The Chainlink

There is that old saying don't laugh when a hearse goes by...

 

It seems a few people are trying to get a grassroots policy on limiting and taking down ghost bikes.  Disrespectful.

 

http://chicago.everyblock.com/top/

Views: 171

Reply to This

Replies to This Discussion

Thanks for posting this Jen-- I caught wind of this thread yesterday but didn't have time to deal with it.

The Everyblock forum  has so much potential but in practice it's turning out to be a frustrating anonymous bitch-fest.

I'd appreciate it if folks could pipe up on this thread for ghost bikes (Everyblock registration is fairly painless).  I don't have time to do much beyond helping get them placed and maintained-- i have no daytime phone time for contacting aldermen and such.

The comments are full of lies; all of our ghost bikes are maintained and are checked on regularly; almost all were repainted in May. None of these folks seem to be considering the families and friends of the deceased who placed and continue to maintain them.

I posted this for this reason.  Especially to notify the people who organize the rides and maintain the memorials.  I think they are so moving and have such a cultural testament.  I live next to "Chi Chi's" memorial and it breaks my heart to see fresh flowers on her birthday and All Souls Day.  I know sometimes Everyblock is a just a few squeaky wheels.
I noticed that no one on Everyblock mentioned that the bikes are regularly maintained once each year or that there is a ceremony/ride each year to commemorate them. Of course, you get a bunch of bitchy old neighbors together and the only thing that makes them happy is to complain. I will join the site and make a comment- although I will probably leave out the old bitchy neighbor complaining about everything as I am sure that won't make things any better :)

The ghosts bikes make many auto drivers feel bad/guilty and they don't want to be constantly reminded about the very real consequenses of their inattentive and reckless driving practices while on the public roads.

 

This is simple human behavior here with an urge to "shut us up" and cover up and hide the ugly carnage caused by their selfish need to drive like idiots in their steel protective cages without any thought to those who are not in similarly armored cages and burning massive quantities of petroleum (and half the corn planted in this country.)

Those people who organize the rides and maintain the memorials don't have time to take this on and are asking for help from the community.  Anyone?

Jenn Wilson said:
I posted this for this reason.  Especially to notify the people who organize the rides and maintain the memorials.  I think they are so moving and have such a cultural testament.  I live next to "Chi Chi's" memorial and it breaks my heart to see fresh flowers on her birthday and All Souls Day.  I know sometimes Everyblock is a just a few squeaky wheels.
I signed up for every block and added a comment.  I don't have time to contact aldermen, but the more people posting in favor of the ghost bikes the better.
I would be more than willing to do monthly maintenance to a ghost bike. If one needs attention let me know.

Howard- I will check on the Irving/Lincoln/Damen Ghost Bike for you per the Everyblock post where you mentioned that the family has requested it be removed. I think it may have been removed already, but if not, I should have no problem in taking it down. If it comes to that, what is the best thing to do with the frame/remnants? Recycle it?

***

The mother of the cyclist for which that particular ghost bike on Diversey & Avers was established has responded with her heartfelt and emotional response- I am happy to see that she has responded to the OP on Everyblock and my heart and best wishes go out to her and her family. 

As far as I can tell, the original poster on Everyblock is just a complainy guy who wants to complain about stuff and not actually do anything helpful. As long as its legal to lock a bike to something on the street- as long as its not someone else's property, (not sure how it works with city property) ghost bikes are just more bikes parked on the street and nobody really can say how long they can be parked there. There are plenty of abandoned bikes around and I haven't heard nearly as much discussion about taking those down- the fact is people like this Mr. Complainy-Pants notice some people taking matters into their own hands, and using public space for something the community actually wants and needs, and they feel helpless themselves so they have to bitch. 

Interestingly, I replied when he posted that his daughter had died from a drug overdose, and asked did he have the right then to put a memorial to her on the street? In my opinion, of course he does. And if it helps the community to have a reminder about drug use and the dangers it poses, that would be great. I'm not saying that every person who dies tragically *needs* or can have a public monument. Rather, that we have the right, as a community, to come together and publicly mourn, and also react to something that the consensus is, is a problem. We have that right because we decided we did.

So, it seemed to me that the OP just didn't want to be left out, of the decision making process, or of the public mourning for the dead (in light of his daughter's death). I tried to be helpful and remind him he is not powerless and no one is trying to trample on his rights. Don't know if that makes sense or if it was helpful at all. 

Some people don't like it when other people take initiative, that's all. 

End rant. 

Many thanks to all-- the responses were helpful, and I'm sure the family of the victims who responded appreciated the support.

Pippy-- I miss you!! Are you in Chicago?

Hi Melanie,


TO clarify, the family requested the sign be removed (more than a year ago?) and it was.


Since then pieces of the bike have gone missing. I don't have any special authority over it but it's my personal feeling that what remains is best removed since it gives the naysayers ammo to bitch about "eyesores."  Plus it never should have been locked to a bike rack.

 

I've been downtown all night and vaguely recall a communication (from you?) that the rest of the bike is now confirmed gone? Haven't been through my e-mail/messages yet.

Melanie said:

Howard- I will check on the Irving/Lincoln/Damen Ghost Bike for you per the Everyblock post where you mentioned that the family has requested it be removed. I think it may have been removed already, but if not, I should have no problem in taking it down. If it comes to that, what is the best thing to do with the frame/remnants? Recycle it?

***

The mother of the cyclist for which that particular ghost bike on Diversey & Avers was established has responded with her heartfelt and emotional response- I am happy to see that she has responded to the OP on Everyblock and my heart and best wishes go out to her and her family. 

The Lincoln/Damen/Irving Park bike has definitely been removed.

H3N3 said:

Hi Melanie,


TO clarify, the family requested the sign be removed (more than a year ago?) and it was.


Since then pieces of the bike have gone missing. I don't have any special authority over it but it's my personal feeling that what remains is best removed since it gives the naysayers ammo to bitch about "eyesores."  Plus it never should have been locked to a bike rack.

 

I've been downtown all night and vaguely recall a communication (from you?) that the rest of the bike is now confirmed gone? Haven't been through my e-mail/messages yet.

Melanie said:

Howard- I will check on the Irving/Lincoln/Damen Ghost Bike for you per the Everyblock post where you mentioned that the family has requested it be removed. I think it may have been removed already, but if not, I should have no problem in taking it down. If it comes to that, what is the best thing to do with the frame/remnants? Recycle it?

***

The mother of the cyclist for which that particular ghost bike on Diversey & Avers was established has responded with her heartfelt and emotional response- I am happy to see that she has responded to the OP on Everyblock and my heart and best wishes go out to her and her family. 

RSS

© 2008-2016   The Chainlink Community, L.L.C.   Powered by

Disclaimer  |  Report an Issue  |  Terms of Service