Shantrel Kailyn Williams, May 1, Compton, California
victim of drunk driver
Showing posts with label Ghost bike. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Ghost bike. Show all posts
Thursday, May 5, 2011
Thursday, April 21, 2011
Ghost Bike: Alex Romero...
Alex Romero
20 April 2011, Canoga Park, California
How long will we continue to allow the irresponsible, anti-social driving practices of certain individuals, who care not for the lives of any other road users, to be given free reign, to leave trails of death and destruction and shattered lives, across our roads and highways?
Rest in Peace Mr. Romero, and my condolences to family and friends.
report via BikingInLA
Monday, April 11, 2011
Saturday, December 18, 2010
December Southern California Ghost Bikes...
Jurgen Ankenbrand, 22 December, Huntington Beach
Joseph Patrick Szymanski, 15 December, La Quinta
Wednesday, October 6, 2010
Friday, October 1, 2010
Ghost bike...Paul Pegram
Paul Pegram, Louisville, KY, 30 September 2010
It is not usual for me to add comments to these memorials, something just does not seem correct about it, but I am going to make an exception this time and take the opportunity to do a little moralizing. I also do not normally go looking for for cycling fatalities outside of California, because, quite frankly there are enough similar tragedies here as it is, but the way Biking in LA had worded this particular link made me take a look. As I expected what I read and saw after the jump served as just another example of how entrenched car culture remains. If you read the original account, a witness states that he "believes the driver could not have avoided the collision." YET, the cyclist was on the shoulder, and we are not talking about some 3' wide bike lane shoulder (or too often, less), this shoulder is more than a cars width between traffic lane and edge of paving. And a collision could not have been avoided? That is pure b.s. Clearly the driver was doing something which caused him to leave the traffic lane and not see the cyclist right in front of him - that road looks pretty damn straight where the fatality occurred. Distracted driving would be my guess, by someone not taking responsibility with the seriousness it deserves.
Look, the truth is, there are very few psychopaths who set out to intentionally cause injury and death to other road users. But complacency is even more dangerous because it is an everyday occurrence , and it is insidious because you don't recognize it until it is too late. We drive around for years upon years and nothing happens, and so consciously or not, we become complacent, convinced that nothing will happen. So, reaching for that phone when it rings becomes just another act without consequence, searching for that tune on the ipod, no big deal, what could happen? But then, one day, BAM! How many drivers get into their car in the morning and, before turning the ignition key think, "jeez, this might be the day that I kill or injure someone? I better pay attention and drive cautiously." Pick a number between 0 and 10 and you might be close. Lame excuses like "he came out of nowhere", "I didn't see him", or "I looked away for just a second are just so much wasted breath, and will do little to satisfy a conscience or ease someone else's pain. PAY ATTENTION.
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
September Ghost Bikes...
Joshua Boulanger, 24 September 2910, Lucerne Valley, CA
Peter Anthony Zupan, 22 September 2010, Wildomar
Eldon Johansen, 22 September 2010, Redondo Beach, CA
Susan Eiko Akana, 19 September 2010, Carlsbad, CA
David Bruce Menea, 11 September 2010, Ramona, CA (*)
Lauretto Jean Romo, 10 September 2010, San Bernardino, CA (*)
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Ghost bike...Milen Dimitrov...
I apologize for the delay in this one. It was brought to my attention a few days ago when I saw it on Biking in LA.
Milen Dimitrov, 4 September 2010
Can you imagine a factory being allowed to operate with a safety violation track record equivalent to that with which our nations highway and street systems operate. Such a factory would be shut down in an instant. Careless distraction and recklessness would not be tolerated. The police officer responding to the above tragedy admonished everyone to "remain aware of your surroundings whether your a cyclist or in a vehicle". Sound advice of course; advice that most responsible people whether they be cyclists, drivers, or pedestrians for that matter, follow daily. Unfortunately, no matter how vigilant you are, there are those who do not take their responsibilities seriously and put others' lives in danger. Surviving on the road, the simple act of getting from point A to point B, should not depend on whether you have used up your lifetime quota of dumb luck.
Wednesday, August 25, 2010
Yannick Linke...
Meligrosa reminds that tonight is the memorial for Yannick Linke in San Francisco. Even it you can not be there, perhaps you can spend a moments thought for Mr. Linke and his family during your own ride. According to Michael at Bike NOPA, Yannick's family suggests donations be made to Doctors Without Borders.
Monday, August 23, 2010
Ghost bikes...
Michael Nine, 15 July
Jennifer Costlow, 13 August
Dan Crain, 15 August
Doug Caldwell, 20 August
After having posted a few of these earlier in the year, I decided not to do anymore - why create another reminder of a tragedy, the cold details of which are covered by other media, or other cycling community blogs. And then I realized that is why ghost bikes were created in the first place, as reminders - reminders of a human life, and of a human death, and of how quickly one can give way to the other.
There will be a memorial ride for Dan Crain on Saturday, August 28. Contact the Orange County Rebel Riders, or see the OCRR website for additional information.
Tuesday, May 11, 2010
Friday, April 9, 2010
Monday, February 22, 2010
Monday, February 15, 2010
Ghost bike...
15 February 2010, Unidentified cyclist, Compton, California. Hit and run.
There is no excuse for this. If you are driving, you have one job only, to pay attention to the road. Update: Victim was Ovidio Morales, a father of five who was crossing the street in a crosswalk. The driver was reported to have been seen talking on a phone and ran a red light.
There is no excuse for this. If you are driving, you have one job only, to pay attention to the road. Update: Victim was Ovidio Morales, a father of five who was crossing the street in a crosswalk. The driver was reported to have been seen talking on a phone and ran a red light.
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