Although this is my very first post, I've been lurking on this forum for a long time and I don't consider myself a new Uber driver at this point. A lot of great information can be gathered from this forum and I appreciate the helpful people around here.
Seasoned Uber drivers who are already familiar with illegal pickup and dropoff locations in Chicago may feel free to scroll down to the "-----" further below where I complain about this.
TLDR: Many Uber drivers don't seem to know where it is illegal to pick up and drop off passengers in the city of Chicago. This negatively affects the rest of us drivers who do know the law as passengers may or may not downrate the driver for simply choosing to obey the law. Where can I read the official wording of the law itself? I can't find it anywhere online.
Over time, I have read the threads that discuss about illegal pickup and dropoff locations in Chicago. From what I have gathered and to the best of my ability, the following are street sections that are illegal to pick up or drop off passengers according to Chicago city ordinance:
* Michigan Avenue - Oak Street to Roosevelt Road
* State Street - Loop in general, Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway
* Madison Street - Michigan Avenue to Wacker Drive due to bus lane. Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) now has rules as to where exactly a driver may pick up or drop off on Madison. Pickups must be done on either corner of Canal St or Clinton St and not in front of the OTC. Dropoffs have a designated spot in front of the OTC on Madison St with a big sign that says "Dropoff Only."
* North Sheridan Road - Devon Avenue (Loyola University) to Hollywood Avenue (where Lake Shore Drive begins in the north). It's okay to use any of the numerous driveways on Sheridan, just can't pickup/dropoff on the street itself.
* North Avenue Beach, east of Lake Shore Drive - It used to be legal to drop off or pick up there and all you had to do was pull in straight ahead to the little "loop" street next to the public parking lot. You can see this "loop" on Google Maps and it's right next to the Lakefront Trail. However, sometime this past summer 2017, Uber sent out a driver communication to notify us that it is now illegal to drop off or pick up "east of Lake Shore Drive at North Avenue Beach and that drivers should find a safer location." Unfortunately, this is really irresponsible because there is a sidewalk that runs right under the LSD overpass, but then you would be blocking traffic that is trying to enter LSD.
* Wrigley Field - It is illegal to pick up or drop off on any adjacent street surrounding Wrigley Field. These adjacent streets are Waveland Ave (north), Addison St (south), Sheffield Ave (east), Clark St (west). There are "No Stopping/No Standing" signs on literally every lamppost on all four surrounding streets of Wrigley Field, so the illegality seems to be indisputable.
* Comiskey Park (Guaranteed Rate Field) - There is an official designated Uber rideshare zone located on South Wentworth Avenue. When coming from the Interstate 90/94 highway, get off at 31st St then head south down Wentworth. What's cool is that during White Sox games, there is usually a big Uber directional sign or two along the way on Wentworth to lead you to Lot A where the rideshare zone is located. Just inform your passenger beforehand because they may become surprised when you exit at 31st St instead of 35th St.
* Anywhere in the city that has signs stating "No Stopping/No Standing." It seems that ninety-nine percent of passengers (and many drivers) don't know this.
* Any CTA bus stop, anywhere in the city. It seems that ninety-nine percent of passengers (and many drivers) don't know that it is illegal to pick up or drop off at bus stops. CTA bus drivers WILL blare their horn repeatedly if you are blocking the bus stop. I have seen many times Chicago Police warning drivers to get out of the bus stop now or get ticketed.
* Any bicycle lane in the city. Never block or stop in a bicycle lane.
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Okay, now that I have listed the current illegal pickup and dropoff locations for the City of Chicago, I want to talk about circumstances regarding the risk of drivers getting ticketed by police and/or being downrated by passengers who truly don't know any better.
First of all, to my surprise, it seems that many, many drivers are clueless of the illegal locations, or perhaps they just don't care. I know this based on numerous passengers who have frequently told me, "drivers have picked me up / dropped me off there before." Whenever I politely inform the passenger that it is illegal per Chicago ordinance to drop them off or pick them up at whatever illegal street location (i.e. address is on Michigan, State, Wrigley Field, etc.), passengers in general have been understanding and forgiving for the most part. Most of these passengers may even say something like, "Oh, I didn't know that, not a problem," or "drivers have done this before."
Well, when I first started driving with Uber a while back, I used to put up with this. As time went by, I decided to avoid driving near the above mentioned areas as much as I can. Recently, I got into a situation that finally pushed me to write my first post in this forum. I had a Pool trip that I accepted and almost immediately after accepting, I got a second Pool passenger ping. The first passenger was picked up near Wrigley Field but not at an illegal address. When the pax got into the car, I started the trip and proceeded to pick up the second passenger when I immediately noticed that the pickup address was illegal. It was on Sheffield adjacent to Wrigley Field.
