The 3 foot rule...

and a
modest proposal

The Chicago Cycling Chic offers a novel way to monitor cager compliance with the new Illinois 3 foot rule.

Received a foam claw from a Freecycler. I plan on painting it either orange or yellow or something that glows in the dark. Then I'll incorporate the IL 3-ft minimum to pass law information on the claw as well as my milk crate. The claw is about 15" wide so if anyone hits it, they neglected to give me the additional 21" MINIMUM they are legally required to give me.

As described by Gary Washburn in The Chicago Tribune, the 3 foot rule requires that:

[d]rivers better steer clear of bicyclists in Chicago or they will face big fines under a new ordinance the City Council approved Wednesday. The ordinance includes fines on motorists who turn left or right in front of someone on a bicycle; pass with less than 3 feet of space between the car and a bike; or open a vehicle door into the path of a cyclist.

Fines for violations range from $150 to $500. The measure also adds fines for parking or otherwise obstructing marked bike lanes. Aldermen did not debate the measure before approving it. But in committee discussions last week some council members told aides to Mayor Richard Daley that something should be done about dangerous bike riders as well. The mayor, an avid cyclist, backed the new measure. Daley wants to launch a new fleet of as many as 1,500 rental bikes in Chicago. Based on programs in the French cities of Paris and Lyon, the bicycles would be available to renters at sites around the city at a minimal cost.

The bike safety issue was highlighted in February when a cyclist was hit and killed by a sport-utility vehicle during an unofficial street race. Witnesses said the accident took place when a group of riders competing in the "Tour Da Chicago" attempted to ride through an intersection against a red light.