Sunday 8 March 2015

Ghost bikes – Yes, the city should limit them

I hate passing them, every time we are in the city. The driving is horrible, 90 minutes into the hospital for regular cancer tests. Then we have to pass Dussault's memorial, as well. Then there are people passing us, speeding to some important meeting or appointment.

It is a bad corner, no question. Lots of traffic. They are ubiquitous. They are terrible reminders of death and dying. This doesn't celebrate where they lived well, but where they died.
Yes, limit them to being there for only one year, if people must place them at all. To decorate them with flags, pumpkins, mini Christmas tree? No.

 Ridiculous distractions. People shouldn't need a memorial to remind fellow cyclists to cycle safely. Drivers should slow down, check blind spots, but they don't and won't, unless it is a good habit. The garbage truck ran into poor Dussault. Cyclists have to drive with utmost caution. It's win-lose, for sure.





 Egan: Should city limit roadside memorials, ghost bikes?

COLUMNISTS 

In life, Meg Dussault was well-loved and, in death, expressively remembered – with spokes and wheels, ribbon and a rosary, with a small tree, a planter, a photograph, an ice sculpture.


Op-Ed: Ottawa won't pay for bike safety

LOCAL NEWS 

Her name was Danielle Naçu. On Tuesday October 11, 2011, she was doored on Queen Street. She was knocked into oncoming traffic, was struck and died. Thursday morning, another cyclist was doored, this time on Somerset Street. The cyclist suffered serious, yet relatively minor injuries. It is dark irony that Thursday's dooring came a day after the city celebrated the one-millionth trip along the Laurier bike lanes.




Cyclist killed in fundraiser ride identified as hospital official, 40

LOCAL NEWS 

Laurie Strano was engaged to be married and in the best condition of her life when she died in a tragic accident during this year’s Ride the Rideau fundraising event for cancer research.


View this content on CTV Ottawa 's website
38-year-old cyclist Mario Théoret

Ghost bike honours cyclist killed at busy intersection

Another ghost bike has been set up in the Capital to solemnly mark the intersection where a cyclist lost his life. Friends and members of the cycling community placed the bike at West Hunt Club and...

  1. Kelly Egan: Across sea of asphalt, ghost bike reminds us a life was lost: Here died David Tyler Br...

7 comments:

eileeninmd said...

It is a shame that bikers are involved in these accidents.. I am starting to see more and more bike lanes in our state.. Vehicles have to allow room for the bikes..

Coloring Outside the Lines said...

My husband rides on the shoulder of the highway and it scares me to death because there are people who just don't stay between the lines. I say a prayer every time he leaves. We don't have ghost bike memorials, but we do have crosses on the side of the road for those killed in car wrecks. They would not be allowed on the pavement.

Nancy J said...

Have a bunch of flowers, and when they wilt, have nothing, Families do not need this right in their face every time they drive/walk or cycle past.I would hate to see that if one of ours had died that way.

Red said...

This just goes to show that we need a better bike lane system and we need better drivers. Here , the car drivers have put up a big stink about bike lanes. With drivers with those attitudes now wonder people get hurt or killed.

Gill - That British Woman said...

I have never heard of this, nor have I seen this before. Very mixed feelings about these.

William Kendall said...

I read the article in the paper the other day on that ghost bike. It dismays me that all this time later, there's no movement at all on getting rid of this thing.

Yamini MacLean said...

Hari Om
I am all in favour of folk finding their way to process grief... I am not at all sure such public demonstration is entirely appropriate... could write lots, but won't. It's your blog! Read this as agreement though... YAM xx