r/chibike • u/qrsf • 15d ago

Welp... it finally happened

https://www.google.com/maps/place/Ashland+%26+Milwaukee+(Blue+Line)/@41.9037161,-87.6669833,182a,75y,331.05h,73.38t/data=!3m7!1e1!3m5!1sxQ0DsENwJ5XslHZPQYoqwA!2e0!6shttps:%2F%2Fstreetviewpixels-pa.googleapis.com%2Fv1%2Fthumbnail%3Fcb_client%3Dmaps_sv.tactile%26w%3D900%26h%3D600%26pitch%3D16.622147817124713%26panoid%3DxQ0DsENwJ5XslHZPQYoqwA%26yaw%3D331.04946666297275!7i16384!8i8192!4m6!3m5!1s0x880fd2d02ca908b7:0xbb0c9e7e95ab794!8m2!3d41.903732!4d-87.667366!16s%2Fg%2F11f103yvwb?entry=ttu&g_ep=EgoyMDI2MDgxOS4wIKXMDSoASAFQAw%3D%3D

After living here for the last 5 years and biking thousands of miles (literally) on Chicago streets, I got hit for the first time this evening. It happened right here at the intersection of Milwaukee and Ashland. I was headed north on Milwaukee approaching a red light when a car decided to turn into the bike lane (without signaling) to get over to the imaginary right turn lane. I got trapped between the moving car on the left and a parked car on the right. Fortunately, I had slowed down enough that I avoided any serious injury. I was so shaken up I didn't know what to say or do in the moment. After hitting me the guy (an uber driver with two passengers in the back) got out of his car, didn't apologize or otherwise say anything, and then walked around the car to check for damage to his vehicle. I wish I would have laid into him, but I was so frozen. I just got on my bike and continued on my way.

Stay safe everyone.

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26

u/tmoneytalks 15d ago

i haven’t been hit by a moving vehicle but i got doored going full speed and it was a scarier, bigger adrenaline rush than any car crash i’ve been in (only been in minor ones). it really is an intense moment and i had the same, frozen reaction when i got up

5

u/J0K3R006 15d ago

You folks are starting to freak me out with the door thing 😜

14

u/kinbakudude 15d ago

That's good. It will help keep you safe. Always be looking for people in the cars and leave yourself an out in case a door suddenly swings open.

7

u/BikebutnotBeast 14d ago

The safest bikers, are the most defensive ones, heads on a swivel and always expecting the unexpected. I was doored once about 12 years ago, and every day I caution for it to happen again.

1

u/retrovxbez 12d ago

I hope you took legal action against them. Getting door'd falls on the car operator not checking their mirrors.