"Ghost Bike Chicago: Photographs and Stories"
My name is Dr. Joe Dusek and I’m a published author, amateur photographer and full-time math professor. However, I’m also an avid outdoor exercise enthusiast – primarily running but I do bicycle and several of my close friends are passionate cyclists.
For over a year I’ve noticed the Ghost Bikes and thought it would be fitting to create a photographic essay/book documenting their existence, noting the tragedies and celebrating the victims’ lives. The recent events with Bobby Cann’s death have pushed me to seriously explore the possibility of taking this on as a project.
I’ve reached out to a couple of publishers I’ve worked with in the past and have received positive feedback. Now I’m contacting cycling organizations from around Chicago to gauge if such a project would be welcomed and, if so, hopefully secure their involvement.
Julie Hochstadter suggested I post in this discussion forum to gather opinions. I’d like to hear from anyone willing to share their thoughts on this project, their own ideas, suggestions, questions, etc. Please post them in this forum or, for privacy, feel free to contact me at joe.dusek@yahoo.com or visit me at http://www.facebook.com/joedusekphd to share your comments.
Thanks so much!
/s/ Joe
Views: 552
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Juan Primo on
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Many of the ghost bikes that I know are very beautiful. I just don't know how you would market a book about dead cyclists.
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Permalink Reply by Agnieszka Z. on
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Right. That's what I was wondering about. Not to say the idea is D.O.A.--far from it--but it seems that it would require some thinking about the intended readership. It could fit in, say, the academic genre of social studies/political theory/mourning (it's a thing; I actually took a fascinating class on that). Or, it could focus on the spirits of the bikers--what made them come alive--but even in that case, with the "positive" twist, it would be an unwieldy collective portrait, since the only thing they had in common was dying in bicycle accidents.
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Permalink Reply by Joe Dusek, Ph.D. on
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Hi Juan. I know this is a sensitive issue and you raise a good point. My plan would be to focus on their lives via quotes, stories from friends and family, who are willing to share, while spotlighting the issue to raise motorist/public awareness. This may be tricky but I think it can be done with sensitivity; at least I'll do my best.
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Hi Agnieszka,
I'd say they had a love of life and cycling in common as well, that would be my focus. I'm not sure how much I'd highlight the actual events leading to their deaths. Maybe that's something I could leave up to the families/friends. Frankly, I'm not sure yet as I'm just testing the waters. Thanks!
Agnieszka Z. said:Right. That's what I was wondering about. Not to say the idea is D.O.A.--far from it--but it seems that it would require some thinking about the intended readership. It could fit in, say, the academic genre of social studies/political theory/mourning (it's a thing; I actually took a fascinating class on that). Or, it could focus on the spirits of the bikers--what made them come alive--but even in that case, with the "positive" twist, it would be an unwieldy collective portrait, since the only thing they had in common was dying in bicycle accidents.
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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on
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http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/ghost-bike-chicago-photogr...
Juan Primo said:I just don't know how you would market a book about dead cyclists.
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Permalink Reply by Bez on
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That's very circular of you, h'...
h' 1.0 said:http://www.thechainlink.org/forum/topics/ghost-bike-chicago-photogr...
Juan Primo said:I just don't know how you would market a book about dead cyclists.
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Permalink Reply by Barse5 on
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Joe
Here is something you might think about highlighting...all the promises that are made when a cyclist is killed and the ghost bike is placed. Five years later after Tylers death intersection is still horrible even tho the alderman vowed to fix it.
Dozens of Tyler Fabeck's friends and family gathered last night to mark one year since his death. Twenty-two year old Tyler was traveling on his bicycle when he was killed by a car at the Logan and Western intersection on April 20, 2008.
At the event, Ald. Flores announced that a corner of the intersection will be dedicated to Tyler. The alderman also made it clear that he is committed to making changes to the intersection so that it is safer for all road users. Flores has made requests to the city about the intersection, and has not been pleased with the response.
The event first gathered amig rain and hail in the green space at Logan and Campbell, just west of the intersection where Tyler was fatally struck. Tyler's dad, Danny Fabeck, greeted attendees and told stories about Tyler: the time he cut his dreadlocks and how much he loved the rain. Alderman Flores and Rob Sadowsky, Active Trans executive director, each spoke about how to improve the intersection and why the improvements are so important. "Don't say that we can't fix Western Avenue. Don't say that there's nothing we can do about Logan Boulevard. We can make the changes and we have to," said Rob.
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If you're willing to e-mail me about this I'd love to talk to you. My address is joe.dusek@yahoo.com.
As an aside, a "pie-in-the-sky" thought of mine was to someday have a city ordinance giving the bikes some sort of protected status.
I hope to hear from you. /s/ Joe
Barse5 said:Joe
Here is something you might think about highlighting...all the promises that are made when a cyclist is killed and the ghost bike is placed. Five years later after Tylers death intersection is still horrible even tho the alderman vowed to fix it.
