DCist: 'Ghost Bike' Already Up at Connecticut Ave. and R St. NW

July 9, 2008

'Ghost Bike' Already Up at Connecticut Ave. and R St. NW

Flickr contributor vassieux snapped this shot of the "ghost bike" for Alice Swanson, who was killed Tuesday morning while riding her bike north of Dupont Circle. WABA is holding a ceremony at 6:30 p.m. to draw attention to bike safety issues and call for a full investigation into Swanson's death.

By Sommer Mathis in News | Link | Comments (18) | Recommend this! (18) |

Tags: alice swanson, ghost bike, photos, WABA

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Comments (18) [rss]

[1] | 07/09/08 05:54PM
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I kinda wish instead of the memorial, WABA would stand up behind the pedestrian plan and the meetings they're holding tonight:

I have to second what folks are saying about SAFE Cycling and being cognizant of the enviroment. NOT to blame the victim or take away at all from the tragedy that this is but....
one of the saddest things to me about the WAPO articles is the rider's comments about her discomfort/unfamiliarity with riding in traffic to coworkers.

I've lived in the city a long time and I'd NEVER attempt to bike down conn. ave. never. I don't even much like riding in rock creek park the way the "real" riders come at you. I'm just not that good. Please don't launch the attack but I almost think there needs to be a mandatory safe cycling class for city riders. I see near misses EVERY day, multiple times (not even counting the biker v. walker sidewalk collisions.)

We ALL need to be a lot more careful and please don't mistake this for an exoneration of the driver - we jsut don't know everything yet. I guess I'm just hoping we can all learn, slow down and be a bit more careful.

To think this all happened what a day? two? after the Post's freaking FRONT PAGE editorial-barely-disguised as news on "Wah, it's so hard to drive in the city when you're from the suburbs" ridiculousness. perspective, eh?

[2] | 07/09/08 08:04PM
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I think there are some goods points in what washwords said. We needs ideas and solutions to protect DC citizens ... on bikes, walking, or in cars.

[3] | 07/09/08 11:23PM
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a couple photos here.

i went to the pedestrian plan meeting the night before on capitol hill. there is a separate bike plan, and unfortunately, never shall the two meet. it's a shame that ALL transportation isn't being planned in parallel, but that's the way things work. thank the federal government for making the funding rules work that way.

[4] | 07/10/08 09:13AM
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We love you Alice! We covered this bike with flowers and all your friends wrote on the sidewalk how much they love and miss you.

Please everyone take a moment if you walk by this bike to remember Alice. She was the sweetest person in our lives and we would hate to see anyone else lose someone so special in another bike accident.

[5] | 07/10/08 09:45AM
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For some reason this hits me the totally wrong way--I do feel like it is blaming this VICTIM just a bit!

"I have to second what folks are saying about SAFE Cycling and being cognizant of the enviroment. NOT to blame the victim or take away at all from the tragedy that this is but...."

Why is "safe cycling" mentioned? It sounds like from her awareness of the streets of DC that she was more than concerned with "safe cycling." In general I think drivers need to be aware!!! Even as I was passing the memorial this morning, on my bike--a car swerved right in front of me driving into the BIKE LANE on R st.

Things like this need to be unacceptable-"accident" or no accident.

[6] | 07/10/08 09:46AM
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I notice in the photo of Alice's mangled bike that she was using a thin-tired bike with drop bars. As a regular cyclist for half a century, I have believed for many years that this type of bike is too dangerous for urban use. These bikes emphasize lightness and speed over sight lines and maneuverability. You simply don't have enough vision, balance, and awareness of what is around you. Thin tired bikes are much more prone to slipping and "wiping out." These bikes should be used only on tracks and long-distance roads with less traffic.

If you visit the bicycle republics of Europe, such as the Netherlands and Denmark, you will find that almost everyone rides bikes with upright handlebars and thicker tires. Yes, they are heavier, but the modern derailleurs with 21 speeds or more found on most touring and ATB ("mountain") bikes help compensate for this. In return you get much better sightlines and maneuverability. I have been riding nothing but ATB bikes in cities for many years now, and I feel much more confident of my ability to see what's around me and to react when necessary.

I urge all DC cyclists to avoid drop bar and thin tired bikes and use only bikes with upright handlebars and tires of reasonable thickness.

