The mayor of The Windy City is not taking his fines lightly. He expects a whole series of increases to take place… and soon. Each year there are about 250 dooring accidents in Chicago. This means that a driver opens his or her car door and, with or without realizing it, strikes a bicyclist with it. Onecreases to take place… and soon. Each year there are about 250 dooring accidents in Chicago. This means that a driver opens his or her car door and, with or without realizing it, strikes a bicyclist with it. Oneace… and soon. Each year there are about 250 dooring accidents in Chicago. This means that a driver opens his or her car door and, with or without realizing it, strikes a bicyclist with it. One cyclist said that he had been doored five or so times. There’s a hefty fine that comes with dooring in Chicago: $500. That’ll make you check twice – or maybe three times – before swinging that car door open to get out. And pretty soon, people in Chicago may want to be even more cautious. If all goes according to the mayor’s plan, that $500 fine could double to $1,000.
The dooring fine wouldn’t be the only one to see an increase. Mayor Rahm Emanuel also hopes to raise cycling fines in general. Currently, when cyclists disobey traffic laws, the fine is a flat $25. Those could end up being anywhere between $50 and $200 according to the mayor’s new plan. His goal isn’t to rip cyclists off; it’s to make the road safer for everyone, including cyclists themselves. He says, the safer the roads, the more people will be willing to bike.
Bicyclists have mixed feelings about all of the proposed plans and changes, but they are all for increasing bicycle and bicyclist awareness.