I saw this story on our local news. A man's son was struck by a drunk driver while riding his bike. A friend of his erected a "Ghost Bike" memorial in the location where the young man was hit and killed. He painted an old bike white, cemented it in the ground, and added the victim's name and date of death on the side of the bike. I never heard of Ghost Bikes before today, so I looked them up.This information on Ghost Bikes is from http://www.ghostbikes.org/ :
"Ghost Bikes are small and somber memorials for bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street. A bicycle is painted all white and locked to a street sign near the crash site, accompanied by a small plaque. They serve as reminders of the tragedy that took place on an otherwise anonymous street corner, and as quiet statements in support of cyclists' right to safe travel.
The first ghost bikes were created in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003, and they have since appeared in over 90 locations throughout the world. For those who create and install the memorials, the death of a fellow bicyclist hits home. We all travel the same unsafe streets and face the same risks; it could just as easily be any one of us. Each time we say we hope to never have to do it again -- but we remain committed to making these memorials as long as they are needed."
The first ghost bikes were created in St. Louis, Missouri in 2003, and they have since appeared in over 90 locations throughout the world. For those who create and install the memorials, the death of a fellow bicyclist hits home. We all travel the same unsafe streets and face the same risks; it could just as easily be any one of us. Each time we say we hope to never have to do it again -- but we remain committed to making these memorials as long as they are needed."
--Julie--
