AZ Daily Star on Ghost Bikes
Yesterday’s AZ Daily Star features an article by Andrea Kelly on Ghost Bikes in Tucson and describes them as “part art, part memorial, and mostly public service.” The article includes the names of the six fallen riders commemorated by Ghost Bikes in Tucson as well as information on how the Ghost Bike campaign has developed through DIY, grassroots efforts. Erik Ryberg is quoted in the article as well as Ari Shapiro, who installed the first Ghost Bike in Tucson. More information on the international Ghost Bike campaign can be found at ghostbikes.org.
It is also worth glancing over some of the comments made pertaining to the article. It is hard to believe that some drivers perceive the Ghost Bikes with such ignorance and insensitivity. Several times the words “eyesore” and “litter” are used to describe the bikes….one individual compares them to sandwich board signs for businesses and says that the city has an obligation to remove them. Our readers might recall from this past blog entry that the city has allowed for the Ghost Bikes to remain in place as long as they are not locked to traffic control devices such as street signs….so the new method of installation is to anchor the back wheel in concrete.
Jose Rincon’s father states in the comments, “All I can say is that for our family, visiting my son’s memorial bike at Broadway and Vozack has been an important comforting component of our grieving process. I am grateful for Mr. Shapiro’s gesture, and I would hate to see it removed if it is not a safety hazard.” You would think that people would have put the issue to rest after reading that…but instead it just gets even worse and turns into certain people ranting about sharing the road with cyclists…really quite nauseating.
-lauren