Ghost Bike Pittsburgh Project

[Goride]

In the tooting the local horn department, some of us at the office took part in bringing the White Bikes as described in issue #105 to Pittsburgh. Called Ghost Bike Pittsburgh, we deployed our public art Monday night. As of Wednesday evening, at least some of the bikes had been taken down by city officials.


www.ghostbike.org


Ghost Bike Pittsburgh Press Release
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Ghost bikes, bright white bicycles with placards declaring "cyclist struck here," are appearing around Pittsburgh as roadside memorials to cyclists that were struck by motor vehicles. These first of these memorials were installed on the night of Monday, May 24th by a group of concerned bicycle commuters who saw lives being destroyed by the lack of concern by city government and automobile drivers in general.

Jim Rihn was tragically struck and killed on June 28, 2002 along Allegheny River Boulevard by a woman who was distracted by the temperature controls in her car. The woman at fault was not given a citation. Mr. Rihn left behind a wife and family, who have since run into numerous bureaucratic difficulties having a memorial installed.

The people behind this project see Pittsburgh as a city with an uninviting transportation infrastructure, a government reluctant to accommodate their needs, and a set of laws that leans toward the rights of motorists rather than exposed and unprotected bicyclists.

Bicycling remains a viable form of transportation that can reduce roadway congestion, air pollution, noise, parking needs, energy use, and above all, to provide more daily physical exercise for everyone.

Pittsburgh, ranked fifth from the worst among American cities for the amount of airborne solids (which come from fossil fuel emissions such as car and diesel exhausts) by the American Lung Association can benefit from embracing cycling as a viable and sustainable form of transportation.
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Also, links to news stories that have appeared so far:

Pittburgh Independent Media: http://indypgh.org/news/2004/05/14196.php
Post Gazette: http://postgazette.com/pg/04148/322514.stm
Pittsburgh City Paper: http://www.pittsburghcitypaper.ws/news/story.cfm?type=News%20Briefs#2227

-brad

[Cyclenaut]

Way to go. Really good press. Keep up the good work!

[hophead]

Well California is taking steps against distracted driving. I'm not sure how I feel about their new, soon to be, law. On the one hand it may save lives. On the other, it pretty much gives the police a blanket invatation to stop you for any reason unless your eyes are glued to the road.

http://groups.msn.com/IndependentTruckers/general.msnw?action=get_message&mview=1&ID_Message=267

[JBabcock]

I saw these in Seattle today. Pretty stupid. I ride, and I know that I should stay out of the way of cars.

Seems to me that more riders should learn that lesson. Nothing worse than an idiot on a bike who thinks he owns the road.

You know, the one who impedes traffic? Then runs the red light when he catches up to the cars that passed him/her.

Go get 'em tiger...

[davkatreb]

I saw these in Seattle today. Pretty stupid. I ride, and I know that I should stay out of the way of cars.

Seems to me that more riders should learn that lesson. Nothing worse than an idiot on a bike who thinks he owns the road.

You know, the one who impedes traffic? Then runs the red light when he catches up to the cars that passed him/her.

Go get 'em tiger...
This is without a doubt the stupidest God damned thing I have ever read ANYWHERE, including that which you see written in bathroom stalls. You, Sir or Madam, are either a troll of the very worst, or an idiot. In either case, why don't you climb up in your SUV, eat a Big Mac, drive on down to WAL*MART and never bother us again.

[JBabcock]

Think I'll make a few signs myself today, to hang on those bikes....

"Looks like somebody needs to watch out for cars"

[hophead]

I saw these in Seattle today. Pretty stupid. I ride, and I know that I should stay out of the way of cars.
When you say "I ride" do you mean that you ride on the road and if so how do you "stay out of the way of cars?"
Seems to me that the only way to accomplish that is by illegally riding on the sidewalks.
Seems to me that more riders should learn that lesson. Nothing worse than an idiot on a bike who thinks he owns the road.
Actually, there is--a motorist that thinks he owns the road. A cyclist cuts off a motorist in traffic and the motorist might spill his coffee. A motorist cuts off a cyclist and it's blood that's spilled. That's why all 50 states require licenses and insurance for the operation of a motor vehicle, but not a bicycle.
You know, the one who impedes traffic? Then runs the red light when he catches up to the cars that passed him/her.
No, I don't know the one. I'm sure that there are some cyclists who don't obey traffic laws just like some motorists don't. Nobody that I know blows through red lights on their bike.

[davkatreb]

Think I'll make a few signs myself today, to hang on those bikes....

"Looks like somebody needs to watch out for cars"
Are you STILL here? Jesus Tittyf*cking Christ, are you telling me that you are too Goddamn dumb to take a hint?

[Goride]

Awesome.

JBabcock - I'm glad to hear this project made you angry enough to bring it up from the archives into fresh discussion again.

Any press is good press. Spread the hate, dude.

-brad

[jonassterling]

Really folks what the hell is wrong with people these days? I was passed 3 times last month in my car on busy city streets, over a double yellow only to pull up behind Mr. leadfoot at the next stoplight. I'm constantly tailgated while driving at or above the speed limit, and am honked at if I sit more than one second at a green light.

Drivers need to get a grip and the damn cops have got to stop driving like messengers. On my ride home today I was followed by a police car down a long wide open hill. neat the bottom I stopped at a newly red light, at which point the cop gunned it through the red light, only to stop a block later at another signal he couldn't run. Last month a motorcycle cop almost ran a pedestrian down in a cross walk that I and oncoming traffic had stopped top let cross. No lights, no siren, no hurry. I have seen numerous drivers pulled over at the same cross walk for the same thing.

