Ghost bike effort picks up steam

This is a great way to raise awareness about bike safety! Keep it up!

This is a great way to raise awareness about bike safety! Keep it up!

i’m part of a group that creates ghost bikes in new york city. we’d love to be involved in a revival of ghostbike.org to keep track of national efforts. get in touch at visual.resistance[at]gmail.com.

thanks.

p.s. — in response to your questions at the end, at least in new york, the reception has been exclusively positive. none of our installations have been removed by police or property owners. several are constantly decorated with flowers, months later. friends and family members of the bikers we’re memorializing have been thankful, as well.

p.s. — in response to your questions at the end, at least in new york, the reception has been exclusively positive. none of our installations have been removed by police or property owners. several are constantly decorated with flowers, months later. friends and family members of the bikers we’re memorializing have been thankful, as well.

eliot,

Great to hear from you and I’m sure the local contingent will be getting in touch with you. It’s good to hear that response in NYC has been so positive.

eliot,

Great to hear from you and I’m sure the local contingent will be getting in touch with you. It’s good to hear that response in NYC has been so positive.

I think, overall, it is a good idea.

If I remember correctly, the folks that were doing this in Seattle did it completely anonymously, so as to not shift the attention from the victim to themselves. With that in mind, I think the placard is somewhat dumb. It explains who died and when and that is great, I guess. But listing a website and safety suggestions…well, I am not really complaining since it is great that they did this…but if were to make a memorial it would just be the white bike and nothing else.

I think, overall, it is a good idea.

If I remember correctly, the folks that were doing this in Seattle did it completely anonymously, so as to not shift the attention from the victim to themselves. With that in mind, I think the placard is somewhat dumb. It explains who died and when and that is great, I guess. But listing a website and safety suggestions…well, I am not really complaining since it is great that they did this…but if were to make a memorial it would just be the white bike and nothing else.

Hey Nick,

I hear where you’re coming from, but I don’t think it’s cool to call it “dumb”…especially because it was put up by the victim’s brother. Maybe not the best choice of words?

I encourage you to get involved and make the memorials however you’d like. If you want to join with some folks that are already working on this, let me know and I can hook you up.

Thanks for commenting.

Hey Nick,

I hear where you’re coming from, but I don’t think it’s cool to call it “dumb”…especially because it was put up by the victim’s brother. Maybe not the best choice of words?

I encourage you to get involved and make the memorials however you’d like. If you want to join with some folks that are already working on this, let me know and I can hook you up.

Thanks for commenting.

I work with ghostcycle london… A ghost cycle portal is an excellent idea, and we are presently working on extending the backend so that the site is easy to update, and makes national contributions really easy… if you need the source code[php]for a site get intouch. So far we have only had an extremely positive response. Best of luck with your projects.

I work with ghostcycle london… A ghost cycle portal is an excellent idea, and we are presently working on extending the backend so that the site is easy to update, and makes national contributions really easy… if you need the source code[php]for a site get intouch. So far we have only had an extremely positive response. Best of luck with your projects.

Hey,
I normally do not post to such things. However, I feel I must add to this. I drive around Portland a lot for my work, and I also have a personal connection to the death of Noah Cardamon last May at SE 50th & Stark. I have noticed the bikes and have seen them ALL.

It’s a great idea, and makes a great statement. It makes a better statement to me, than the mass bicycle rides that really cause division between bikers and motorists–makes motorists mad who can’t drive while cyclists are clogging up the street. I have been stuck for a few hours in that traffic, and it makes me annoyed at the bikers, frankly and honestly. It’s hard to respect/recognize a cause like that when they are breaking the law–yet accusing motorists of breaking the law.

The memorials are much more meaningful to me, and it does make me stop a minute and think about safety. PLUS–some of the intersections are so benign. Who would think someone would be killed at SE 50th & Stark? (Being a drunk driver counts as a hazard, but that’s beside the point.) It’s not a busy intersection, or has any hazards. Same with NE Fremont and 80th. It’s a reminder to always be careful.

May I suggest?? Please put the person’s name on the card if possible. I think that makes it that much more personal. The ones I have had a chance to see up close don’t have the names of the victims.

Keep up this kind of meaningful work that builds bridges and memorializes our friends, and doesn’t divide.

AMG

PS Always remembering Noah.

Hey,
I normally do not post to such things. However, I feel I must add to this. I drive around Portland a lot for my work, and I also have a personal connection to the death of Noah Cardamon last May at SE 50th & Stark. I have noticed the bikes and have seen them ALL.

It’s a great idea, and makes a great statement. It makes a better statement to me, than the mass bicycle rides that really cause division between bikers and motorists–makes motorists mad who can’t drive while cyclists are clogging up the street. I have been stuck for a few hours in that traffic, and it makes me annoyed at the bikers, frankly and honestly. It’s hard to respect/recognize a cause like that when they are breaking the law–yet accusing motorists of breaking the law.

The memorials are much more meaningful to me, and it does make me stop a minute and think about safety. PLUS–some of the intersections are so benign. Who would think someone would be killed at SE 50th & Stark? (Being a drunk driver counts as a hazard, but that’s beside the point.) It’s not a busy intersection, or has any hazards. Same with NE Fremont and 80th. It’s a reminder to always be careful.

