This summer Chicago has seen a biking boom as residents seek socially-distanced ways to get around, as well as COVID-safe forms of recreation and physical activity. Sadly, judging from recent headlines, there also seems to be an increase in injury crashes.
Mark Goodman, 56, died after suffering brain injuring in Lakefront Trail collision
56-year-old Mark Goodman died on Tuesday, August 18, following a Saturday, August 1, bike crash on the Lakefront Trail with another cyclist, the Sun-Times' David Struett reported.
At around 2:30 p.m. Goodman, who lived in Portage Park, was biking south on the shoreline path in the 3100 block of Belmont Harbor Access Road, just south of Belmont Avenue, when he collided head-on with the other cyclist, suffering a brain injury, the Sun-Times reported. Goodman was rendered unable to speak. He died of complications from the crash at Illinois Masonic Medical Center, according to the Cook County medical examiner’s office.
The other bike rider, a 55-year-old man, sustained a cut to his foot but declined medical attention, according to police.
In recent years the Chicago Park District built separate path for cyclists and pedestrians on much of the Lakefront Trail, but the layout frequently changes, which can lead to confusion about which lanes bike riders, walkers, and joggers should be using, in which direction. On the segment near Belmont Harbor, the bike and pedestrian lanes are painted next to each other on the same stretch of asphalt.
While the Lakefront Trail is normally open to commuters 24-7, during the pandemic, the path officially closes between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m., which concentrates users into a smaller time window, contributing to trail congestion.
Read the full Sun-Times story here.
Cyclist seeks help tracking down hit-and-run driver who injured him in River North
After an SUV driver struck a cyclist on the 700 block of LaSalle Street, breaking his collarbone, the victim is seeking help identifying the perpetrator, Block Club Chicago's
On Saturday, August 1, at around 2 p.m., Travis Nelson was biking on LaSalle Street just south of Chicago Avenue when the driver of a black SUV, possibly a BMW, struck him, sending him hurtling into a parked car, according to police. The motorist fled west on Chicago.
Nelson had to have surgery for his broken collarbone, according to Block Club. “My goal is the bring this person to justice for hitting me and leaving me out there,” he told the website. “He could have killed me.” He also noted that LaSalle and Chicago lack bike lanes.
He said video of the crash exists, but police have said they can't give it to him, Block Club reported. Typically attorneys retained by crash injury victims are able to recover traffic and security camera footage for their clients.
Nelson told Block Club it's important to him to find the driver. “This person thinks it’s OK to run someone off the road and potentially seriously injure and/or kill them. They haven’t learned a lesson.”
Anyone with info on the crash is asked to call police detectives at 312-744-8263 or submit tips anonymously online.
Read the full Block Club story here.
Boy, 17, injured while biking on Lake Shore Drive
A 17-year-old boy was struck by a driver while he was cycling on Lake Shore Drive on Thursday, August 20, according to a report from CBS Chicago.
Police said the teen was cycling north in a southbound lane of the eight-lane highway, where biking is prohibited, just south of Lawrence Avenue at about 11:30 p.m. He was struck by the 19-year-old driver of Toyota sedan.
The bike rider was taken to Northwestern Hospital in fair condition, according to the police. He was cited for riding a bike on the drive.
The driver was uninjured and stayed on the scene.
It's not clear how or why the cyclist got onto the drive. One possibility is that he rode up the southbound offramp at Wilson Avenue, a block south of the crash site. Footage from the CBS report appears to show a single-speed road bike with a front carrying rack. The driver's windshield was shattered.