I pulled up to the closest legal spot next to Wrigley Field and called the passenger. I politely informed him that it is illegal to pickup or dropoff there and I kindly asked if he would please walk down the block to where I was. He was surprised that it was illegal and gave the typical response, "I've been picked up here before by Uber." Nonetheless, he agreed to come to my location. When he got in the car, he reiterated that he didn't know it was illegal and that other Uber drivers have picked him up and dropped him off there in the past. As I started to drive away, I pointed at the numerous "No Stopping/No Standing" signs on every lamppost along the surrounding streets of Wrigley Field and mentioned that it is a real city ordinance.
While driving to the first passenger's destination, I noticed that the second passenger's destination was on State Street in the Loop and right in the middle of the illegal pickup/dropoff section of State Street. I figured that I would wait to inform the second pax until after I drop off the first. After I dropped off the first pax and along the way to the next dropoff, I politely informed the second pax that it is illegal to drop off or pick up on State Street in the Loop and that I will simply drop him off as close as possible on the nearest side street. As typical, he was surprised like most people, but not only that, he was the most vocal about this compared to previous surprised passengers in my experience. He was not mean to me at all, but he was very shocked and asked me why. I told him about the Chicago ordinance, Michigan, State St, blah blah blah, and he couldn't believe it. He assured me that for the past two years, every day he was dropped off and picked up at his place of business and not one Uber driver has ever mentioned this to him, and they all dropped him off and picked him up right out in front on State Street on a daily basis. "NOT ONE!" he repeated firmly.
I apologized to him and I assured him that the ordinance was real. I also told him that I couldn't believe not one previous driver ever mentioned this to him. I told him that Uber on occasion informs drivers of where it is illegal to pickup and dropoff, but other than that, I don't know why no other driver before me knew of this or mentioned this. I told him that I was shocked too.
The above was just one of many instances that I have experienced when the passengers were clueless of illegal pickup/dropoff street zones. Is there any place online where I can actually read the official wording of the city ordinance that covers illegal pickup and dropoff locations? I cannot find official documentation anywhere online. I can't even find this covered in any of the documents found at the official City of Chicago website for Transportation Network Providers.
Seasoned Uber drivers who are already familiar with illegal pickup and dropoff locations in Chicago may feel free to scroll down to the "-----" further below where I complain about this.
TLDR: Many Uber drivers don't seem to know where it is illegal to pick up and drop off passengers in the city of Chicago. This negatively affects the rest of us drivers who do know the law as passengers may or may not downrate the driver for simply choosing to obey the law. Where can I read the official wording of the law itself? I can't find it anywhere online.
Over time, I have read the threads that discuss about illegal pickup and dropoff locations in Chicago. From what I have gathered and to the best of my ability, the following are street sections that are illegal to pick up or drop off passengers according to Chicago city ordinance:
* Michigan Avenue - Oak Street to Roosevelt Road
* State Street - Loop in general, Wacker Drive to Congress Parkway
* Madison Street - Michigan Avenue to Wacker Drive due to bus lane. Ogilvie Transportation Center (OTC) now has rules as to where exactly a driver may pick up or drop off on Madison. Pickups must be done on either corner of Canal St or Clinton St and not in front of the OTC. Dropoffs have a designated spot in front of the OTC on Madison St with a big sign that says "Dropoff Only."
* North Sheridan Road - Devon Avenue (Loyola University) to Hollywood Avenue (where Lake Shore Drive begins in the north). It's okay to use any of the numerous driveways on Sheridan, just can't pickup/dropoff on the street itself.
* North Avenue Beach, east of Lake Shore Drive - It used to be legal to drop off or pick up there and all you had to do was pull in straight ahead to the little "loop" street next to the public parking lot. You can see this "loop" on Google Maps and it's right next to the Lakefront Trail. However, sometime this past summer 2017, Uber sent out a driver communication to notify us that it is now illegal to drop off or pick up "east of Lake Shore Drive at North Avenue Beach and that drivers should find a safer location." Unfortunately, this is really irresponsible because there is a sidewalk that runs right under the LSD overpass, but then you would be blocking traffic that is trying to enter LSD.
* Wrigley Field - It is illegal to pick up or drop off on any adjacent street surrounding Wrigley Field. These adjacent streets are Waveland Ave (north), Addison St (south), Sheffield Ave (east), Clark St (west). There are "No Stopping/No Standing" signs on literally every lamppost on all four surrounding streets of Wrigley Field, so the illegality seems to be indisputable.
