Memorial Ride

After spending the last half a year researching and being very much involved in the Ghost Bike project as I create a book I have been moved by the unity within the cycling community not just on this forum but all over, while documenting and collating data I have decided to put across an idea.

I believe we should have a date set in our diarys where everyone takes part in a memorial ride in Central London, The point of the ghost bikes is not just as a memorial to that specific cyclist but to serve as a reminder and a memorial to all cyclists who have died. I believe this is what the ride should do as well, not only serve as a time to reflect on the vulnerablility of cyclists but also hopefully raise awareness.

I have not put this in the rides section as I would not be best suited to organizing this as I have a rather hectic life at the moment, and am also not based in London. What I believe should be done is we set a single date or possibly two a year where we would ride a specific high profile route through London, this is not to cause disruption although this would inevitably happen and would help to raise awareness through the disruption of traffic, it is more to just raise awareness, and to show our support to the friends and families who have lost loved ones. I believe we should include various landmarks within the route which might include such places as Parliment, Trafalger Square etc.... I believe that if we impliment a dress code such as black suits then this would be a striking image to see, and somehow have the names of the people who have been killed on the roads in London displayed throughout.

I am aware that this idea is not very structured but I think it is something we should do, and I think that the Eilidh memorial ride touched so many people that we need to do this.

just an idea, open to discussion

Nick

Nick
I think this could be an excellent idea and would be happy to help in any way the discussions see fit.
I'll be keeping a close eye on the thread.
Ed

Might be just an idea but it's a good one... who organised the ride for Eilidh ride?

i like this idea Nick, They do this in the US no the same date every year, its a nice way to remember those without the permentant fixture.

I have all the locations of accidents that could go into the route, but i am out for 2 weeks now so can't help out for a while.
The Eilidh ride was a group effort using her commute and Bills knowledge - it wouldn't take much to do it again

Thats cool greasy as I said this is just an idea, and one that I think may take a while to develop.

i'd be happy to help out in any way.

ditto - will help if I can

I believe that if we impliment a dress code such as black suits then this would be a striking image to see,

A touch funereal.

Perhaps a heavy white dress code for a combination of ghostly and angelic.

Still a good idea though.

this is good idea, i'm also sure the families of the victims would also interested in taking part.

it would be great if this ride could generate some widespread awareness of the dangers cyclists endure on a daily basis. i think it's a crap that part of my cycle (commute) route has now been painted over from green to black.

I am also happy to help in any way if I can

Happy to help again in any way I can.

A touch funereal.

Perhaps a heavy white dress code for a combination of ghostly and angelic.

Still a good idea though.

I would agree with that. Take the idea of the ghost bike to the road. A great way to raise awareness. (and keep you visible)

It's a great idea.

A simple central route would be good - like cut down version of the tweed one -where it would be very visible, including BoJo's house, Houses of P etc. Short-ish to allow for a lot of people. Finishing somewhere where there could be access for the press.

A touch funereal.

Perhaps a heavy white dress code for a combination of ghostly and angelic.

Still a good idea though.

A large group of cyclists all in white would present a more striking image I think. Can even wrap a couple of crepe-bandages around your frame (if it isn't raining) to make the bike white too.

A lot of cycling gear is black, so that's quite a normal sight. People dressed all in white is not usual in this country and would stand out more.

It ties in much more with the ghost bikes themselves as well, if the riders are in white.

I'd be up for this, any day. Just name a date.

If we hammered off a shedload of flyers and dropped them in bike shops, they might agree to hand them out to customers. Although, I wonder if the might worry about promoting the image of cycling-can-kill-you. But blagging the office photocopier for a while and boshing them on the counters of my local bike shops, I could do that... If a date can be organised and a decision made about what we do/route we take etc. then I'll help wherever I can.

So...

Midweek or weekend?

A sunday perhaps, when the roads are quiet? Or midweek when the roads are full and it will create more impact?

I think a colourful/happy dress code (most of the rides i've seen on here are usually quite colourful anyway, so it would be what people normally wear) with a black armband would be more suitable. It would show more of a message that cyclists are going to be on the roads whatever happens and it's not us who should change. The black armband would be the sign of respect.

I think this is a great idea, all white is the way to go so it shows some kind of relation to the ghost bikes, in my opinion.

A large group of cyclists all in white would present a more striking image I think. Can even wrap a couple of crepe-bandages around your frame (if it isn't raining) to make the bike white too.

A lot of cycling gear is black, so that's quite a normal sight. People dressed all in white is not usual in this country and would stand out more.

It ties in much more with the ghost bikes themselves as well, if the riders are in white.

+1

+1, I was about to suggest doing your bikes white as well.

I know a friend in America, that when his best friend passed away due to a driver DUI with a lorry, he put up a white (sprayed) bike where he passed away. Probably illegal to do it here, but it would definitely make an impact if you're all in white

Its been done several times here, if you ride/walk around holborn, clerkenwell, Dalston and a few other places there are several ghost bikes in memorial to our fellow cyclists that have had their lives cut short.

Some have messages, and I think other just have a bike with flowers or similar things.

Oh, okay, sorry. I am a newbie.

Everyone was new once...

So...

Midweek or weekend?

A sunday perhaps, when the roads are quiet? Or midweek when the roads are full and it will create more impact?

Saturday, IMO. Most people available to go on the ride, most visibility to shoppers etc.

Saturday, IMO. Most people available to go on the ride, most visibility to shoppers etc.

Of course anything from TCR east to Shorditch is very quiet on a saturday, could reach a lot of people (actual londoners/commuters rather than tourists) by hitting the city on a week day.

Maybe we could swing by Boris' gaff at some point as well

Saturday, IMO. Most people available to go on the ride, most visibility to shoppers etc.

Saturday is good. And people don't need to take a day of holiday to go.

It feels to me like this would need to be done quite soon, I think - like, by late August/early September. Don't quite know why. Maximum visibility with the extra sunlight perhaps.

Anyone know how long it took to organise other rides? Is 4-6 weeks enough time to get it arranged? I know you have to clear the route with the police and I don't know how long they string the paperwork out for.

We should invite Boris to join in.