Dozens of Tyler Fabeck's friends and family gathered last night to mark one year since his death. Twenty-two year old Tyler was traveling on his bicycle when he was killed by a car at the Logan and Western intersection on April 20, 2008.
At the event, Ald. Flores announced that a corner of the intersection will be dedicated to Tyler. The alderman also made it clear that he is committed to making changes to the intersection so that it is safer for all road users. Flores has made requests to the city about the intersection, and has not been pleased with the response.
The event first gathered amig rain and hail in the green space at Logan and Campbell, just west of the intersection where Tyler was fatally struck. Tyler's dad, Danny Fabeck, greeted attendees and told stories about Tyler: the time he cut his dreadlocks and how much he loved the rain. Alderman Flores and Rob Sadowsky, Active Trans executive director, each spoke about how to improve the intersection and why the improvements are so important. "Don't say that we can't fix Western Avenue. Don't say that there's nothing we can do about Logan Boulevard. We can make the changes and we have to," said Rob.
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Guessing you know Flores became chairman of the Illinois Commerce Commission in Jan 2010, and Rob Sadowsky moved to Portland around the same time.
There was a considerable community effort made to work with Ald Ocasio to improve Armitage/Kedzie after Blanca Ocasio and Mandy Annis were both killed there (and also lots of promises) , with the result of Ocasio leaving to join Quinn's administration.
Barse5 said:Joe
Here is something you might think about highlighting...all the promises that are made when a cyclist is killed and the ghost bike is placed. Five years later after Tylers death intersection is still horrible even tho the alderman vowed to fix it.
Dozens of Tyler Fabeck's friends and family gathered last night to mark one year since his death. Twenty-two year old Tyler was traveling on his bicycle when he was killed by a car at the Logan and Western intersection on April 20, 2008.
At the event, Ald. Flores announced that a corner of the intersection will be dedicated to Tyler. The alderman also made it clear that he is committed to making changes to the intersection so that it is safer for all road users. Flores has made requests to the city about the intersection, and has not been pleased with the response.
The event first gathered amig rain and hail in the green space at Logan and Campbell, just west of the intersection where Tyler was fatally struck. Tyler's dad, Danny Fabeck, greeted attendees and told stories about Tyler: the time he cut his dreadlocks and how much he loved the rain. Alderman Flores and Rob Sadowsky, Active Trans executive director, each spoke about how to improve the intersection and why the improvements are so important. "Don't say that we can't fix Western Avenue. Don't say that there's nothing we can do about Logan Boulevard. We can make the changes and we have to," said Rob.
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For profit or non-profit? I'm always interested in intent when it comes to memorials, if that's what your book is.
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Hi Juan,
That’s a great question. The short answer is not-for-profit in the sense that I won’t make any money off of this. I’d like to do it for the sake of celebrating the victims’ lives and hopefully develop awareness, primarily among drivers, of the dangers cyclists face, through the book.
It could work a couple of ways. Once I secure a publisher (fingers crossed) I’ll push for them to create and distribute it pro bono. That is, they’ll donate all revenue to some cause for cyclists. More on that below. But that’s the best-case scenario. More likely the most generous they’ll be is to recoup their printing and administrative costs and donate the balance. Worst-case scenario is I’ll donate whatever royalties I earn.
Someone wrote me suggesting what’s known as a vanity press. That is you self-publish. I won’t do that for two reasons. First, it requires fund-raising. I’m not a fund-raiser and, frankly, it sounds shady – asking people for money. Second, anyone who self-mass produces anything (book, movie, invention) still doesn’t have a means of distribution and are stuck with a garage full of whatever. A professional publisher has all of the production, marketing and distribution expertise at their proverbial fingertips.
So let’s say this gets off the ground, people buy the book; all is fine with the world. Now comes the question, “Who gets the proceeds?” I’ll say this, The Chain Link and Ride of Silence and StreetsblogChicago are the only cycling “associations” from which I’ve received a reply e-mail or phone call. I’ve reached out to two people from the Active Transportation Alliance, by voicemail and e-mail and one person from the city’s bike program – I’ve never heard back from any of them. If anyone has a POC from either organization they’re willing to share please let me know.
Bottom line, some of the details have yet to be worked out. After all, technically I’m still in the ‘feasibility’ stage.
Juan Primo said:
For profit or non-profit? I'm always interested in intent when it comes to memorials, if that's what your book is.
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The Chainlink is a for-profit business. Would be very strange to tout that the proceeds are not going for profit and then give the funds to a for-profit corporation.
Not quite sure what Ride of Silence would do with the money. Armbands/posters/jerseys/socks and professional banners? That would change the ride into something I don't think anyone would think it ought to be.
About the only place to channel the money that kind of makes sense might be the current anti-dooring campaign.... they'd probably need a chartered nfp. unmbrella organization to accept the funds so the publisher could write them off.
Overall, I find the commoditization and monetization of Ghost Bikes getting into pretty tasteless territory, regardless of who ends up squabbling over the proceeds.
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