Best Mayor Daley accomplishment of the past year

Crackdown on crosswalk terrorizers

Whenever friends visit from other cities—big cities—we have to warn them about the dangers of crossing streets in Chicago, even at crosswalks, even when you have a walk sign. Chicago drivers disregard such “nuisances” and often seem to try to hit pedestrians, or at the very least honk, glare or share a certain digit with you, the peaceful law-abiding citizen whose life and time are oh-so-trivial compared to theirs. More than one pedestrian a week is hit and killed in Chicago, so the news that the city was setting up regular stings, or “crosswalk awareness initiatives,” to catch and warn drivers endangering pedestrians in crosswalks was welcome news. Let’s hope it marks the beginning of a city initiative to change the culture of driving in Chicago to one that respects the rights and lives of pedestrians as paramount. In California, the most car-oriented state in the union, drivers know to come to a complete stop whenever a pedestrian places but a foot into the street, whether in a crosswalk or not, or face steep fines. There’s something shameful when LA drivers are more pedestrian-friendly than Chicagoans.

Audience choice:
Not getting the Olympics

Best audience comments:
“Continued support for cyclists”; “Chicago Climate Action Plan”; “Deciding to actually plow the sideroads and alleyways this year”; “Is this a trick question? Is it April Fool’s Day? I suppose no one obfuscates or flat-out lies with more ease than our beloved tyrant.”; “Not letting the city fall into total ruin. Some ruin is expected”; “Saved the free bouncy houses in Park District budget.”

Best of Chicago 2009