Moronacity

The battle between cyclists and drivers continues, and it even worsens in some areas where driving is the predominant mode of transportation, as in Southeast Michigan. With high fuel prices and a dragging economy, the bicycle has become a popular mode of transportation. Unfortunately, many roads were not built with the cyclist in mind; bike lanes are not very common. Therefore, cyclists must share a lane with automobiles, which is the law in Michigan (visit your state and local web sites for bicycle laws in your area).

The Ride of Silence is an annual road ride organized every May with the intention of educating the general public of the presence of cyclists and the deaths that occur from automobile-bicycle collisions. That is not enough. Even though many people witness Rides of Silence throughout the world, the great majority of citizens don’t even know the ride exists. It reaches only so many people.

Another method of communication concerning bicycle deaths arose in 2003 in St Louis, MO. They started showing up at the sites of cyclist deaths. A ghost bike is a bicycle that is painted white, placed near the site of the incident, and marked with a plaque.

Ghost bikes aren’t just showing up, though. There is a web site, started by the NYC Street Memorial Project that has information on possible contacts for locations all over the world.

The Ghost Bike web site contains a Reactions page with some very powerful comments:

Your placement of a bike at the site of my husband’s (Dr. Carl Henry Nacht) fatal accident was an extremely meaningful act. For myself, my children, our family and friends, it has provided solace at the place of great tragedy. I have visited the bike often and use it to meditate about my husband of thirty three years…I have seen people stop, read the plaque and think about its simple but poignant message.

- Mary Beth Kelly, wife of Dr. Carl Henry Nacht

Last night I took a cab, and the driver was talking about the challenges of life as a cabbie. He was complaining about bike messengers and then suddenly shifted gears, lowered his tone, and said, “Do you ever see those bikes painted white, hanging up? That means someone died there. When I see them it reminds me to be careful for the bikers.” In other words, people notice.

- Anonymous

Sadly, ghost bikes are becoming too common in some areas. Some people do not understand that a ghost bike in honor of a loved one is not the equivalent of a roadside memorial of plastic flowers, but it serves as a reminder - it turns out a powerful reminder - that cyclists are sharing the roads and that accidents do happen. Ghost bikes remind drivers of the possible consequences of their haste.