[Steely Dan]

^ for the specific case of that stretch of sheridan road in chicago's edgewater neighborhood, the side street bypass is really quite easy, and even though it has stop signs at every intersection, i roll right through them unless there's opposing traffic (all side street intersections in chicago are 4 way stops, so rolling through them without traffic is easily and safely done). besides, if you're on sheridan, you'd just have to contend with stop lights at every intersection anyway, so you're not gonna get through that stretch any faster, unless you run the red lights.

i bike that stretch everyday as it's part of my commute, and the bypass bike lanes on the side streets to the immediate west work very well and are a shit-ton safer than trying to fight the traffic zoo on sheridan road. at rush hour it's just too busy and crazy for bikes, all the cars are just immediately getting off of an expressway or fighting with each other to get on the expressway (LSD). it's nuts. though i do occasionally see some goofball attempt to bike it. i too am comfortable riding with traffic on busy streets, but that particular stretch of sheridan seems like it has "death wish" written all over it.