is important to reiterate some words of caution for all young bicyclists and parents:

•  Ride cautiously on roads without bike lanes or areas marked for bike use;
•  When riding alongside motorized traffic, be as visible to drivers as possible;
•  Remember that children under the age of 12 are allowed in most parts of Illinois to ride on the sidewalk; and
• Always ride safely and with great caution.

If you have any questions regarding this post or an issue involving a bicycle accident or Illinois personal injury law, please contact Illinois Bicycle Attorney Mike Keating at 312-208-7702 or MKeating@KeatingLegal.com 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. All e-mails and phone calls are returned promptly. All initial consultations are confidential and free.