Wellesley Police Don’t Get It

I reported this summer about a fatal hit and run in Wellesley, seems the police there are clueless when it comes to what a ghost bike is.

As The Swellesly Report, reports:

The Ghost Bike that appeared over the weekend to memorialize cyclist Alex Motsenigos at the Weston Road/Linden Street spot where he was killed in an accident over the summer was removed at the request of the Wellesley Police.

“Items cannot be stored on public property,” (Editors note: Emphasis added) according to the police department, which says Chief Terrence Cunningham spoke to the person who put the white bike there.

“Items can’t be stored in public” Are you fucking serious?! I can’t imagine a more insensitive response to a memorial for a fallen cyclist. They didn’t even leave it up for a full week. Boston will sometimes take a ghost bike down, but they usually leave it up for a long while before they do.

The Wellesley police department clearly has no idea what it is doing, and thinks this is just some sort of trash to be picked up. Perhaps we should all contact them and let them know they are mistaken.

This poor man was hit and killed in broad daylight and as far as I know they still have not charged the driver with the crime. Maybe we should tell them we want to see more done to prosecute the killer, and less time spend removing ghost bikes.

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Kelsey Rennebohm Ghost Bike Install And Remembrance Ride

Thursday 8:00pm
Huntington Ave & Forsyth St, Boston, MA 02115

Please join the greater Boston area bicycling community at Huntington and Forsyth at 8:15PM to place a Ghost Bike for Kelsey Rennebohm. Following that, we’ll ride to Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Details on the ride are tentative and dependent on some logistics and scouting the planned area, so please check back soon.

Independent of your RSVP status on Facebook, we request you privately RSVP here for an approximate headcount for logistics: http://www.doodle.com/x4smimtinvs8dwn6

Attendance on the ride requires respectful, non-confrontational conduct and following traffic laws wherever possible; on multi-lane roads, please stick to the right-most travel lane, and leave some room on the left side both as a buffer from cars and for corkers to pass. We are in the process of seeking assistance from Boston, Brookline, and Northeastern Police.

Please have at least a front light – ideally front and rear lights.

The family is unable to attend but has requested that we record photos and video, and post descriptions of the ride for them to see. You are invited to share your photos, videos, and comments here, on youtube, etc.

More info here.

I hate that I can remember going to more than one of these events….

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Kelsey Rennebohm Ghost Bike Install And Remembrance Ride Tomorrow

A few folks in the JP biking community are organizing a ghost bike install and rememberance ride around the Chestnut Hill Reservoir for Kelsey Rennebohm who was struck and killed by a bus last week with the support of Kelsey’s brother, who is also a bicyclist. (Please see Shane’s comprehensive coverage on Kelsey from earlier this week)

More info from the Facebook event page Please spread the word, and ride safe.

Huntington Ave & Forsyth St, Boston, MA 02115
Please join the greater Boston area bicycling community at Huntington and Forsyth at 8:15PM to place a Ghost Bike for Kelsey Rennebohm.

Following that, we’ll ride to Chestnut Hill Reservoir. Details on the ride are tentative and dependent on some logistics and scouting the planned area, so please check back soon.

Independent of your RSVP status on Facebook, we request you privately RSVP here for an approximate headcount for logistics: http://www.doodle.com/x4smimtinvs8dwn6

Attendance on the ride requires respectful, non-confrontational conduct and following traffic laws wherever possible; on multi-lane roads, please stick to the right-most travel lane, and leave some room on the left side both as a buffer from cars and for corkers to pass. We are in the process of seeking assistance from Boston, Brookline, and Northeastern Police.

Please have at least a front light – ideally front and rear lights.

The family is unable to attend but has requested that we record photos and video, and post descriptions of the ride for them to see. You are invited to share your photos, videos, and comments here, on youtube, etc.

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Phyo Kyaw Ghost Bike

As many know one of our own was struck down recently. A Ghost bike has been put up in his honor. I hate seeing these things.

The memorial can be found at the corner of Mass Ave. and Vassar St.

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The Ghost Rider’s Bike

Isolate Cyclist has an amazing piece about ghost bikes that you really should read. Here is a taste.

She never imagined that life could end so abruptly, without warning, and without a hint of what was to follow. As she rode into a hollow of time, where a slow-motion scene of cars whirring around her played out without full consciousness, she sensed that something was terribly wrong.

A car was too close. Her bike and the hot metal wall fused into one with a blast of speed and the sound of clashing steel. Slowly, in an instant, the brevity of her life became a reality.

There was so much more to do. So many places to see, so many people to meet, so much more living ahead. But, a moment’s inattention can draw life to a close, unfinished and unlived.

Its really well done, go read the rest here.

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