I just got out of a meeting spearheaded by Edith Welker, who was hit and robbed last month riding her bike. Edith and her group are hoping to increase the public's awareness and make meaningful improvements to biking infrastructure. To whit:
"We want to put a name and a story on the often-misunderstood cyclist (transit rider, and pedestrian) to promote mutual understanding and respect between them and motorists."
They're planning a huge critical mass and central event along 300 south for the August Gallery Stroll, Friday the 22nd. They're also looking for ideas of how to raise awareness and get the word out about the distressing number of hits around town. The Temporary Museum billboards along 300 south as well as the vacant lot of the 337 Project are both available for this endeavor. If you would like to do art in either space you're welcome to.
If you are interested in helping with this effort, doing some art, or would like more info, contact Edith: deedledee_(AT)hotmail(DOT)com to join her planning force (that underscore is supposed to be there, just so you know).
For my part, I'd like to see us step up the number of Ghostbikes in Salt Lake City to represent the number of people hit; starting with one for Edith at 300 south and 500 east. Does anyone close to her want to take up the challenge? If anyone needs materials for a ghost bike I can provide the bike and possibly the spray paint free of cost from the SLC Bike Collective. BYO chain, flowers, messages, etc. Let me know and we'll work to get them out there, cars and bikers need to be confronted by the dangers they pose/ are subject to.
Right after the meeting I rolled by Bill, who was talking with two cops after almost being hit. He told me that in case after case, friends of his have been hit and drivers have suffered zero repercussions. This is insane, and it will only get worse until bikes are considered a viable form of transport in this country.
Keep riding and put the word out.
Hmm.. i didn't know ghost bikes were for people that were hit, i thought it was just killed, but hey right there on http://www.ghostbikes.org/: "Ghost Bikes are small and somber memorials for bicyclists who are killed or hit on the street." I even did an article on this: http://www.saltcycle.com/2007/11/ghost-bike-my-bike.html
ReplyDeleteI am all up for helping and creating... lets get organized. Do you need a flier done? Drop a line.
Yeah, i didn't know either, but I like that even when people are hit hard you can put them up to make an exclamation point.
ReplyDeleteI think we should have a squad that makes them at the collective, 1 because they're good for reminding cars of what's at stake, 2 because they build solidarity and 3 because we'll gather anecdotal and real evidence of who gets hit and how in slc.