I will not get started on buses.

Strangely enough I get very little hassle from cars these days on my bike.

[JBabcock]

Yup, I'm still here. Kind of fun watching you get all worked up!

So did you guys all vote for Kerry? Kind of seems like you folk might be them sort. I ought to tell my friends to come over and join in the fun!


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For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat 3 more.

[hophead]

Yup, I'm still here. Kind of fun watching you get all worked up!

So did you guys all vote for Kerry? Kind of seems like you folk might be them sort. I ought to tell my friends to come over and join in the fun!

No, "we all" didn't. Each of us actually think for ourselves. What exactly does who we voted for have to do with riding in traffic??
For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat 3 more.
I don't eat rabid animals or meat from cows with BSE, but you are more than welcome to as much as you can eat.

[davkatreb]

I ought to tell my friends
No leap of faith could bring me to the point where I would believe that such people exist.

[hairygrump]

Please do not feed the troll.

[Goride]

JBabcock - THis is a self and staff policed board.

Come here simply to troll, and you'll find your IP banned. You're three for three so far. Consider yourself warned.

Now go ahead, poke fun at me. It will gain you respect.

-brad

[vladamir]

Yup, I'm still here. Kind of fun watching you get all worked up!

So did you guys all vote for Kerry? Kind of seems like you folk might be them sort. I ought to tell my friends to come over and join in the fun!


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For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat 3 more.

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Last edited by JBabcock : Today at 05:31 AM.
Somebody sucks. :mad: :cool:

[vladamir]

Done anymore ghost bike work Brad?

[Spatafore]

Yup, I'm still here. Kind of fun watching you get all worked up!

So did you guys all vote for Kerry? Kind of seems like you folk might be them sort. I ought to tell my friends to come over and join in the fun!


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For every animal you don't eat, I'm going to eat 3 more.

*Gets ready to say something* ...Nevermind.

[BikeNinja]

There was a recent thread about ghostcycle seattle on the Bike Punx board. Pretty heated discussion for and against.
http://www.livejournal.com/community/bikepirates/1365146.html

[JBabcock]

Looks like my trolling is working pretty good so far! Look who's biting!

[JBabcock]

Say, I read that link, Ghostbikes", what a bunch of squids.

[JBabcock]

"Why are car drivers going to be thinking about this? If they don't see cyclists in the road why are they going to see bikes chained to poles? Are people posting about ghost cycles on the car drivers livejournal communities?

This project suffers from something a lot of grassroots activism suffers from: they target only the people that already feel strongly for their cause. Ghost Cycle isn't getting out and saying "Hey car drivers, look out for us cyclists" it's saying "Hey cyclists, look at this memorial".

I'm going to keep saying it so people don't jump down my throat: the ghost cycle was a touching memorial when it was first used to commemorate the death of a cyclist. Using it to mark spots where people got doored is stupid."

Somebody else thinks it's stupid too!

[Cyclenaut]

JBabcock, I salute you!

[Rip]

Looks like my trolling is working pretty good so far! Look who's biting!
There's no room on this board for another troll.
Especially a godless commie troll.

[JBabcock]

"Godless commie troll?"

I think not, I was born-again in 1996. However, living here in Seattle, I will concede that I'm surrounded by "Freaks, Geeks, Weirdo's and Queers."

[vladamir]

"Godless commie troll?"

I think not, I was born-again in 1996. However, living here in Seattle, I will concede that I'm surrounded by "Freaks, Geeks, Weirdo's and Queers."-babblelikeababy

When are you gonna die again hippy? F'ing liberals and leftists I swear! Why are they always coming here and causing trouble?!! "Born Again" hippies are the worst!

[Rip]

I was born-again in 1996.
What went wrong the first time?

[2dumb4gears]

[QUOTE=JBabcock] I saw these in Seattle today. Pretty stupid. I ride, and I know that I should stay out of the way of cars.

Seems to me that more riders should learn that lesson. Nothing worse than an idiot on a bike who thinks he owns the road.

You know, the one who impedes traffic? Then runs the red light when he catches up to the cars that passed him/her."...

Actually, if you look at the ghost cycle website, you'll see that 90% of these riders were obeying traffic laws. If you think that in Seattle it's as easy as "staying out of the way", perhaps you're doing all your riding on the Burke. I've been hit twice in two years, one as a driver turned left into me while I was going straight. He was on the phone, and didn't look up until I hit the hood/windshield. I've had car doors flung open as I was coming by. And worst of all is the "Seattle swerve", where the frustration from the narrow streets and lack of a left turn lane leads drivers to whip around to the right lane at an intersection, without bothering to check it first. Have a good time out on the paved bike path with your kids and all, but you should spend some commuter time on the actual streets here before you bag on the ghost cycle project.

BTW: Do you actually live in Seattle with that afraid-of-your-wierdo neighbors attitude, or are you cowering somewhere in the 'burbs?

Oh, and with the 'born again' nonsense; I don't know of any passages in the bible saying you should run around being a smug bastard in public. On your next ride, try to pet one of those squirrels with the mouth-foam.

There are some intelligent and civil conservatives on this site who I really respect (such as Brad, OTBSkinloss, and RepublicanSS). But we've been picking up some real winners lately--what gives?