Originally Posted by sweeks

I was "left-hooked" a couple weeks ago. In Chicago, Jackson Blvd, a one-way artery going east, has a "buffered" bike lane on the left (north) side of the street (for complicated reasons). The lane continues on a bridge over the Dan Ryan expressway. The ramps for cars leaving and entering the expressway are also on the left, so cars have to cross the bike lane either way. Originally, there were bollards to separate the bike lane from the traffic lane, but they were knocked down within days of being installed. This left a bike lane marked only by stripes on the road surface, and cars tend to drift into the bike lane as they approach the left turn to enter the expressway ramp.
So, as I approached the ramp a couple cars drifted into the lane ahead of me. Immediately to my right was a shiny black BMW which began to drift into *me*. I gave a couple toots on my air horn; the driver looked up at me and I could read his lips: "F@ck You!". Then he turned right across my path. As we were both only going about 5 or 6 MPH, I was able to turn left with him, so I didn't get hurt or knocked down. But I *was* able to leave a 2-foot-long scratch on the driver's door with my bar end. So sorry. The driver saw what was going on, but he was now heading down the ramp with cars behind him.
I have been bugging the city to get the bollards back up; I expect results in a year or two.
Steve