Pittsburgh Ghost Bike for Tom Haykins on Route 28

Tom Haykin was a frequent, proficient cyclist who often rode to work along Route 28. On the morning of Aug.29th, per press reports, Tom Haykin was riding in the right lane. A van who was attempting to pass him hit Tom in the head with his passenger-side, rear-view mirror. Tom was knocked off the bike and onto the pavement, where he was run over by a second van.

It bears mentioning that of the 17 recent cyclist fatalities, 13 were on roads owned by PennDot. As we see in many of these deaths, this was not a joy ride or an exercise routine, this was a local person riding to work - which is the purpose of public roads.

Pittsburgh Ghost Bikes have evolved a tradition that we support if (and only if) it's consistent with the family's preferences. First we start with a Ghost Bike. Tom Haykin's ghost bike was prepared by David Work and his children, and we thank them very much.

Then at the Funeral Home, grievants are asked to write a message, a hope, a prayer, or a thought for David's ghost bike on a brightly colored ribbon. This is a sample of message-ribbons from a January 2019 ghost bike:

This is Tom Haykins' ghost bike at the funeral home, along with the ribbons from his loved ones and from area cyclists.

The concept has a few layers. The grieving loved ones get to write their thoughts down and their message is attached to a public artifact of the deceased. That's pretty powerful. Then the bike and messages are put on public display very close to the scene of the crime. This is a visual reminder that local drivers will see for years. Finally, in about two years, some of the ribbons will fuse together in the hot summer months, and the ink will fade and be blown by the wind to the four corners of the world, in a manner similar to Tibetan prayer flags.

This is the ghost bike installed on Route 28. Major thanks to Jim Logan and Jon A. Webb for rising to the occasion and making this happen.

Mark the date: on Sept.29th at 1 pm there's a memorial ride along Route 28 and the scene of the crime.

RIP Michael Prater #CrankOn

2.8.2016

Michael Prater, a 42-year old cyclist from Cincinnati, was killed by a hit-and-run driver. He was a father, husband, and an REI store manager. The local cycling community had a Ride of Silence for him, and 600 cyclists turned out.

I was impressed that the Cleveland REI store came down and provided staffing for the Cincinnati location so those folks could all have the day off.

At the ride, they read aloud this poem by Mike Murgas, which I learned about from the local news coverage.

The Ride of Silence... Tonight we number many but ride as one In honor of those not with us, friends, mothers, fathers, sisters, sons With helmets on tight and heads down low, We ride in silence, cautious and slow The wheels start spinning in the lead pack But tonight we ride and no one attacks The dark sunglasses cover our tears Remembering those we held so dear Tonight's ride is to make others aware The road is there for all to share To those not with us or by our side, May God be your partner on your final ride

Marcha en Silencio… Somos muchos esta noche, pero marchamos como un solo hombre en honor de padres, madres, amigos o hijos que ya no tienen nombre... Con el casco bien calado y la cabeza agachada marchamos en silencio, prudente la mirada. En cabeza oigo ruedas su recorrido comenzar, pero hoy solo marchamos, nadie quiere atacar. Disimulan nuestras lágrimas las gafas oscuras recordando nuestros seres queridos con ternura. La marcha de esta noche es para otros advertir que las carreteras son y están para compartir. Para aquellos que con nosotros ya no están: ¡que Dios les acompañe en la marcha final!.

Ghost Bike: "Not Just to Mourn, But to Demand Change"

9.12.2015 11m

On a cool and drizzly-rainy morning we had a Ghost Bike ride for Arthur Bell. It was wonderful that so any folks came out, often from a distance, to commemorate the death on State Bike Route A.



The Hopewell Township (Beaver County) police department was wonderful. They added a completely different level of safety on a reduced-visibility morning and this road is marginal in ideal conditions.

Cyclists used ribbons (some bearing wishes) as armbands during the ride, and carried them to the Ghost Bike Dedication. In the photo below, siblings of the deceased tied their ribbons to the ghost bike.


After the dedication, the cyclists departed using an alternate route from Route51, which the Ohio River Trail is trying to get designated as Bike Route A. The first mile was bumpy, but it was a much safer and more relaxed ride. I think a few of the riders were surprised that you can get through that way.





After the ride the Ghost Bike was placed at the accident scene. I took the chance to go through the messages that I could read (some of the ribbons were tightly rolled and the message wasn't visible). They were clever and poignant. The one that rang my bell was, "Not Just to Mourn but to Demand Change.

RIP James Price: Father, Diabetic, Cyclist, Hit and Run Victim

07/25/12 #238 42m

From the Post-Gazette:

Pittsburgh police are searching for a white vehicle that fatally struck a bicyclist in Point Breeze this morning and drove away.

Both the vehicle and the cyclist, 46-year-old James Price of Homewood, were headed inbound in the 7400 block of Penn Avenue just after 5 a.m. Mr. Price was wearing a helmet when the vehicle hit him. He was thrown about 6 feet from the mangled black bicycle, landing on the sidewalk near the steps of a nearby home.

Officers and paramedics did "all first-aid that would be reasonable and appropriate and more," but the man died about 5:30 a.m. at UPMC Presbyterian. Mr. Price was an avid cyclist, and Penn Avenue was one of his regular routes, relatives said.

The father of an 11-year-old daughter, he had gotten in shape over the last two years by riding several times a day. Diet and exercise helped alleviate his diabetes.

more at CarpetBagger.

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Rode 42 miles, Boggs to McMurray, via the Montour Trail with my friend K. A beautiful, clear blue day.

We have put some blog content that might have gone here in another place today.

National Tunnel and Tandem Ghost Bike

11/13/11 32m 65F

Rode the Montour Trail from McDonald to world-famous Farm House Coffee and back, 32 miles round trip on a very mild day.

I'm always glad to ride out to Farm House, and today my thinking was it might be my last chance to ride out beyond the National Tunnel, which tends to accumulate ice stalagmites on the floor once the temperatures go steadily below freezing.

Unfortunately, FarmHouse Coffee is closed on Sunday, Day of Rest n'at, bad planning on my part. I finally ended up visiting the StarBucks across the street in spite of myself (nothing against SB, I just prefer an indy coffee shop).

On the return trip passing Henderson Park I read the sign on the white tandem for the first time, I've been by there before but never noticed it (it's been up for a few months, I'm told).

I think that's a great safety message without going saccharine-preachy, I think they did a good job on that.

The weather improved as the ride progressed, it ended up sunnier than I expected and not as windy.