Car

When Aaron Wilson moved from car-crazed California to commuter-friendly Chicago to attend the University of Chicago, he traded his driver's license for an Illinois state ID. "I can get everywhere I need to go either by public transportation or on my bike," said Wilson, now 24, a research assistant who lives in Logan Square. "It's really expensive to have a car. It's something I can afford, but it would limit my ability to have a nicer apartment or not spend as much on food. " Once you factor in gas, maintenance, insurance and other fees, it can cost anywhere from $5,700 to $9,800 a year to own and drive a car...

At least three car hijackings took place in Chicago Lawn last month, according to a community alert police sent out Thursday. In each incident, two men used a handgun to coerce people into giving up their vehicles, the alert said. The first hijacking took place April 7 in the early morning at the 6100 Block of South Campbell Avenue. The second was reported around the 6100 Block of South Artesian Avevenue on April 27 around eight in the morning. And the third was reported around the 2200 Block of West 63rd Street on April 29 in the early morning.

A recent report from the U.S. Public Interest Research Group Education Fund and the Frontier Group environmental think tank found that people ages 16 to 34 are driving less. That got us at RedEye thinking: Is it worth it to have a car in Chicago with plentiful public transit and a bike-friendly reputation? YES I know it's not necessarily "cool" to say you drive around Chicago instead of bike or take the CTA. But, I have to ask--have you ever biked or taken the CTA? Talk about soul-sucking experiences.

A string of car burglaries has hit the Kenwood area this month, according to a community alert Chicago police officials issued today. The alert, issued to residents of District 2, which encompasses the near South Side, said the windows of multiple cars parked betwen 41st Street and 47th Street were smashed over the past month, and an unknown offender took laptops, cell phones, purses, backpacks, and other items from them. The burglaries took place around the 4100 block of South Ellis, the 700 block of East 41st Street, the 4500 block of South Drexel, the 500...

In the red corner....from Norway, weighing in at a majestic 32 pounds...fresh from a wild session at the jungle gym, comes ROCK BABY UMLAUT  with his stirring tribute to Dave Grohl andNirvana's "Breed".    in the blue corner...representing the Old Fourth Ward in Atlanta, GA...one-half of the "Crazy adorable twin boys passed out in their high chairs" ...here is KEITH AKA THE REAL BARRE BABY absolutely dominating...

MSNBC reports: President Obama is on cruise control toward his party's nomination to run for reelection, but Tim O'Boyle is hoping to capitalize on Obama's old cruise-mobile -- a 2005 Chrysler 300C . O'Boyle says he tried to sell the car on eBay a few years ago, but that pranksters ran the bidding up to $100 million before eBay shut down the auction. Get the full story at MSNBC.com .  

PRIDEChicago announced the line of march for the 43rd Annual Chicago Pride Parade today with an all-new route to accommodate the increasing number of attendees to the world-famous parade. "Crowds were so heavy last year that we needed to lengthen the parade route," said parade coordinator Richard Pfeiffer. "The extended route will include four elevated stops (Belmont, Addison, Sheridan and Wilson) for people to get to the parade, and we also added six new cross-over streets to combat crowd control issues.

As the countdown to the Hawks' return drove fans nuts with anticipation, the team was driving some hype of its own. The Blackhawks Blues Mobile, which since the 2008-2009 season has been a part of the Blackhawks marketing arm, took to the streets last week with a large sandwich board, displaying the number of days until the first Hawks game of the shortened season. Adam Rogowin, director of public relations for the Blackhawks, said the countdown was a popular promotion on social media, with fans snapping photos and sending the #onegoal...

Not everyone has been on a great date, but we've all definitely been on bad ones. This is a story about one of those dates. I met this guy through a good friend and we went out a few times. I liked him, which was rare for me, because I'm super picky. Anyway, I lost a bet we made on a Cubs series, so I had to plan the next date. I decided to take him to this charity event with the Cubs, since he was a fan. It was a casino night (fun) and an open bar (even more fun). So we get all dressed up and go, and it's a blast.

Justin Bieber is not above taking cheap shots -- although, in his case, we suppose they're probably really, really expensive shots. The 18-year-old told the BBC that "that girl -- Mariah Yeater -- who said she was going to have my baby" was among the inspirations for songs on his upcoming album, "Believe. " Other topics include his mom and ... "lots of different stories and experiences. " Since we just can't wait until June 19 for these tracks to drop, we made up some songs and we'll let you fill in the blanks, madlibs-style.

