Ligas ghost bike now gone
Chuck Hildebrand, who owns the apartment complex where Andria Ligas was hit and killed, contacted me and asked me to remove the memorial to her. Evidently he felt it was an eyesore that he should not have to endure in front of his property.
So, I pulled it out today. Here’s what the site looks like now:
I was gratified that a car pulled a U-turn and drove up next to me as I was struggling to get the bike, complete with 50 lbs of concrete attached to the rear wheel, into my car. They only barely politely accused me of stealing the memorial and pointedly wanted to know just exactly what the hell I thought was doing. They pretty quickly started lecturing me about the memorials of people killed in bike accidents and said they had been reading about these memorials in the news and wanted people to respect them. I let them go on for a second before telling them that actually I was the one who had installed the thing in the first place and the property owner wanted it gone.
They were fairly disgusted by that. And believe me, these folks aren’t even cyclists. So a little piece of my faith in humanity was restored.
–Erik Ryberg
July 31st, 2008 at 3:31 pm
Not to mention that that Ghost Bike was in public right-of-way, and not on his property.
August 3rd, 2008 at 5:54 pm
Yeah I think I would have left it if on a right of way. That apartment complex looks like crap anyways. However I rode by that area the night she was killed and distintly remember the accident happening on the other side of the road (in front of the castle i think). Perhaps you can install it over there. Or ask the property owner to have a little respect for the victims of car culture. Anyways love y’alls work, keep it up
April 5th, 2009 at 8:43 am
My friend was struck while walking home from a party because he was to drunk to drive. He was not riding a bicycle at the time of the accident and he was legally on a crosswalk. I would like to anchor a ghost keg as a memorial to him, because the activity at the time he was struck by a vehicle, he was drinking a beer. Hopefully, Tucson residences will allow this white ghost keg to remain anchored on someones elses property, as reminder of pedestrians that frequently walk this area.
August 16th, 2009 at 7:59 pm
I grew up with Andria, having had the pleasure to meet her when we were in the 2nd grade and we stayed friends and kept in touch when she left for the U, and until she passed away. I was in Tucson today and started to think about her again, as I do quite often, and I was disgusted to find out her bike had been removed. What kind of horrible human makes you take down a memorial?! I know these posts are older, but I can’t find anything else on her bike. Anything up to date anyway. What has happend to it? Can we get another memorial up for Andria?
August 26th, 2009 at 10:41 am
Jaime, why don’t you build an memorial on your property? Although I gather you do not live in Tucson from your writing, at least you will be able to maintain the memorial on your property, and also be reminded of her life everyday. Andria’s memorial was most likly removed by the property’s owner where the bike was located.
August 26th, 2009 at 10:57 am
The bike was removed by me. It was not on private property, it was on city property, but a local landowner told me that he would remove it himself if I did not.
The bike was moved a short distance away and is still standing now.
Ghost bikes are only partially memorials to the person who has died. They are primarily reminders to drivers of the fragility of bicyclists and the fact that in an encounter, they often die. This is why ghost bikes are often installed by the bicycling community and not family members. They serve two purposes.
EBR
September 6th, 2009 at 6:23 pm
Erik, Who’s property is the ghost bike on now?
Wes
September 6th, 2009 at 7:20 pm
Wes, I believe it is either on City property or an easement.
EBR
September 8th, 2009 at 7:46 pm
Erik. Did you get permission to anchor the ghost bike on that property? Do you have a picture of it too? Wes
September 8th, 2009 at 8:45 pm
Hi Wes, the City has a published policy that permits memorials on City easements. So, yes, permission is granted already and I had it.
September 9th, 2009 at 12:46 am
APWA 30.35