Bicycling magazine once named it the best big city for bicycling in North America. The mayor is an avid cyclist. There is a citywide goal to become the "most bicycle-friendly" in the country by 2015. With 100 miles of bike lanes, 50 miles of off-street trails and 10,000 bike racks (the most in America), Chicago is definitely one bicycle-friendly city.
City officials have compelling reasons to do more. As Mayor Richard M. Daley's ambitious Bike 2015 plan points out, Chicago motorists lose hours of potentially productive time in traffic, and spend an average of 17 percent of their budgets on transportation costs alone. Additionally, with more than 60 percent of all adults in the city overweight or obese, increased reliance on bicycling to meet transportation needs might help to promote healthier, more active lifestyles for people who don't have time to exercise.
Bike to Work Week runs from June 12 to June 18. For many who see the traffic of the daily commute as a necessary evil, biking to work can be a viable option depending on how far they have to travel. Not only can biking to and from work melt away the stress of long hours spent stuck in morning traffic, but also it can leave people feeling refreshed and invigorated.
With the encouragement of increased bicycling comes the need for education about bicycle safety, which is the job of Mayor Daley's bicycling ambassadors, who speak at various community gatherings throughout the city. Despite the ambassadors' outreach work to inform the public on proper bicycle safety, accidents still happen.
While most are aware of the importance of always wearing a helmet and obeying traffic laws, it's wrong to assume that bicycle safety ends there. A headlight mounted on the front of your bicycle or your helmet is a reliable way to give you better awareness of potential hazards at night and to give motorists better awareness of you. Also consider using a headlight during daytime hours, as well as wearing reflective clothing to make you as visible as possible to motorists.
When approaching vehicles, particularly in situations where you must pass in front of someone who's pulling out of a driveway or proceeding through an intersection, it can be helpful to make eye contact with the driver. This will let you know that the driver is aware of you. Installing a bell or horn on your bike can provide you with an effective way to make your presence known as a last resort.
Even if you are in a defined bike lane in the Chicago Loop, motorists can be aggressive and accidents happen. It's not uncommon to see inexperienced bikers get scrapes or bumps after minor falls, but it's worth remembering that any bicycle accident can be deadly. Even collisions with parked cars can result in serious injuries or, in some cases, fatalities. For injured bicyclists who suffer the effects of a serious accident, it's important to seek timely and appropriate legal guidance from a professional as soon as possible. A personal injury attorney will work with you to ensure that you are compensated in the event of an accident.
