Evanston police say a pedestrian who complained about how a bicyclist was riding downtown this morning ended up being hit in the face and threatened with a knife by the man on the bike.
The incident happened about 11 a.m. near the intersection of Church Street and Maple Avenue,
The victim told police that the cyclist, described as a short man in his 30s with a pockmarked face, then rode off, after claiming he also had a gun.
Within minutes police were able to take a suspect into custody a few blocks west on Church near Ridge Avenue and the victim positively identified the suspect as the man who’d attacked him.
Follow up by being in court
Good that EPD did their usual fast work. I hope the victim follows up by appearing for the court date.
If Police would enforce bike laws ?
I can't tell from the posting if the biker was on the sidewalk downtown [illegal] or in the street.
However the police don't seem to enforce the no bike law. Yes once in a while they may be assigned to sit outside Burger-King to catch them but then they sit and read or sleep. Bikers [NU, Kellogg and others] ride on the walks all the time and sometimes very fast even on the crowded sidewalk in front of the Orrington Hotel. The mayor says NU tells students it is illegal—they must not listen—and the major says the police have been told to enforce the law.
How about at least one of their electronic signs they park on streets for other things ?
Also maybe enforce the the car turn signal law—140 feet [app. 1/2 a football field] before an intersection though 1/3 never signal at all enen with left turn onto Sheridan.
Bicycle riding on downtown sidewalks
Has there been any enforcement of the laws forbidding bicycle riding on downtown sidewalks? I've almost been hit several times.