Ghost Bikes

 

   A white painted bicycle tied with the post on the street was a memorial of a victim.
When I walked along the busiest street in Greenwich in November 2011, it horrified me at first. Every part of it was white and it seemed to be placed there for a long time. Later I found out this is not the only place a "Ghost Bike" exists. According to the Guardian, it is a worldwide campaign for both a memorial to feature the name of the dead rider and a reminder of cyclists and drivers about the accident.

Ghost bike in Greenwich

   The campaign started in the US in 2003. The website of the campaign shows how to participate and how to paint the bicycle, but it has a very poor list of ghost bikes even in the US. There is no event until ride of silence on 16 May 2012. Although it is supported by cyclist associations in some areas, the UK's main national cycling organisation is wondering if it will give the impression that cycling is dangerous. Actually in Greenwich there is a cycle shop just across the street from the ghost bike.
   I cannot see what the campaign is trying to achieve. I cannot see the clear agenda. It is important to raise social awareness about the road safety, but I suggest that they could go further such as lobbying a local government for legislation and educating kids with the partnership of police. They can host a symposium about the road safety.
   There are a lot of stakeholders to access; cyclist, victim's family, government, police, student, driver, business person, woman (great number of female cyclists killed in recent years in collision with lollies). The campaign can invite all of these stakeholders to the symposium.
   The Guardian is asking readers to help create a global map of ghost bikes. The readers can post their photos attached with the map at Flickr where  there are 400 photos posted as of 15 November. I posted one photo from Greenwich with condolence on the victim.