Rider down organisation thread

I've been sent a few PM's, and I'm not sure I'm the best organised or together person to help bring whatever we do together.

I also think it's a good idea to break ideas and activity out of the Rider down thread so that the public thread (viewable by velcro, family, friends, etc) doesn't get populated with lots of activity that drowns out the condolences.

So this thread, is a vague call to say that if you want to do something for velcro, Eilidh's family, etc... then let's put that conversation in here.

Suggestions received so far via PM:
1) Shut the forum out of respect for a while this afternoon.
2) Have a ghost bike built up out of the collective donation of spare parts by many forum members.
3) A memorial spoke card.
4) Start organising a memorial ride.
5) Start taking donations, either directly or at the memorial ride (if there is one)... view to send the money to a charity that Eilidh cared about, part-spend on flowers for the family, things like that.

I'm going to repeat the thing with velcro and the family... don't do anything they're not into. It's their loss, and not our place to make it worse for them. We can offer support, try to make it not in vain, but no hijack... what they wish, goes. If when asked they say no, it is no.

So plan here, but don't take it as any green light to do anything just yet... this thread is only here to help focus the desire amongst people to do 'something'.

I'm going to repeat the thing with velcro and the family... don't do anything they're not into. It's their loss, and not our place to make it worse for them. We can offer support, try to make it not in vain, but no hijack... what they wish, goes. If when asked they say no, it is no.

Yes. Wait for when they're ready. Let them take the lead on what to do. Don't plan anything concrete just yet, though.

On HGVs,there are plenty of general things that can be done without affecting Eilidh's particular case. I'm happy to post more if people are interested.

I'm in favour, but please don't shut down the board.

I've always felt that silence is a poor memorial, easily forgotten if not oft repeated and when carried out on the internet is a little self defeating.

vb could you change the title on the thread to.

Rider down - Notting Hill Gate (with a date)

Ray.

It seems that there is a lot of inaction after incidents like this, after lots of talk. Doing "something" in my mind would be tackle the issue from both a cyclist and a drivers point of view.

From the cyclists end we could work with the LCC on rider education (get some of us trained up as trainers?). We have film makers on the site and idea of viral videos on YouTube has been floated as well.

From the drivers end it would be good to go and speak to the fleet mangers of haulage companies that work in and around London (Sainsbury's, Tescos, Pimlico Plumbers, TNT, UPS) and speak to them about having some of us present to their drivers.

The more we can do to encourage awareness and respect the better.

My 2p.

5) Donations/whip-round seems good, and practical....if no offense is caused.

+1 to what Aroogah said. yes a gesture to the friends of family in memorial is a really nice idea, and relatively easy to execute.

But if we could really make a difference to the streets of london, through some direct action, and lessen the chances of these tragedies happening again surely that would be as good if not better (hell why not both?!)

I think a memorial spoke card would be great.

Good ideas, Aroogah. We could co-ordinate a film through our Audio-Visual group.

Our HGV group will also have ideas and templates for action.

There's a long history of campaigning on this issue and Charlie will be better placed to give advice. I'm not fully up to speed on this.

1, 4, 5 all get my vote!

to explian, replacing the forum with a page about the death for a while would be emidiate .

4 would be nice and maybe show a few people that we care

5 would feel like it could have a more tangible effect.

I think the key is to keep it simple and to choose one thing and then stick to that. Either way we should wait and see what the grieving family or Velcro think.

i think a gathering at the spot, with a few minutes silence would have my vote.

+1

It seems that there is a lot of inaction after incidents like this, after lots of talk. Doing "something" in my mind would be tackle the issue from both a cyclist and a drivers point of view.

From the cyclists end we could work with the LCC on rider education (get some of us trained up as trainers?). We have film makers on the site and idea of viral videos on YouTube has been floated as well.

From the drivers end it would be good to go and speak to the fleet mangers of haulage companies that work in and around London (Sainsbury's, Tescos, Pimlico Plumbers, TNT, UPS) and speak to them about having some of us present to their drivers.

The more we can do to encourage awareness and respect the better.

My 2p.

These are sound ideas Chris +1
Stuart

+2

I'd be in support of a forum donation. There are some very good womens cycling institutions/charities that could benefit from a worthy donation.

+1 - Shins

A short ride to the area, maybe from Hyde Park, and a moment of silence at the spot.

The spokecard, I think would be a constant reminder/tribute. Everybody could donate £1/£2 for a spokecard on the day and the money donated to the family, or charity of their choice.

Any further action to prevent another death too would be long overdue.

Gah, still reeling from the news. I think some kind of gathering + flowers for the family / charity donation. Doing something and giving something.

Anyway i can help out, please let me know.

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2) Have a ghost bike built up out of the collective donation of spare parts by many forum members.
5) Start taking donations, either directly or at the memorial ride (if there is one)... view to send the money to a charity that Eilidh cared about, part-spend on flowers for the family, things like that.

IMHO.

A moment of noise may also be as/if not more effective. Bells, horns etc. We want to be heard.

Any way i can help let me know too.

Shouldn't the Ghost bike be the actual bike that was being ridden?
If the family are willing & supportive, of course... as with every gesture.

there is a ghost bike ready to go if needed.
I can back fill

Shouldn't we ask Velcro for his thoughts?

Shouldn't the Ghost bike be the actual bike that was being ridden?
If the family are willing & supportive, of course... as with every gesture.

I did think that too but the laws of evidence are likely to prevent that.

Also a touch ghoulish perhaps.