May I suggest?? Please put the person’s name on the card if possible. I think that makes it that much more personal. The ones I have had a chance to see up close don’t have the names of the victims.

Keep up this kind of meaningful work that builds bridges and memorializes our friends, and doesn’t divide.

AMG

PS Always remembering Noah.

I think it is sad and tragic that some bike riders are casualties. I am sad for their families.

There is, however, plenty of bike awareness in Portland. Many times it may be the cyclist’s fault for an accident, due to not obeying traffic laws. I think there needs to be bike law awareness spread around the city. Most bikers are fine, and I applaud their efforts to reduce pollution and get healthy. Portland is a very bike friendly city. Many roads (maintained by tax dollars from car drivers) have bike lanes painted on them, and this system works well. What I do not understand though, is why some bike riders insist on riding on narrow, busy streets without these lanes? NE/SE 39th avenue is a perfect example. Not only are they putting themselves in harms way, they are clogging up traffic causing more pollution, meanwhile enraging motorists, which gives all bike riders a bad name. I would figure that it would be more enjoyable for the rider to use the residential street one block over. There would be less stress on all commuters, biker included. And most bikers DO ride one block over. I am sure their commute time is the same, and they have also enjoyed the beauty of a Portland neighborhood street. It is the militant sector of bikers that give 98% of the other rider’s bad names with their self-entitlement attitude. So, I say we should focus on promoting biker education along side of biker awareness. After all, why would you want all the drivers hate you? There’s no contest between a bike and a 2 ton car.

I know you’re trying to go a good thing here. But putting these bikes all over town will make the city look shabby. It really is litter, on city property. I think you’re going to make more people mad, and it will cause more harm than good. Personally, if I were to see one of these out in front of my house, I would bring out my big bolt cutters I got at Harbor Freight for $20 and remove it promptly.

I am a motorcyclist. I know what it is like to be riding a vehicle that seems to be invisible to cars. There are many motorcycle fatalities around the city. I wonder what people would think if I got a bunch of 1970’s Honda beater bikes and started chaining them up all around the city where fellow bikers have fallen?

I just think it’s a bad idea, and one that will most likely hurt your cause rather than help it.

Just saw the Ghost Bike memorial on Belmont. I think it’s a great way to commemerate the loss of these cycleists and bring awareness. How can I help with this project?

I think it is sad and tragic that some bike riders are casualties. I am sad for their families.

There is, however, plenty of bike awareness in Portland. Many times it may be the cyclist’s fault for an accident, due to not obeying traffic laws. I think there needs to be bike law awareness spread around the city. Most bikers are fine, and I applaud their efforts to reduce pollution and get healthy. Portland is a very bike friendly city. Many roads (maintained by tax dollars from car drivers) have bike lanes painted on them, and this system works well. What I do not understand though, is why some bike riders insist on riding on narrow, busy streets without these lanes? NE/SE 39th avenue is a perfect example. Not only are they putting themselves in harms way, they are clogging up traffic causing more pollution, meanwhile enraging motorists, which gives all bike riders a bad name. I would figure that it would be more enjoyable for the rider to use the residential street one block over. There would be less stress on all commuters, biker included. And most bikers DO ride one block over. I am sure their commute time is the same, and they have also enjoyed the beauty of a Portland neighborhood street. It is the militant sector of bikers that give 98% of the other rider’s bad names with their self-entitlement attitude. So, I say we should focus on promoting biker education along side of biker awareness. After all, why would you want all the drivers hate you? There’s no contest between a bike and a 2 ton car.

I know you’re trying to go a good thing here. But putting these bikes all over town will make the city look shabby. It really is litter, on city property. I think you’re going to make more people mad, and it will cause more harm than good. Personally, if I were to see one of these out in front of my house, I would bring out my big bolt cutters I got at Harbor Freight for $20 and remove it promptly.

I am a motorcyclist. I know what it is like to be riding a vehicle that seems to be invisible to cars. There are many motorcycle fatalities around the city. I wonder what people would think if I got a bunch of 1970’s Honda beater bikes and started chaining them up all around the city where fellow bikers have fallen?

I just think it’s a bad idea, and one that will most likely hurt your cause rather than help it.

Ghost Bikes are the best way to raise general awareness of bike safety that I’v seen. For Samhain (Halloween)/Day Of The Dead I’d like to see a memorial ride visiting these installations and leaving trinkets in remembrance of these fallen riders.

Ghost bike Budapest (Hungary)

AMG – a blog with photos of Noah posted by me, his Dad.

http://tominthejungle.blogspot.com/

a man i work with was hit by a car yesterday and killed. this happened about 24 hours ago, and he died 20 hours ago. I knew him for 10 weeks, yet I knew he was a good person, a good soul, and someone that we all hate to see go. Ghostbikes is a good idea…I think it will raise awareness of the reality of car and biker impact. Cars are BIG HEAVY OBJECTS. And will kill a human effortlessly with one strike. Nick. R.I.P. Helmets, Lights, BIG ASS FOG HORNS. Whatever it takes.