My wise old grandmother taught me to share
Along with going for extended walks several times a week, I also like to go for bike rides. Although I like bike rides better than walking, simply because I can cover more area, San Diego is not known as a very friendly city for bikers, not that walkers have it that much better.
On my bike ride this morning I found an abandoned bike looking all forlorn:
It looks abandoned and forlorn because it’s supposed to look that way. It is a “ghost bike.” Ghost bikes are roadside memorials, the roadside crosses of the cycling community. They are painted white and adorned with flowers and other mementoes to honor a fallen cyclist.
This ghost bike is at the intersection of Montezume Road and Collwood Boulevard:
It was left there in April in honor of bicyclist Charles Gilbreth, 63, who was struck from behind by an SUV and killed.
In researching ghost bikes, I discovered that the bikewas a gift from an anonymous cyclist and that the white paint was purchased by Forrest Brodsky, a senior at San Diego State University. In early July, the city posted a violation notice on the bike since it was chained in the public right-of-way without a permit. It was scheduled to be removed 72 hours after the notice was issued.
A protest rally was scheduled but didn’t take place because Councilwoman Marti Emerald got wind of everything and made calls to the City to resolve the issue. The bike remains.
Generally I don’t ride on the streets even though the City has made its streets more bike friendly, theoretically, by painting bikes in the far right lanes:
It doesn’t really matter where one rides, though, street or sidewalk. On streets, you have to beware of cars that don’t care. On sidewalks, you have to beware of people opening car doors on parked vehicles or people coming out of buildings.
My wise old grandmother taught me to share, and she didn’t tell me that I could put restrictions on what I shared. “Share, share, share!” she often exclaimed. Wouldn’t it be nice if the roadways were shared with cars, cyclists, and even pedestrians simply crossing the street?
Russel Ray’s bike
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Posted on July 23, 2012, in My wise old grandmother, Photos and tagged charles gilbreth, forrest brodsky, ghost bikes, marti emerald. Bookmark the permalink. 37 Comments.
I’ll take mountain biking any day over roads. Cars can be scary. I don’t even think that most drivers are trying to be mean…they’re just scatterbrained on their phones and such. Sigh.
I know. Which is more important, texting or paying attention to the road?…………….
Definitely. They can’t make these cellphone and driving laws quick enough for me.
Did you see what the auto makers are now putting in cars, though? Internet connections right on your dashboard. Pretty soon we won’t need a home; we’ll just live out of our cars.
Sad day.
I hope I can make my bare minimum 2002 Toyota Camry last until I die so I don’t have to buy a new car with all these “standards” that I don’t want.
Ha ha! I hear ya, man! My Toytoa Camry is a 2001, and I want it to last through 3 more teenagers. We’ll keep our fingers crossed for both of our cars! May they be reliable!
Great post. I like the concept of ghost bikes as a poetic way to raise awareness.
I am very aware of the danger of bicycling. Many years ago, I was on a bicycle trip down the Oregon Coast, well on my side of the white line, but I am almost certain I was being buzzed by guys in a big car who wanted to scare the girl on the bike, but probably didn’t mean to hit me. They clipped my pannier, sent me flying, and took off. I ALWAYS share the road with bicycles. I don’t understand drivers who resent bicyclists who help keep the traffic on the freeways down and make parking easier by cutting down competition for spaces. More importantly, they are cutting down on noise and air pollution and consumption of natural resources.
You bring up so many great points about why cyclists deserve a share of the road!
I like your bike – - – minimalist!
I wanted something that I could sit on instead of bending on like racers, and it had to be capable of both pavement and off road cycling.
By the way, a package is on its way to you. Went out a couple of hours ago.
Thanks. I will keep my eye out for the package. Now I will have to find a proper place to display it.
Ghost bikes and bike-sharing in major metro areas–interesting combo of perspectives on bicycle usage! Sharing, yes, sharing is very much needed in this world today!
Thanks for sharing the concept of ghost bikes. Fascinating and sad.
