Saw my first ghost bike this week.

[Globalti]

I strongly believe they should display smashed up cars and motorcycles by the roadside for a few weeks after a fatal accident. There should be a plaque explaining how many were killed and giving details of the cause, if possible.

 

[CopperBrompton]

German police do this - not at the scene (where it wouldn't be safe to distract people), but taking the wreckage to supermarket car-parks, etc. Very effective.

 

[dellzeqq]

this may just be a South London thing, but bouquets of flowers are tied to lampposts by the grieving relatives of pedestrians who are killed.

As we leave Rochester on the FNRttC we pass a billboard erected in memory of a four year old knocked down and killed by a speeding car.

All in all I think the climate of opinion in this country is changing. There are fewer and fewer people who believe that 3000 deaths a year is an acceptable price to pay for bad driving - especially speeding.

 

[wafflycat]

No ghost bike for me, ta. I'd much rather folk went out on a jolly cycle ride round Norfolk lanes, calling in at various tea shops for tea, cakes & a gossip!

 

[CopperBrompton]

No ghost bike for me, ta. I'd much rather folk went out on a jolly cycle ride round Norfolk lanes, calling in at various tea shops for tea, cakes & a gossip!

Oooh, yes: an annual memorial tea-and-cakes run for me, please. :-)

 

[ianrauk]

If I get squished, woe-betide anyone who wants to paint my Roubaix white....

 

[badkitty]

This thread got me thinking about whether I would want a ghost bike if I die on my bike, and I've come to the conclusion that it's not a decision I can make.

I trust those who love me to do whatever they need to do to get through after my demise, and if the ritual of making the ghost bike etc helps them, then that's fine by me.

It also depends on the circumstances. For example if I get taken out through no fault of my own, and my friends and family know how outraged I would be, then I hope they would do everything they could to express my outrage in my absence.

However,on the other hand, if it's my fault, I would hope that they would quietly let the entire thing get forgotten, whilst gently cursing me for being an ar$e and vowing never to do whatever I did.

 

[CopperBrompton]

I trust those who love me to do whatever they need to do to get through after my demise, and if the ritual of making the ghost bike etc helps them, then that's fine by me.

I do generally subscribe to the philosophy that funerals et al are for the living, but in this case I'm prepared to make an exception: anyone puts up a ghost-bike for me, and I'm coming back to haunt them. :-)

 

[Aperitif]

I do generally subscribe to the philosophy that funerals et al are for the living, but in this case I'm prepared to make an exception: anyone puts up a ghost-bike for me, and I'm coming back to haunt them. :-)

you'll be back in a trice Ben!

 

[porteous]

Ghost Bikes

Not at all sure about this. When I worked in Serbia a few years ago the locals used to take the back axle, steering wheel and some other bits rom the car in which someone had been killed and weld them into a cross, which was then put by the road where tha accident happened. Given the state of the roads and the quality of driving there were a hell of a lot of these. The overall effect was macabre, and the driving remained suicidal.

On the other hand, anything that makes people pause and think about avoidable road deaths is probably a good thing.

 

[Arch]

No ghost bike for me, ta. I'd much rather folk went out on a jolly cycle ride round Norfolk lanes, calling in at various tea shops for tea, cakes & a gossip!

Yup, me too - location as decided by the majority of participants....

And maybe a nice bench somewhere with a nice view, or (better yet) a memorial bike rack.. The Archeaology Dept has one of those, dedicated to a lecturer who died of cancer.

 

[Mr Pig]

this may just be a South London thing, but bouquets of flowers are tied to lampposts by the grieving relatives of pedestrians who are killed.

No, they do that here in Scotland too.

For what it's worth I like the ghost bikes. Sad to see them obviously but I think they are a good idea and if I got killed on my bike I would like one. If a ghost bike makes one driver take more care and saves one cyclists life then it's worth it.

I also like the smashed cars in shopping centres idea. We should do that.

 

[BigonaBianchi]

This thread got me thinking about whether I would want a ghost bike if I die on my bike, and I've come to the conclusion that it's not a decision I can make.

I trust those who love me to do whatever they need to do to get through after my demise, and if the ritual of making the ghost bike etc helps them, then that's fine by me.

It also depends on the circumstances. For example if I get taken out through no fault of my own, and my friends and family know how outraged I would be, then I hope they would do everything they could to express my outrage in my absence.

However,on the other hand, if it's my fault, I would hope that they would quietly let the entire thing get forgotten, whilst gently cursing me for being an ar$e and vowing never to do whatever I did.

Don't even think about it, you are gonna ride like the wind for many years to come yet

 

[Lisa21]

Don't even think about it, you are gonna ride like the wind for many years to come yet

+1

 

[shouldbeinbed]

They're not something I've come across in N Manchester and I'd no idea what they were when clicking into the thread.

do they serve much purpose for deterring drivers whizzing past at speed limit + a bit.
I like the idea but they'd need promting on local news etc when they're placed and unveiled (for want of a better word).

I'm not sure I'd want one - I'd rather my legacy be more hands on.