The Chicagoist will be launching later but in the meantime please enjoy our archives.

In Pictures: Chicago Ride Of Silence

By Chuck Sudo in News on May 16, 2013 10:00PM

Scores of bicyclists participated in last night's "Ride of Silence" a silent procession of bicyclists paying tribute to people who were killed biking on public roadways. The eight-mile route was designed to pass by the sites of where these cyclists were killed, stopping at each one and marked by ghost bikes painted white.

I rode part of the route last night and can say that it was one of the most powerful experiences I've ever felt. Anti-cycling members of the media like John Kassmay have been surprised (had they been paying attention) at the respectful nature of this particular peloton, stopping at street lights and intersection, obeying traffic laws, letting their silence along the route speak louder than any words they, or I, could write.

If that doesn't work, maybe Kass, who veered into irresponsibility by insinuating in a recent column that dooring accidents are the fault of the cyclist, should read the words of Dustin Valenta, who suffered severe injuries from a dooring.

For John Kass to simply view the fine for opening your door in the path of a cyclist as an inconvenience to drivers is willfully ignorant. Because clearly if you are obeying traffic laws and aware of your surroundings, and doing all of the necessary things that a responsible driver would do, then you’re not going to have a problem. But if you are not acting responsibly, why shouldn’t you be fined the maximum penalty for endangering a life?

He’s clearly writing from the stance that bicyclists are in the wrong in the first place, just by being on bikes. His pejorative use of the “Little Bike People” phrase is evidence of that. It’s like he’s putting a value on human life based on an individual’s choice of transportation.

I just think that it’s sad that he’s drawing a line in sand, as if there’s a difference between human beings in cars and human beings on bikes, and that we should be at enmity with one another. I think what he’s doing here is creating a conflict between humans that doesn’t need to exist. Ultimately if you’re riding a bike or driving a car you should be trying your best to not destroy the lives of other people around you and your own life.

That’s what I think the bike safety ordinance is about. Hopefully, awareness of the potential punishment is going to make people more likely to think and look before they open their doors. It’s not about punishing drivers and rewarding bikers; it’s about making sure everybody is safe. Trying to take sides and make a war over it is just irresponsible.

Here are a few photos of the route taken by regular Chicagoist Flickr Pool contributor Frank Rico. You can view Frank's full set here; he's promised to add more when he has the time