[7] | 07/10/08 10:05AM
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Virginia

Thank you for mentioning this about those types of bikes. The first bike I bought for riding around the city was the same type (thin-wheeled with drop bars) and I quickly realized that I was just not able to see my surroundings well and found even the slightest dips and bumps in the road caused me to lose control.

Obviously there needs to be some sort of campaign for safe and aware driving, but on the bike side of things I think it would be wise to promote the thick-wheeled bikes with upright bars for all the reasons you mentioned.

[8] | 07/10/08 10:15AM
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Sad, I hope we all take a moment to be more careful whether we are on a bike, behind the wheel or walking.

[9] | 07/10/08 10:28AM
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The maneuverability of my drop-handlebar, thin tire bike is excellent and my sightlines are just fine. Although discussing these things raises awareness of these good considerations, promoting a certain type of bicycle for all city riders or suggesting that I might be less safe because I don't ride a certain type of bike don't work well for me.

[10] | 07/10/08 10:39AM
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Certain cars don't make people safer drivers, certain bikes don't make people safer riders. Everyone needs to take the responsibility to do their part.

[11] | 07/10/08 11:00AM
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Virginia-
Her bike looked like an old school (early 1990-ish) womens bike. They are not the "thin tire" of modern road bikes (1.5" tire not 3/4" tire), and my guess is she never rode it on the dropped part of the bars (it had brake handle extenders) I commute about 100 miles a week on my Cannondale T1000 which is a dropped bar touring bike and being able to get my body out of the wind-stream plus decent gearing plus thinner tires (but not racing tires) gives me an additional 5-8 mph or so over my friends on ATBs.
I do agree with you that racing bikes (the superlight frames and skinny tires) are only for those who know what they are doing and they dont fare well in our potholed street---take em out to Haines Pt though and watch em mooooooooveeeeeeeeee

[12] | 07/10/08 11:13AM
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Sure, but when you get run down by a careless driver, these jackasses will be the first to post here with the "Oh, of course it's very, very sad. But did you see he was riding on 700x28s? What did he think was going to happen?"

I'll stop here, because for some reason, the level of know-nothingism that's powered 99% of the comments about this story, coupled with the pure tragedy of it all has put me in a foul, foul mood.

[13] | 07/10/08 11:33AM
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Anybody that seriously claims that many cyclists in DC don't ride dangerously is full of shit.

I'm not passing judgement on this particular accident, as I wasn't there.

But as a frequent pedestrian, cyclist, and car driver in DC, I am amazed that there aren't far more cyclists run over.

Just today I had two different cyclists blaze through red lights, cutting off oncoming traffic.

Anectdotal? Sure. But it happens so frequently.

Have I ever had a car cut me off while biking? Sure. But FAR more often I've seen cyclists riding dangerously.

[14] | 07/10/08 11:48AM
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Anybody that seriously claims that many cyclists in DC don't ride dangerously is full of shit.

"I know that gays get beat up walking home from bars, but anyone who says they don't get drunk and carry on is full of shit. Not to pass judgement on any particular case, but to be honest, I'm surprised it doesn't happen more often. Sure it's sad, but what do you expect?"

If there's anything tackier than using the tragic death of a young girl to raise awareness of cycling safety, it's using the tragic death of a young girl as an opportunity to make anecdotal Andy Rooney-esque gripes about your favorite pet peeve.

[15] | 07/10/08 03:00PM
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IBC:

I didn't 'use' anything. The topic of bike safety is quite appropriate, given that the thread is about someone on a bike being killed.

As for your odd reference to gay bashing, that's fairly fucked up (and, of course, irrelevant to the topic at hand).

I do expect bicyclists that run red lights to eventually get run over, and sadly but rightfully so.

I don't expect gay guys that are 'carrying on' to get fag-bashed.

Perhaps you do. If so, we live in different worlds.

[16] | 07/10/08 03:59PM
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Ah, I see I've offended you with my irrelevant and insensitive comments.

Good.

[17] | 07/10/08 07:48PM
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I suppose you think you are making some sort of point, but damned if I can decipher what it may be.

[18] | 07/17/08 05:00PM
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Please keep in mind that this thread is not intended to be a venue for personal preferences on bikes, opinions of DC drivers and cyclists, or personal attacks.

This memorial celebrates a beautiful soul; a brilliant, compassionate woman set to change the world. We can only hope that DC and its commuters, both on bikes and in cars, can learn from this tragedy.

Alice, you will be missed. Boros