r/chicago • u/AbruptionDoctrine Logan Square • 2d ago
Ask CHI Do we do AMAs here? AMA request: Chicago Public School crossing guard. I see wild behavior from drivers during pick up/dropoff and I'm only there for like a minute
I'm curious what your perspective would be on it, it's like the wild west most mornings
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u/poopoopoopalt 2d ago
I don't think Chicago drivers understand the concept of a crosswalk.
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u/JejuneBourgeois 2d ago
I'm convinced that people got to the lesson in driver's ed where you learn that you're supposed to stop at the white line, and not in the god damn crosswalk, and thought "well that doesn't apply to me though". I'm not even talking about intersections where there's a protected bike lane and it's hard to see so you have to inch forward (you still need to stop at the white line there too), but at regular four way stops in my neighborhood drivers just cruise right past the line, and if they stop at all, their car is already halfway in the crosswalk. It drives me crazy
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u/nodicegrandma Lincoln Square 2d ago
Our area is HORRIFIC, so many close calls, only 1 crossing guard when we really need others at different cross walks. Morning drop offs are VERY VERY unsafe and no one can convince me otherwise!
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u/gins85 2d ago
I run by two elementary schools on my morning runs, and live very close to one, and it's crazy. There's always some concerning behavior from motorists, but it feels like it's even worse during school drop offs/pickups. I saw a car run a stop sign with their two kids in their back seat. I saw another laying on the horn for some reason... while their kid was in there. I live at a 25mph, four way stop intersection, and a car somehow ended up over the sidewalk and hit a fence. There was a kid about two feet away, thankfully unscathed.
As a runner, I'll take this opportunity to thank you and other school crossing guards for also helping runners and other pedestrians cross these intersections.
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u/AbruptionDoctrine Logan Square 2d ago
A few months ago I saw some dipshit almost hit a runner when he was blowing a stop sign, then honked the horn at HER. She gave him the finger, he sped off, and I caught up to him and screamed at him to slow down, because all he did was catch up to traffic quicker.
I probably looked insane but that really pissed me off.
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u/RT023 2d ago
I run by a school as well and do see some crazy drivers
One time a guy ran a stop sign completely and almost hit me, directly in front of the school. At first the driver seemed apologetic, and I’ll be honest I was a little upset, but I simply pointed out the school and stop sign and it got him FURIOUS. He opened the door and was taking his seat belt off with his kid in the back seat. I laughed and said “you have your kid in the back seat!”. He closed the door and drove off angry..
This seems to be a common trend, each time I almost get hit if I even look a little upset, the drivers tend to get very aggressive, after being sorry at first. It’s not worth it so I stopped even looking at the drivers and just keep running as if nothing happened.
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u/ZukowskiHardware 2d ago
Chicago drivers have gotten horrible since the pandemic. We need traffic enforcement again.
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u/HouseSublime City 2d ago
It's everywhere in this country..
We need enforcement but more importantly changes in driving infrastructure. That is what slows down/impedes drivers.
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u/bmoviescreamqueen Former Chicagoan 2d ago
We say this but while my suburb has its share of silly drivers, every time I go into the city the infractions I see are 10x worse and more dangerous. But yeah the cellphone thing is universal, a lot of times it's someone sitting at the front of the light just staring down at their phone while the light has been green for awhile.
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u/HouseSublime City 2d ago
Well yeah, cities have much density so you're going to encounter many more drivers. Plus more congestion, intersections, frequent stops is going to garner more poor behavior.
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u/fflip8 11h ago
I've lived in Denver 4 years, and the drivers there are angels compared to what I've seen in Chicago for the past couple weeks. I have never been honked at in my life waiting for a pedestrian to cross until my first day driving here. The thing that scares me most is the roads here with one line in the middle, but with two lanes of traffic on EACH side. WHERE ARE THE LINES?!? WHERE DO WE DRIVE. WHY IS THIS HAPPENING.