Bikers can be scary; there’s a lovely country road nearby that cyclists like. BUT it’s a one lane road in each direction with winding curvy parts that make maneuvering difficult. When driving that road, if a car comes at you from the opposite direction and you have to drive around a cyclist it’s an accident waiting to happen.
I shudder every time I drive it.
Reminds me of author Stephen King who lives out in the country in Maine. He was walking down the two-lane road near where he lives and was run over by a vehicle. I believe that was back in 1999. Fortunately he survived but he indicates that the incident and the hospital stay have scarred him permanently.
Why are bikers scary? Why do you “have to” drive around a cyclist (when you can’t see around a curve, e.g.)? If you can’t pass safely, just don’t. Isn’t that what we learned in traffic school? At least that’s what I do, when I’m behind a cyclist.
I think there are a lot of people who didn’t to go traffic school They simply stood in line at Sears and Montgomery Ward…………lol
In Germany, I used to joke that quite a few people must have won their driver’s license in the lottery.
I’m into road bikes, but lately haven’t ridden one down here in Karnes County. With the increasing oil traffic, roads around here aren’t safe any more. That – the increased traffic – is the main reason why we want to relocate to the Texas Hill Country.
Enjoy your bike, and safe bicyling,
Pit
However, I can tell you from experience that there is a lot of tourist traffic in the hill country, and they aren’t always familiar with the roads, making for accidents waiting to happen.
I know about the tourist traffic there and I wouldn’t ever ride the Willow City Loop, e.g., during the springflower season. But there are ever so many small and paved roads without any tourist traffic. I did 17.5 miles of those on Saturday and I thoroughly enjoyed it.
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Thank you very much!
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I have never heard of a ghost bike.
What a wise grandma. The thing about sharing roads with both cars and bikes is that bikes are small and cars are big and even when being careful (both driver and biker) if a mishap happens, the car will always win out.
We have lots of bike riders here in Switzerland, and often on main roads that are both narrow and higher speed limits. It always scares me to come up on a biker if there is traffic, so I simply don’t try to pass unless I’m absolutely sure of it. But even when there is room for both the cyclist and car in a wider lane with a bike lane, I am always wary, afraid something might happen, the cyclist could hit a bump and swerve in front of the car or whatever. It makes me nervous, but that’s good because it makes me drive more cautiously.
I like the ghost bike story, and that they got to keep it. I think we all need to be reminded to be careful, both drivers and cyclists.
When I was 11, a neighbor’s child has killed when he ran out into the street from between parked cars to get his baseball. It was a sad event that had a lifelong effect on me. I have never lived in a neighborhood where homeowners park on the streets. I like those garages. I’m also extremely wary whenever I have to drive through such a neighborhood. Cyclists are just a step up in a magnitude of wariness.
I’m glad the bike stayed…London isn’t very bike friendly either. I want to get a bike since I miss riding, but I fear I won’t ride much out of fear. Good luck with your rides…and watch out for everyone!
As Cyclists we need eyes in the back of our heads! Mountain bikes are great for getting off the roads and in amongst nature! Ride safe everyone.
Thank you for this story, Russel. You have helped me again; I had never heard of a “ghost bike.” It’s a great idea, like the “flower shrines” for those who have died on the highway.
Blessings – Maxi
Another beautiful post, dear Russel. I dream to have a bike and to ride a bike one day
My love and my son they don’t let me, because of this crazy traffic in the city. Thanks and Love, nia
I’m always super scared for people who ride their bikes in the street! There are a lot of people who do that up here, most of the time it’s fine, but it still makes me nervous haha!
It’s getting more and more dangerous for both walkers and bikers to use the roads lately… I don’t drive, and even the way they make the streets makes it hard to do either. Great post!
Great post. I didn’t know about ghost bikes. We just have ghost spots in our area. One right at the end of our street. We DO NOT have bike friendly streets, especially outside the city, but we have lots of bikers from time to time. If there are enough of them, they just take over the two lane roads. If they are alone, like me when I ride, it is just biker beware. I’d rather live than not be wary.
I like the Ghost Bikes as well. We have had a few tragedies where I live and car drivers need to be more patient and less distracted. A biker does not stand a chance against a two ton vehicle. Well done.