* Comiskey Park (Guaranteed Rate Field) - There is an official designated Uber rideshare zone located on South Wentworth Avenue. When coming from the Interstate 90/94 highway, get off at 31st St then head south down Wentworth. What's cool is that during White Sox games, there is usually a big Uber directional sign or two along the way on Wentworth to lead you to Lot A where the rideshare zone is located. Just inform your passenger beforehand because they may become surprised when you exit at 31st St instead of 35th St.
* Anywhere in the city that has signs stating "No Stopping/No Standing." It seems that ninety-nine percent of passengers (and many drivers) don't know this.
* Any CTA bus stop, anywhere in the city. It seems that ninety-nine percent of passengers (and many drivers) don't know that it is illegal to pick up or drop off at bus stops. CTA bus drivers WILL blare their horn repeatedly if you are blocking the bus stop. I have seen many times Chicago Police warning drivers to get out of the bus stop now or get ticketed.
* Any bicycle lane in the city. Never block or stop in a bicycle lane.
-----
Okay, now that I have listed the current illegal pickup and dropoff locations for the City of Chicago, I want to talk about circumstances regarding the risk of drivers getting ticketed by police and/or being downrated by passengers who truly don't know any better.
First of all, to my surprise, it seems that many, many drivers are clueless of the illegal locations, or perhaps they just don't care. I know this based on numerous passengers who have frequently told me, "drivers have picked me up / dropped me off there before." Whenever I politely inform the passenger that it is illegal per Chicago ordinance to drop them off or pick them up at whatever illegal street location (i.e. address is on Michigan, State, Wrigley Field, etc.), passengers in general have been understanding and forgiving for the most part. Most of these passengers may even say something like, "Oh, I didn't know that, not a problem," or "drivers have done this before."
Well, when I first started driving with Uber a while back, I used to put up with this. As time went by, I decided to avoid driving near the above mentioned areas as much as I can. Recently, I got into a situation that finally pushed me to write my first post in this forum. I had a Pool trip that I accepted and almost immediately after accepting, I got a second Pool passenger ping. The first passenger was picked up near Wrigley Field but not at an illegal address. When the pax got into the car, I started the trip and proceeded to pick up the second passenger when I immediately noticed that the pickup address was illegal. It was on Sheffield adjacent to Wrigley Field.
I pulled up to the closest legal spot next to Wrigley Field and called the passenger. I politely informed him that it is illegal to pickup or dropoff there and I kindly asked if he would please walk down the block to where I was. He was surprised that it was illegal and gave the typical response, "I've been picked up here before by Uber." Nonetheless, he agreed to come to my location. When he got in the car, he reiterated that he didn't know it was illegal and that other Uber drivers have picked him up and dropped him off there in the past. As I started to drive away, I pointed at the numerous "No Stopping/No Standing" signs on every lamppost along the surrounding streets of Wrigley Field and mentioned that it is a real city ordinance.
While driving to the first passenger's destination, I noticed that the second passenger's destination was on State Street in the Loop and right in the middle of the illegal pickup/dropoff section of State Street. I figured that I would wait to inform the second pax until after I drop off the first. After I dropped off the first pax and along the way to the next dropoff, I politely informed the second pax that it is illegal to drop off or pick up on State Street in the Loop and that I will simply drop him off as close as possible on the nearest side street. As typical, he was surprised like most people, but not only that, he was the most vocal about this compared to previous surprised passengers in my experience. He was not mean to me at all, but he was very shocked and asked me why. I told him about the Chicago ordinance, Michigan, State St, blah blah blah, and he couldn't believe it. He assured me that for the past two years, every day he was dropped off and picked up at his place of business and not one Uber driver has ever mentioned this to him, and they all dropped him off and picked him up right out in front on State Street on a daily basis. "NOT ONE!" he repeated firmly.
I apologized to him and I assured him that the ordinance was real. I also told him that I couldn't believe not one previous driver ever mentioned this to him. I told him that Uber on occasion informs drivers of where it is illegal to pickup and dropoff, but other than that, I don't know why no other driver before me knew of this or mentioned this. I told him that I was shocked too.
The above was just one of many instances that I have experienced when the passengers were clueless of illegal pickup/dropoff street zones. Is there any place online where I can actually read the official wording of the city ordinance that covers illegal pickup and dropoff locations? I cannot find official documentation anywhere online. I can't even find this covered in any of the documents found at the official City of Chicago website for Transportation Network Providers.