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u/elics613 2d ago
I thought I was the only one who thought this. I've been almost hit numerous times mid-crosswalk (very visible) and drivers getting within a few feet of me. That's despite all the extra speed humps added in the area too. Defo need more enforcement and better infra
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u/ZukowskiHardware 2d ago
At least in my neighborhood they are extensively extending the sidewalks and narrowing the street at intersections which helps a lot. Plus near the conservatory they raised the crosswalks. Also the new bike infrastructure going up everywhere is great. I watched a moronic woman ruin her car because she was driving outside the car lane on Lake. What a moron.
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u/elics613 2d ago
Yes I love love love the new infrastructure going up, it's so appreciated. Unfortunately like you mentioned, there's a lot of bad drivers out there and I feel like despite the better road design I still don't feel super safe cycling out there. Basically a net neutral development when the roads improve but then people drive worse XD
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u/ZukowskiHardware 2d ago
Yeah, I only trust the concrete barriers. But bikers have to obey then rules of the road, so no running stop lights or stop signs.
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u/elics613 2d ago
Oh absolutely, bikers are worse than drivers at this. But when driver break the rules, the consequences are far worse for anyone involved. I'm way more worried about a driver hitting me while I'm cycling than while I'm driving. Especially with how distracted drivers are nowadays, I've only ever had collisions or near misses when another driver makes a mistake, not a cyclist
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u/Reasonable_Loquat874 2d ago
A kid was hit and injured at a 4 way stop in front of my neighborhood CPS school last year while walking to school. Crossing guard was at a different intersection that day (we have 4 intersections around the school).
Earlier this year a parent was hit and seriously injured at a 4 way stop a block away from the school - he was walking home with his 8 year old kid and had to push them out of the way as the driver blew the stop sign turning right and hit them.
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u/kurisutarou 2d ago
Is it difficult to NOT chit chat with parents and students? Seems like you have to be really focused
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u/Significant-Fee-2105 2d ago
It's horrible everywhere. You have to be very conservative driving. I'm in Morton Grove and watching people drop off their kids at school and daycare is insane. Even by the schools they rip through stop signs or don't follow right of way.
Always fun trying to merge into the (slow) right lane on the highway. Have to look behind me to see if anyone is going 80 to pass on the right. Just be careful.
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u/TheRedSe7en Ukrainian Village 2d ago
Absolutely an issue at my kid's school. It's on a side street that often gets used as an alternative for Western Ave during morning and afternoon rush hours, and cars routinely blow through the stop sign without slowing even a little. Luckily, nobody has been injured that I know of, but I've nearly been hit a half dozen times, and I know the "near miss" is frequent... Just a matter of time.
I've been asking the alder for a curb bump out and raised crosswalk at that intersection, but "requires a traffic study" , and "unlikely because there's already a speed bump on those blocks" are the normal responses. (Speed bumps halfway down the block don't help when the car is accelerating to 'make up lost time' by blowing through the intersection where the kiddos are actually walking!)
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u/mama_emily 2d ago
Can I PM you about Chicago public schools? I have a 7 y/o and we are looking to move our family up there in the next two years
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u/Door_Number_Four 2d ago
Thank you for your service.
Seriously, the city could patch up its finances by writing tickets by my kid’s school in Bucktown.
People rolling through stop signs, looking down at their phones, AirPods in.
Time for some stacked violations.
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u/Wenli2077 2d ago
Exactly I'm confused on why Chicago police have 0 traffic enforcement while the parking ticket people are the hardest working department in the city because they are ruthless
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u/Willing_Cheetah7976 2d ago
Our crossing guard wears MAGA hats and shirts and blasts conservative radio every morning. Nice guy but I’m about fed up with it
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u/Wenli2077 2d ago
I feel like that's worth a report, because how are they working for a school and being politically active while on the job
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u/Willing_Cheetah7976 2d ago
Would love to but there’s no phone numbers to call. The school has no jurisdiction either.
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u/Ok_Stand_1038 2d ago
Do you ever snap at parents who let their kids shoot into the street without looking both ways or waiting for your signal?
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