Father of Ghost Bike victim wants daughters bike removed, still there though.

Damen/Wellington- Her Dad says enough is enough and wants her name and bike removed. Tired of the reminder. What can we do? The city won't do it and no one from ATA or chainlink will do it- do we remain selfish and leave it up for our own purposes or honor the family's wishes? Most cyclists I talk to say 1 year on the street is enough time.
Discuss.

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Permalink Reply by David P. on June 9, 2013 at 4:21am

This smells like hooey; h' seems to have it right. Seems unlikely he's ever going to get a phone call from 'Austin Milbarge' but I could be wrong.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 9, 2013 at 4:26am

Austin, or maybe Mr. Ghostbuster himself (clever pun username),

Read h's responses below and throughout this thread. 


h' 1.0 said:

Back to the situation at hand-- father is supposedly "tired of the reminder" but also appears to live in far NW suburbs.  Would the whole family be satisfied with a sign that didn't have her name? I don't think that's something that the city, the bike community, or collective membership of The Chainlink need or want to be involved in deciding. If the father feels strongly that the bike should be removed, there is absolutely nothing stopping him from removing it, or sending a friend to do so (just as there is nothing stopping anyone from having a replacement in place within a few days, as has happened elsewhere.).  But I certainly see the cleverness, if not the ethics, of tricking the bike community into doing the dirty work with an anonymous message board post. 

Tony Adams 6.6 mi said:

Yes. Thanks h for sticking to your instincts or accumulated wisdom or whatever it was on this.


While we are discussing it, I wonder if there could be - or perhaps already is some kind of middle ground where a person's name could be removed but the bike left standing. The Ghost Bikes are not just for the family of the victim. Drivers especially, but everyone needs to be reminded that life is precious and fragile and that your hurry, or your drunkenness or your text messages or phone calls are all things that simply can not be happening when you are driving a motor vehicle on the public way.

Kevin C said:

Imagine my surprise. Thanks for following up.

h' 1.0 said:

update from tiny phone on shaky bus..mother and sister absolutely do not want bike removed.
Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 9, 2013 at 7:49am

Riding by this bike regularly, it always strikes me how well it is cared for. It really is a unique ghost bike within the Chicago city limits. Always freshly painted and in the spring it has pansies and other flowers planted in the grass around it. It always gives me joy to ride by there. Not because Liza died there, but because it is abundantly clear that Liza had family and friends who loved her and cared for her and continue to spend the time in maintaining the bike.

Do whatever you feel is necessarily, but be a man about it. Don't hide behind some fake screen name and try to get approval from the Chainlink community for your plans. I doubt that anyone who knows the complete story of this bike would approve of your plans.

Austin Milbarge said:

Conspiracy theories abound but the conversation still demands an answer.

Father wants the bike removed.
So, per Ms. Hochstadter's advice I'm to tell the Father he can remove it any time.

He just doesn't want to see it anymore.

Permalink Reply by Thedutchtouch on June 9, 2013 at 9:13am

lets not assume that it's a fake screenname, and even if it is, let's not pile anything more on top of his head. he lost his daughter. if nothing else, this thread educated me a bit more about ghost bikes.

Permalink Reply by David Barish on June 9, 2013 at 11:07am

I notice the same thing. There always seem to be fresh flowers in that bike.  I always look at it and think about it. 

As a parent I can only imagine what the family of this poor girl has felt over the years. I think I would want the bike to stay but cannot say for sure.  One thing I know for sure- its not for me, or any of us to say whether the bike should or should not remain. This is a concern for the family and  perhaps for Liza's close friends. If the folks who continue to keep the flame burning as regards that ghost bike want to keep the bike I would suggest that they speak with the family. Hopefully some agreement can be made. 

Duppie 13.5185km said:

Riding by this bike regularly, it always strikes me how well it is cared for. It really is a unique ghost bike within the Chicago city limits. Always freshly painted and in the spring it has pansies and other flowers planted in the grass around it. It always gives me joy to ride by there. Not because Liza died there, but because it is abundantly clear that Liza had family and friends who loved her and cared for her and continue to spend the time in maintaining the bike.

Do whatever you feel is necessarily, but be a man about it. Don't hide behind some fake screen name and try to get approval from the Chainlink community for your plans. I doubt that anyone who knows the complete story of this bike would approve of your plans.

Austin Milbarge said:

Conspiracy theories abound but the conversation still demands an answer.

Father wants the bike removed.
So, per Ms. Hochstadter's advice I'm to tell the Father he can remove it any time.

He just doesn't want to see it anymore.

Permalink Reply by John Greenfield on June 9, 2013 at 11:35am

I agree that Liza Whitacre's memorial is a beautiful tribute. I ride by it often, and I'm always impressed by how well-tended it is, with photographs, notes and flowers growing below it. I didn't know Liza, but the shrine makes it clear what a positive impact she had on the lives of family and friends. It's also a powerful reminder to all of us to travel safely through the city, so that's another way that her life can continue to have a positive influence on others. Unless her family really wants it removed, which doesn't seem to be the case, I hope the memorial remains in place.

Permalink Reply by Doug Haynes on June 9, 2013 at 8:43pm

I know people who were friends of Liza; they are not ready for it to be removed.

Permalink Reply by marcus on June 9, 2013 at 11:23pm

Liza's memory and death continue to deeply effect her friends.

She was also an involved member of Chicago's coffee community.  Every year on the anniversary of her death, a seat is reserved for her at the Intelligentsia on Broadway.  It prominently designates one of the most visible seats in the store as Liza's.

That her colleagues repeatedly provide a prominent memorial testifies powerfully to the life she lived and offers a powerful tool for the education of cyclists and non-cyclists alike.

Permalink Reply by JimmyD on June 10, 2013 at 4:01am

I don’t have much to add to the discussion; however, I thought it might be nice to include a few pics of this ghost bike for those who are curious. (I know I was, and I went to Google and found these pics…)

Permalink Reply by Sue C. on June 10, 2013 at 5:05am

I am one of the people who maintains this bike. I put the pumpkins there every year, I throw them away when they are gross, I plant bulbs in the fall, I make sure there isn't trash or dead flowers. I am close with Liza's little sister and her mother and am IMing with Lauren right now. They DO NOT want it taken down.

Mr Whitacre lives in Barrington. It's not a painful reminder to him. He doesn't live in the city. He had a bench installed with a little plaque and when it was put in last year he promised me that he would never move to have the bike taken away. 

I call BS.

Permalink Reply by JimmyD on June 10, 2013 at 5:29am

It's apparent that you take great care in the maintenance of this memorial, Sue. It's such a great thing you (and others) are doing with these ghost bike installments.

Sue C. said:

I am one of the people who maintains this bike. I put the pumpkins there every year, I throw them away when they are gross, I plant bulbs in the fall, I make sure there isn't trash or dead flowers. I am close with Liza's little sister and her mother and am IMing with Lauren right now. They DO NOT want it taken down.

Mr Whitacre lives in Barrington. It's not a painful reminder to him. He doesn't live in the city. He had a bench installed with a little plaque and when it was put in last year he promised me that he would never move to have the bike taken away. 

I call BS.

Permalink Reply by Sue C. on June 10, 2013 at 5:37am

thanks! we miss her a lot. It's really important to her sister that the bike stay up. It's where we go to talk to her. 

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