I've been biking and driving in Chicago for 12 years, and I've seen the age-old bike-car battle from both sides. In an effort to help both, I'm taking a look at the mistakes each side makes. Let's start with what drivers should not do around bikers. Opening door to traffic This would (should?) be the No. 1 mistake on any list of this nature. Drivers opening their doors into the flow of traffic is the biggest danger to bikers. It creates a situation where a possible oncoming biker that is right next to the car has to decide between slamming into the door or swerving into traffic without...

Drivers, beware. The city's street sweeping season starts April 1. Be on the lookout for the temporary orange no-parking signs that should be posted in advance. Drivers can find the street cleaning schedule here while some alderman have posted maps of the  schedule on their websites. Residents who live in Lakeview, Wrigleyville, Wicker Park and Logan Square can sign up for free text alerts from tkttxt.com to help them avoid getting a $50 ticket on their windshield. Want more?

Not everyone has been on a great date, but we've all definitely been on bad ones. This is a story about one of those dates. I met this guy through a good friend and we went out a few times. I liked him, which was rare for me, because I'm super picky. Anyway, I lost a bet we made on a Cubs series, so I had to plan the next date. I decided to take him to this charity event with the Cubs, since he was a fan. It was a casino night (fun) and an open bar (even more fun). So we get all dressed up and go, and it's a blast.

As the countdown to the Hawks' return drove fans nuts with anticipation, the team was driving some hype of its own. The Blackhawks Blues Mobile, which since the 2008-2009 season has been a part of the Blackhawks marketing arm, took to the streets last week with a large sandwich board, displaying the number of days until the first Hawks game of the shortened season. Adam Rogowin, director of public relations for the Blackhawks, said the countdown was a popular promotion on social media, with fans snapping photos...

Professional athletes are just like us when hit comes to holiday shopping. Well, except for the fact that they can afford gifts that are out of reach of the average person. But it's always cool to find out how what athletes buy for people. RedEye talked to the Bulls and Bears to find out the most expensive gift they've purchased for someone during the holidays.   BULLS Taj Gibson: I bought some expensive shoes for my girlfriend made by some Italian designer. They cost somewhere like $4,000 or $5,000.

The controversial new rail cars with the aisle-facing seats made their debut on the Red Line on Monday, the CTA said. Two trains with eight of the new rail cars were added to Red Line service. The cars will replace 35-year-old cars already on the line, the CTA said. The new rail cars are also on the Green and Pink Lines. The CTA initially said it would not add the new rail cars to the Red Line until after next year's improvements to the line. The agency reversed course on this decision months ago. The southern portion of the Red Line will...

Chicagoans are really good at complaining about three things: the weather, sports and parking. Currently, I have no gripes about the first two, but the third, that one is a doozy. To make up for the rats in my kitchen and the crime rate, my new neighborhood has the luxury of free street parking - that is, if you can find a spot. By the time my lease expires, I'm sure I will have spent several days worth of my life driving around Rogers Park in search of parking. There are a few secrets (the lot at the end of my street that is free overnight)

How far are you willing to go for a hookup? I mean literally - what distance? Ride a few stops on the "L"? Drive to the 'burbs? Roll over? How about jump in your car and drive 111 mph while ignoring streetlights and stop signs? Well that's exactly what one 21-year-old Naperville man was charged with doing last month on the South Side. "He stated he was going fast because he was trying to go have sex with a girl he likes," a police sergeant hilariously told Trib Local. Either this guy hadn't had sex in a looooong time or he is a quick shot and was afraid he might pull the...

New regulations on city limo drivers could force a shutdown of on-demand car service Uber, and the company isn't taking it lying down. Under a proposed change to city ordinances made by the Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection, Uber's limo services, Uber Black, would no longer be able to use electronic measuring devices to calculate fare--a staple of the company's service--nor would they be able to charge based on time or distance....

Chicagoans in need of a car, or in need of something to do with their car, have another option with the launch of car-sharing service Getaround in the city Thursday. Getaround enables car owners to rent out their dormant vehicles on an hourly or daily basis to people who need them. The rates and times are determined by the owner and range from $3 to $15 per hour, of which the average income is about $350 per month, said company founder and marketing director Jessica Scorpio. The company takes a 40 percent commission, which is used to pay...