On the trail of 'ghost bikes,' families and friends of cyclists killed on the streets of New York rally for more police action »
There’s an understanding for a driver who is unaware of his surroundings and people around him. But the cyclist who is rapping on a person’s vehicle can be charged with criminal mischief. The difference is that a cyclist knows he’s touching a car and a driver doesn’t know he’s hitting or running over a cyclist. And it’s not just the police. It’s judges who have that perspective. And that affects what charges district attorneys brings.
Sort of how we shrug off the thousands of collaterally dead civilians in the various wars we’ve initiated lately, while vilifying dissidents at home and abroad who pose no violent threat to anyone. It’s not a good look.
There’s probably a good chunk of automobile killings that are just as intentional as the cyclist harmlessly rapping on the metallic shell of an automobile, but it’s hard to sort them out because it’s so easy to carelessly kill with an automobile. That’s not a good look, either.
Ghost bike in Salt Lake City, sad.
Ghost bike Dalston by Alan Denney on Flickr.
via talkingbollocks
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.
(Source: jthompsonphoto)
ghost bike for Manual Santizo
Los Angeles, CA
April 2011
P1090660 Ghost Bike For Jack Layton by Martinho on Flickr.
Ghost Bikes
On the junction by scala in Kings Cross, there is a new ghost bike. It is almost unrecognisable because of all the flowers. It’s covered most the way up the lamp post in flowers.
It breaks my heart because whoever lost their life there was obviously so, so loved.
It’s not so hard to take a second look for cyclists before you turn. To have an extra 10 seconds of consideration. I can say this now as a driver as well as a cyclist. Just look. Open your eyes.
And rest in peace, whoever you are.
ghost bike for Marco Acuapan in Orange County, CA
This is a ghost bike, it appeared on my street a few weeks ago. When a cyclist is killed a ghost bike appears shortly thereafter, painted white and typically with a plaque - a memorial for the cyclist that was killed. Until the ghost bike came to my neighborhood I didn’t know such a thing existed. I find it to be a beautiful but tragic memorial.
Toronto cyclists gather for ride in honour of fallen cyclist Jenna Morrison
David Rothberg, chairman of Niagara Capital Partners, a Bay Street hedge fund, rode his bicycle from his home in the Annex to the corner of Spadina Avenue and Bloor Street West at 7:30 a.m. Monday. He joined about 400 cyclists who rode silently down Spadina, across Harbord Street, down to College Street and west to Sterling Road and Dundas Street West.
This “ghost bike ride,” organized by Advocacy for Respect for Cyclists, served to commemorate Jenna Morrison, the mom and yoga teacher killed by a truck while riding her bike a week ago. (Photo: Peter Kuitenbrouwer/National Post)
