ChiWhoBike #11
Even though we live next to the 606 and ride it a lot, little Zoe just learned how to ride without training wheels and so we’ve been going up maybe both weekend days every weekend days, we ride to the end, we hang out, we get a snack, we ride back, but that’s a great example of we’ve done a little bit of street riding but it’s a lot for a kid, it’s a lot to keep track of. Up on the 606 we’re just having a blast, we don’t have to worry about cars, certainly have to worry about people on other bikes but it’s really been a treat get to go up there and get to ride around and see her having a blast and sort of soaking it up that, you know now we bike around all the time and now she has some agency when it comes to a little bit of transportation.
My dream is that the bike lanes are protected. In my experience in Germany and Denmark, the bike lane is like a sidewalk and then it goes up like another curb to the actual sidewalks, so you’re in this nice protected area, cars can’t get in there, you don’t have to worry about doors. In Evanston I noticed they have this sort of bumper curb thing so you’re separated from cars, and there’s some of that in the city but I think more bike infrastructure just makes it that much easier to get people out to feel safe. Like the 606 - if that could spread out throughout the city. It’s already so cool, but it only gets you so far, but I think more bike infrastructure could help. It’s not bad, like I’ve been to many places that are much worse, but that’s what I always think of is how to make it easier for people to bike - kids, adults, people who aren’t as comfortable with it.
