The holidays are a very hard time for families who have lost loved ones. A time that once was filled with laughter and cheer is now quiet with the heavy reminder of how things once were and memories of those who are missing from the table. It’s not uncommon for families to leave flowers, decorations, or other gifts on ghost bikes during the holiday season. For bicycle crash victims’ families, a ghost bike acts like a grave, a memorial, and a reminder of their missing loved ones.
As stewards of the road we like to keep an eye out for these ghost bikes at all times of the year — especially during the holidays and colder months — but even so, these bikes can be damaged or fall into disrepair. There are 14 existing ghost bikes across Philadelphia and we need your help to take care of them. Do you live near a bike, pass one regularly, or want to help? Here are some things you can do make sure these memorials remain in good shape and bring love to the families who lost their loved ones.
- Check on the Bike (take a look at our map of all ghost bikes)
- Make sure no one has stolen parts of it or hit it with a car
- If there are issues please fill our our Ghost Bike form or email Nicole@bicyclecoalition.org
- Educate neighboring business
- Stop in and let them know what the Bike is and who was killed there
- You can use our What is a Ghost Bike? blog for more information
- Give them our contact info or the Ghost Bike form to report any issues
- Having more people looking out for the bike the better!
- Decorate the Bike for various holidays
- Remember that not every victim’s family lives near the Bike (or even in Philadelphia)
- Adding decorations or flowers is a really wonderful way to show care for the person who is memorialized.
- If you do add decorations, take a picture and send it to us! We would love to share it with the families and on our social media.
We know that there are 2 bikes that are in disrepair and 3 that have been removed.
If you or someone you know are interested in helping us replace either Kyle Shanandoah’s ghost bike at 34th and Grays ferry Ave. or Tomas Montanez’s ghost bike at Whittaker and Luzerne, please reach out to Nicole@bicyclecoalition.org.
Happy Holidays from all of us at the Bicycle Coalition!
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia leads the movement to make every bicycle ride safe, to empower youth and adults to ride, and to foster a ridership that reflects the diversity of the region. Right now the Bicycle Coalition is asking 700 folks to join or renew their support for another year to continue that advocacy and education work. More info here.