Bike To Work Day Off to Deadly Start in Chicago

http://www.suntimes.com/news/transportation/998873,CST-NWS-bike11.article

One bicyclist was dead and another injured two days into a week promoting safe bicycle commuting in the Chicago area.

A white bicycle on the 900 block of North La Salle stood in tribute Tuesday to Clinton Miceli, the fifth bicyclist killed in a collision with a vehicle in Chicago this year.

Miceli, 22, was cycling in the bike lane on La Salle around 6:45 p.m. Monday when he slammed into an open SUV door, was thrown from his bike, then struck by a second car. The driver of the Nissan Xterra who opened the door into Miceli's path was cited for opening a car door in traffic, police said.

A second rider collided with a CTA bus around 8:50 a.m. Tuesday at Broadway and Patterson in Lake View. That cyclist was taken to Advocate Illinois Masonic Medical Center in serious condition, a Fire Department spokesman said. The CTA driver was cited for failure to yield and suspended without pay, authorities said.

Rob Sadowsky, executive director of the Chicagoland Bicycle Federation, said he believes the rate of cycling injuries and fatalities on Chicago's roads is down, but the sheer number of cyclists on the road is up. Though urban bicycling is a "relatively safe" activity, he said the five fatalities were preventable.

"People are showing an incredible lack of courtesy and care while operating vehicles," he said. "People need to be looking out for others whether they are a vulnerable user like a cyclist or [driver of ] a car."

Sadowsky said more than 350 companies -- a 30 percent increase over last year -- are participating in the federation's "Bike to Work Week," which runs through Friday.

Miceli was cycling home from his job at Plan B advertising agency, where he worked as an art director.

Miceli's boss, avid cyclist Ric van Sickle, said about 80 percent of Plan B employees commute by bike. Miceli started working there as an intern about nine months ago and was promoted to a full-time staff position because of his work ethic and the high quality of his work, van Sickle said.

Miceli "was a good bike handler, always wore his helmet and knew what he was doing," van Sickle said. "He was conscientious."

Van Sickle said he understands why people want to "point the finger at someone" but said it was "just one of those unavoidable freak accidents."

He learned of Miceli's death at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday when Miceli's mother called him.

On Tuesday, Miceli's co-workers painted a white "ghost bike" and placed it at the accident scene, then gathered for lunch before van Sickle sent them home for the day.

"I think everyone is keeping a stiff upper lip," he said.