Regarding traffic. Yes, it is offensive as all hell, but both my wife and I were familiar with the term from our childhoods in/around Chicago in the 60s/70s. Wondering how prevalent it is/was.
Never heard of it. But I’ve lived my life in the south suburbs. Was it mainly a North Side thing?
Why is it offensive? I know Skokie is known for having a significant Jewish population. Does it have something to do with light traffic in Skokie on Friday nights when the Jewish population would be at home by sundown?
I lived in Evanston from 2002-2006 and Chicago since then. Never heard of the term and have no idea what it means.
Lived in Chicago / Chicagoland most of my life. . . never heard of this expression. . . I can’t fathom what could be so offensive. . . perhaps the OP could explain this to the rest of us. . .
. . .
I’ve lived in Chicago and environs my whole life, and never heard that term. Also can’t imagine what could be offensive about it. As George Costanza might say, “It’s abnormal, but not offensive.”
Is that like, “Diggin’ the scene withe the gansta lean”???
Boy, I’m really surprised no one else heard of this, because I had no sense that it was a terribly insular term. Was very common to be dirving along and have someone say, "Wow - nice Skokie lean!"
In short, a Skokie lean is when someone blocks traffic heading in one direction, to position themselves to merge in the other direction.
As an example, say you are exiting a parking lot on the S side of an E-W street and desire to head W. You are heading N out of the driveway. There is a gap in the eastbound traffic, but not in the W. You fear that when the gap appears in the westbound trafic, you will not be able to cross the eastbound lanes. So you pull your car out into the road such that you are blocking the eastbound lanes. That way, when the gap in the westbound lanes occurs you will be able to merge. The unfortunate folk who happen along in the eastbound lanes which you are blocking would observe, "Nice Skokie lean."
Or, if you were making this maneuver yourself, yu would say, "I’m going to pull a Skokie lean."
Of course, the alternatives to pulling a Skokie lean would be to simply wait until traffic is clear in both directions allowing you to make your desired maneuver, or to make a right turn out of the parking lot and find some other way to head westbound - a Uey, a left into a parking lot on the N side of the street, etc.
I’m going to have to see what my sisters recall about this term…
In Boston that’s called “driving”.
Like you, grew up in Chicago 60s-70s. (South Side)
Never heard the term, and even after the explanation it doesn’t sound familiar.
Never heard the term and never seen anyone intentionally do that. I can see you might have thought you could make the turn and then hit the brakes as the space closed up or something. But, to do it on purpose is one giant dick move.
Ah, so that explains it. I saw this all the time when I lived in Erie. Kinda freaks you out at first.
I know a lot of drivers who do the Skokie Lean as a matter of course. It does suggest a certain personality type.
Born in '66, grew up in Chicago and 'burbs, never heard the term but I agree it’s a total dick move.
I understand what it is now but why “Skokie”?
Skokie historically had a sizeable Jewish population. I assume it had to do with perceptions of Jews as greedy, selfish. Probably just good old garden variety anti-semitism.
Maybe to imply that it is a common maneuver of Jewish drivers. Or Illinois Nazis.
(I hate Illinois Nazis.)
Ah, I’d never even heard of the town, much less its perceived ethnicity. Thanks.
Yeah, they’re bad.
Do they go by The Fighting Nazis as well?