D
So I was just speaking with someone about the ghost bike that was
stolen and then returned in Portland (re:
http://bikeportland.org/2008/02/14/ghost-bike-gone-missing-theft-likely/).
The person I'm speaking of has spent years living with me, and dating
me. One of those years was in Boston, where I didn't even have a car
and considered the boats and bikes my primary transportation, with
public trans as an absolute fallback that rarely got used. Another of
those years was spent in Salem, Ma where there is a ghost bike chained
up right downtown, something we literally saw daily for a year. She
has a bike of her own that I built up, has done a little riding and
considers bikes in the living room standard issue (even now as we have
an entire house to ourselves, with a basement, there's still always
one in the living room. Long story short, this girl may not be a
cyclist, but she's no stranger to cycling.
Imagine my surprise when I linked her to the above article and she
asked what a ghost bike was. I linked her to www.ghostbike.org and
she told me "I saw [one of] those in Salem, at the intersection where
Bank of America and Starbies is, but I never got it".
This has completely changed my perspective on ghost bikes. I used to
assume that most of the motorists passing one got it. Now knowing
that she didn't get it not only driving by, but even walking by on a
regular basis, I can't imagine they do. She is certainly more bike-
competent than most motorists.
If you'd have asked me yesterday what percentages of drivers I think
got it, I'd have said 60-75 depending on my mood at the time. Now I'm
thinking it's more like 15%.
Dan
stolen and then returned in Portland (re:
http://bikeportland.org/2008/02/14/ghost-bike-gone-missing-theft-likely/).
The person I'm speaking of has spent years living with me, and dating
me. One of those years was in Boston, where I didn't even have a car
and considered the boats and bikes my primary transportation, with
public trans as an absolute fallback that rarely got used. Another of
those years was spent in Salem, Ma where there is a ghost bike chained
up right downtown, something we literally saw daily for a year. She
has a bike of her own that I built up, has done a little riding and
considers bikes in the living room standard issue (even now as we have
an entire house to ourselves, with a basement, there's still always
one in the living room. Long story short, this girl may not be a
cyclist, but she's no stranger to cycling.
Imagine my surprise when I linked her to the above article and she
asked what a ghost bike was. I linked her to www.ghostbike.org and
she told me "I saw [one of] those in Salem, at the intersection where
Bank of America and Starbies is, but I never got it".
This has completely changed my perspective on ghost bikes. I used to
assume that most of the motorists passing one got it. Now knowing
that she didn't get it not only driving by, but even walking by on a
regular basis, I can't imagine they do. She is certainly more bike-
competent than most motorists.
If you'd have asked me yesterday what percentages of drivers I think
got it, I'd have said 60-75 depending on my mood at the time. Now I'm
thinking it's more like 15%.
Dan