so disrespectful. ghost bike for Dan Valle had its wheels stolen. sad face.
2*18 - 6:30 pm - Brooklyn side of the Williamsburg Bridge
This is the saddest bike I’ve ever seen - I don’t know what kind of person desecrates a bike *and* a memorial at the same time, but it’s truly a shameful thing.
New York: Bicyclist hit, killed by car in Brooklyn when his head smashed through window of the car »
this story also ran in Gothamist, Cyclist Fatally Struck in Brooklyn, No Charges Filed
Gothamist picked up story about appeal for witnesses in BK hit and run... »
following up on our post from last night, here’s the Gothamist article from today:
Friends of two unidentified bicyclists are begging for help finding the worthless P.O.S. driver who almost killed them in an accident in Greenpoint on October 23rd. The two “sustained massive injuries” while headed south on Franklin Street near Calyer in Greenpoint. We know this intersection, and we’re not at all surprised it happened here.
We’ve repeatedly witnessed maniacs run the traffic light at this awkward three-way intersection of Calyer, Franklin and Banker. Locals know it’s a really long light, and drivers often floor it even when it’s green, whipping around the corner onto Calyer like they’re on the run from a hit man who just spotted them at Europa. There is also a lot of truck traffic in this part of Greenpoint, which has seen a huge influx of cyclists in recent years, especially since the Kent Avenue bike lane went in.
We’re told that one of the cyclists was critically injured (but survived), while the other was “pretty banged up.” Anyone who might have witnessed the accident is urged to e-mail franklinstreetbikeaccident@gmail.com. Let’s find this bastard, people.
It’s also emphatically not the case that it’s “only a matter of time” before you get hurt riding your bike in a city. Cyclists, like all human beings, exercise agency in the decisions they make and can learn to adjust their behavior and habits to make themselves much, much safer. Knowing that you don’t have to ride near parked cars is one way of doing this. It’s true that doorings are an epidemic in NYC, and it’s true that our streets are still unacceptably dangerous if you’re on two wheels. But we shouldn’t give further impetus to the idea that getting injured or killed on your bike is “just a matter of time, period.” It’s a matter of many things, including the imperative of drivers to understand the potential hazards they can cause, the imperative of cyclists to understand those hazards and not create new ones, and of the larger way in which urban space is conceived and treated by those with the means to shape our cities. There are vast numbers of people in this city and in many others whose lives could be changed for the better and who could contribute to re-shaping their cities in a sustainable, sensible, healthy, efficiently-moving way by riding their bikes–but many of those people will look at something like Jasmine’s death and conclude that it’s just not worth it, unless they understand the potential for their own dynamic role in changing the situation where this keeps happening.”
— excerpted from comment by Scott on Streetsblog notice about Saturday’s vigil for cyclist Jasmine Herron. According to witnesses, Jasmine was doored by the careless driver of a Dodge parked on the right hand side of the street, and knocked into traffic, where she was accidentally killed by the city bus. The driver of the Dodge tried to deny any involvement, claiming another car struck Jasmine, but witnesses riding the bus say she’s lying.
Brooklyn, NY: Saturday memorial ride for Jasmine Herron »
There will be a vigil ride for Jasmine Herron this Saturday, the 25th, starting at 8:00 p.m. at the corner of Atlantic and Washington. The vigil organizers — including the 77th Precinct Community Council, Brooklyn Community Board 8, the 77th Precinct Clergy Council, and Council Member Tish James — are asking cyclists to come and ride in tribute to the victim.
“but as of right now cyclists are subject to same laws as autos”
Yeah except that autos are rarely subject to the same laws as anybody. Cops need to stop picking on bikes, period. Cars are more dangerous, cars kill more people, and drivers are rarely ticketed for, as other posters pointed out, KILLING PEOPLE.
NYPD we are losing our faith in you completely, if we ever had any faith in you to lose.
— Erin, comment posted to article, Brooklyn Cop Dishes Out Disorderly Conduct Charge to Cyclist Who Ran Red, on streetsblog.org, February 4th, 2010
"Ghost Bike" Ride Remembers Cyclists Killed in 2009 »
Yesterday, our production team followed along with the NYC Street Memorial folks and other dedicated cyclists on the 5th Annual Memorial Ride and Walk from Harlem through Queens and into Brooklyn. Along the way they stopped at the 2009 ghost bikes and pedestrian plaques to remember and honor those who have lost their lives on NYC streets.
We spent today reviewing our footage and will be posting some to our Kickstarter blog later tonight, as a sneak preview for our backers. If you’re not a backer yet, you should consider pledging ($1 is all it takes!) because there are some neat thank you gifts, including a limited special edition backers only first release DVD! The only way to get that version is to preorder the DVD by pledging $25 on Kickstarter… everyone else will have to settle for the regular DVD, with less art and cool stuff.
Thanks to some generous backers, we are off to a decent start on reaching our fundraising goal.. but Kickstarter funding is all or nothing, so if we don’t make our goal by February 1st then we don’t get a single cent.. So please spread the word around. Blog it, tweet it, facebook it, spam your friends’ email boxes!
No one pays attention anymore, it’s all about themselves and getting where they need to go. People in general need to S L O W down (walkers, bikers, drivers)”
— posted in response to Gothamist article about Solange Raulston’s ghost bike, which was installed on December 20th 2009 at McGuinness Blvd and Nassau Blvd in Greenpoint, Brooklyn,
Ghost Bike Goes Up At Dangerous Greenpoint Intersection »
Today’s Gothamist article about Solange Raulston’s ghost bike installation.
Solange Raulston was sideswiped by a truck near the intersection of Nassau Avenue and McGuinness Boulevard in Brooklyn. According to chatter on Twitter, there will be a gathering tomorrow to install her ghost bike. Times/more info TBA.
From Twitter:
friends of DJ Reverend Soul planning to march the ghost bike in Williamsburg #Bklyn on Sunday - DM for more info or check @artistsandfleas
