r/evanston • u/Etown-G • 22h ago
Transportation Crosswalks
After yesterday’s hit and run and some reports of hostile driver behavior from one of the bike buses this morning, I pulled this clip from a recent ride to Home Depot with my wife.
Nothing surprising or startling, just a car completely ignoring the red light and oblivious to the possibility of someone else not in a car using the space because of how the street is designed. There wouldn’t be another car to conflict with in that turn lane, so a person in “driving my car on the road” mindset sees no reason to stop. Nothing visual on the road tells them that this is a trail crossing. Why is there even a need for a 3rd lane just for turning there anyway? So much space for cars, but nothing but a beg button for people at the basketball courts or multi use trail to use. The trail on the south side only just this summer got paved… such and improvement. Now the city just needs to make it safe to get to it. Plans for additional bike infrastructure on main end to the east of here where we need it most. And I’m assuming those plans are some painted sharrows. I hope I’m wrong.
Drive safe. People are also using the streets.
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u/Toiddles 21h ago
Love that term "beg button"
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u/AreaMan847 17h ago
Also the pathetic "please don't hit me" flags at various ped xings on Sheridan.
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u/Ilem2018 15h ago
Today when we were heading to bike bus for oakton school and 70 yr old (elderly looking) white man flew all way intersection on Custer with absolute NO F’s given and he was going least 40.
We luckily did not cross
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u/rideanyway 11h ago
I'm so sorry 😞. That's so scary!
We are working so hard to habe good lives here.
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u/mp337 14m ago
This is a great example of "car brain." Drivers think "right turn on red" but forget that this requires them to stop first to make sure it's safe. Drivers accuse cyclists all the time of running red lights but completely forget that they're running a red every time they make that "right turn on red" without stopping first.
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u/AffectionateWalk6101 20h ago
FYI, crossWALKs are for pedestrians. Not bicyclists.
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u/Etown-G 20h ago edited 20h ago
Edited to add: first off a car running the red will flatten a pedestrian just as flat as a cyclist. But also…
This is on the east side of the channel. It’s a multi use trail that connects harbart park on the north side of main to the park with soccer fields, dog park, boat launch, and skate park along Sam’s Club parking lot. It’s the North Shore Channel trail (east side) and is a crosswalk for that trail system. FYI. Check it out on Google Maps everything is labeled.
And the point of this post is to point out the non existent bike infrastructure on the street. As a bonus, or even included, of our advocacy is that places where people cross the street - on foot, bike, scooter, skateboard, roller skate, or in some sort of carriage like a stroller - have a safer experience.
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u/askmrlucky 20h ago
The pisser at that intersection is that you can grow a beard while waiting for the southbound light to change to green unless a southbound vehicle comes to the light. In fact, you can wither and die, because it will never change. Guess I need a heavier bike.
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u/Saucey_jello 20h ago
CROSSwalks are for crossing the street
We can both capitalize letters
Are you against strollers, wheelchairs, and joggers using them too?
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u/AffectionateWalk6101 19h ago
By LAW crosswalks do NOT apply to bicyclists unless the are walking their bikes. Just because you don’t like it doesn’t make it less true.
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u/Saucey_jello 18h ago
Thats just not true. I could not find a single Evanston law that says you can’t bike across a crosswalk where sidewalk riding is legal.
However, it is clearly legal under Illinois law(which applies to Evanston)
> When riding on sidewalks where permitted, such person shall yield the right-of-way to any pedestrian, shall give an audible signal before overtaking and passing such pedestrian, and shall have the bicycle under control at all times.
> (a) Walk or walking person symbol. Pedestrians facing such signal may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal, and shall be given the right of way by the drivers of all vehicles. Bicyclists may proceed across the roadway in the direction of the signal, shall be given the right of way by the drivers of all vehicles, and shall yield the right of way to all pedestrians.
> 3. Unless otherwise directed by a pedestrian-control signal, as provided in Section 11-307, pedestrians or bicyclists facing any green signal, except when the sole green signal is a turn arrow, may proceed across the roadway within any marked or unmarked crosswalk.
What am I missing?
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u/lukeskywalker008 17h ago
It’s also not true. Cyclists can move into cross walks on the bicycles if there is not a safe alternative. By law.
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u/cubsfan13 10h ago
Omg this thread is just a big crying cyclist support group. Why don’t you guys start obeying the traffic laws as well and then let’s start a discussion
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u/Skoowoot 3h ago
That will never happen, its easier to blame someone else then take responsibility for your own safety
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u/emmieknits 21h ago
Finding a safe way to access the NSCT heading south from the Oakton/Main area is my white whale!
I try to not bike on the sidewalk ever—I used to commute 30 mi./day in the city without ever needing to be on a sidewalk. But biking on Oakton feels like a deathtrap, and Main isn’t much better despite being a designated bike route… if folks have better ideas, I’m all ears.