Car culture alternative peddled
Protesters celebrate `the joy of the bicycle' outside auto show
By Lolly Bowean
Tribune staff reporter
Published February 13, 2005
As a stream of Chicago Auto Show visitors strolled past, David O'Donnell stood outside McCormick Place on Saturday touting the environmentally friendly attributes of his transportation mode of choice: his bicycle.
"This vehicle is powered by nothing but pancakes," he said. "It's powered by nothing but chocolate chip cookies and water."
Carrying flags, signs, bullhorns and even pets, dozens of Chicago bicycle enthusiasts pedaled to McCormick Place on Saturday to protest the annual showcase of new and prototype vehicles.
The friendly and sometimes humorous protest focused on alternative transportation and respect for bicyclists on the road.
"We are taking our bikes to the car show to introduce people to the joy of the bicycle," said Michael Burton, one of the protest's organizers. "If we can convert just one person from a car to a bike-centered lifestyle, we are successful."
The protests, begun six years ago, are aimed not only at raising environmental concerns, but also at raising safety issues, which Burton said is downplayed by the industry.
The cyclists started their protest with a rally at Daley Center. They then rode together to the auto show, many with their right pant legs cuffed, taped or stuffed into their socks to keep them from getting caught in the chains.
Some taped signs to their bicycles, including one that read, "Sexy legs are better than sexy cars." Others shouted from bullhorns or imitated car horns.
They passed out fliers, played recordings of noisy car alarms and horns, and offered passersby the chance to ride their bicycles.
Daniel Korn was dropping off family members at the auto show five years ago when he saw the cyclists' protest and decided they were on to something. Since then, he's been protesting the auto show himself.
"Automobile dependency is no accident," he said. "A lot of people have come to depend on automobiles and they don't like it. They don't like sitting in traffic or having to chauffeur their kids around. There is another way."