Community Corner

Should Bike Trails Have Emergency Alert Systems?

The recent death of a Northbrook man on a Glenview bike trail prompts the question: should bike trails have more emergency safeguards?

A Northbrook man died after a dog leash got tangled with his bike while he rode through Glenview's Harms Woods. The dog's owner apparently left the scene. Eventually, someone found the man and got him medical assistance, but he died in the hospital five days later. 

Whether the man's death could have been prevented if he was found sooner is hard to say, but do you think public bike trails or walking paths need more emergency precautions to help people if something goes wrong? 

College campuses, even Glenview's Gallery Park, have alert boxes that a pedestrian can activate to prompt an emergency response from police or firefighters. Should the Cook County Forest Preserve or other nearby bike trails install similar boxes? 

Share your thoughts in the comments below. 


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