BIKEPGH MESSAGE BOARD ARCHIVE

yes there should be. i have heard of another effort too. let's combine forces. nick, i'm pm-ing you

I ride through that corner every day. I'll do my best to be there for any ceremony.

I think the sign should have the victims name, birthdate, and death date. I don't think it needs anything more, really. 198X-2009 is a sad story.

Mick

i'd like to help with this however possible.

I would like to talk the family about posting the name, just to make sure they are ok with it.

I would assume it would be fine with them, since it is honoring him, but I just want to make sure.

I saw in a news story that his family lives in China.

I had a feeling that was the case.

The ghost bike is ready to deploy tomorrow.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=116828627605

Hey Nick, could you or someone you're working with on this stop by Golden Palace and invite the people who work there and his friends to this? I think that would be nice. The latest article in the Post-Gazette says he has an uncle who lives in the city.

Scott, I am hoping someone else can, because I am at work in Monroeville until 5.

I may just try calling if I can find a number.

I just went down Meyran this morning on my bike on my way to work this morning.....saw exactly the location where this happened.

not sure if people w/out facebook can see the info:

Date:

Wednesday, August 5, 2009

Time:

8:30pm - 9:30pm

Location:

Intersection of Meyran Ave. and Louisa St. In Central Oakland

Street:

Meyran Ave. and Louisa St.

City/Town:

Pittsburgh, PA

and the info: At dusk, Wednesday, August 5, 2009 , we will be locking up a "ghost bike" to memorialize Ruihui Gin who was killed earlier this week by a currently unknown driver who fled the scene.

We will meet at the intersection where the accident happened, and lock up the ghost bike, light candles and lay flowers for our fellow cyclist and Pittsburgh.

Come to memorialize Ruihui Gin, and show your support for safer roads for ALL users in Pittsburgh.

Thanks Erok

i really wish i could make it to this.

Just got off the phone with a friend. There is a group of students who are making a documentary in Pittsburgh about bicycling. They will be in attendance tonight also.

I just got off the phone with someone at the restaurant. I offered them my condolences, and told him to let the family know that we, as a community, are offering our support, and will be holding a small memorial tonight.

I don't think any member of the family is ready for this type of thing, but they did thank us.

Thanks for doing that Nick

I am glad everyone was able to make it out.

I think it was quite impressive to show what kind of community we are a part of. I talked with an officer with the Pitt Police, and he assured me that the Police will do everything they can to keep the ghost bike there, and will notify me if he hears the city is going to remove it.

I want his family to know we did this out of complete respect for them, and the future safety of everyone in our city.

Very somber and moving, first time I've been to a ghost bike ceremony and hopefully the last time any of us have to go.

Pictures: http://randomprecisionphoto.com/?p=626

yeah, i don't want to do that again

Thanks for taking the lead on this, ndromb. It was good to see so many people out paying their respects, and even the motorists who came through and were blocked, were cool about it and found their way around.

I'm wondering what people think about the permanence of memorials like this. Do you think this should stay up absolutely forever, or do you think it should come down "eventually", after a respectful period of time? If you think it should come down eventually, how long do you think eventually is?

I was unable to attend, but did see the WPXi television coverage. Nice turnout. They televised some of Nick's very passionate comments. It was a well done segment.

I think a memorial like this should stay up a very long time. The life expectancy of Ruihui Gin could ahve been 50 more years.

I think one thing not considered enough here is that life is fragile.

There has been a lot of talk of behaviors and situations that could and should be changed. I'm not taking away from that. Awareness and care could prevent (or, more accurately, delay) some deaths and we should all strive to be aware of our surroundings.

Any of us could die any day.

Ruihui Gin died. This is tragic in many ways.

Mick

I agree with Mick. I personally will do my best to keep it there as long as possible.

Beyond ghost bikes, some of those roadside memorials have been there a long time. And should be. The one I see several times a week is on the big hill on US19 where Perry and McKnight come together. It is for a North Allegheny school bus driver whose bus became disabled on the hill, and was mowed down by a couple of high school girls driving to school. Date: March 1993. If nothing else, it reminds me that EVERY car trip should be avoided, if possible.

The thing to take home here is that there is a story to be told, and a lesson to be learned, from each such memorial, bike or not.

It was brought to my attention that some people think it is appropriate to litter the ghost bike with beer cans. I went out and picked them up the other night.

If anyone else frequents the area, I think the whole community would appreciate you picking up any garbage left on or around it.

Also, the Pitt chapter of Sigma Alpha Mu (they have a house on Meyran) will be keeping an eye on it also.

ahhh. oakland. i was relatively surprised at the civility that we were given during the installation.

http://bikehacks.com/ghost-bike-pittsburgh/

noticed this on local messageboard:

Ghost bike on the corner of Meyran/Louisa

Saw it on a porch on Semple Street. Took it back to the corner but it's not locked up.

Which porch? Did you get the address. I'd like to mail them a letter.

Not sure--I didn't post that original message. I asked the person who did though, and if they respond I will post it here.

http://board.nevertellmetheodds.org/t.php?id=93327&r=8

I can stop by on the way home (~6pm) and put a lock on it unless someone else can get there sooner.

I locked the bike back up to the pole tonight but it would be nice to get a chain on it. Many thanks to Bob from Iron City Bikes who gave me a deal on the lock and donated a cable.

as a cyclist, it rather pains me that we need to lock this up. i suppose i almost understand, but still...who steals gravestones?

people.

Any way the bike can be disabled, like perhaps removing the chain or freezing an axle?

Stu, now that is a good idea. I vote for removal of the chain +/- hacksaw through one chainstay. Neither would alter the memorial, but both would certainly decrease the likelihood of someone exiting on two wheels.

I am more that willing to do both. Just do not attack me when you see me out there working on the bike.

Can't we just booby trap it somehow?

saw halfway through the bottom of the chainstay...

i dont think rendering the bike un-rideable would matter.. i think its more a question of immobility. south oakland, sorry to generalize, is full of people who just pick up objects and carry them home.

The bike doesnt have brakes, or a chain The frame is also pretty tweeked. The crank isnt bolted on either. As far as it being a bike, it isnt much of one.

I think the whole community appreciates you re-locking it, but it needs to be moved over so it isnt blocking the handicap ramp.

I am not on those boards, but if someone who is on them could post to let those people know that it was not placed there anonomysly-- I put it there. I have no problem being held responsible for it, including any negative repercussions for it's existance. Also, if anyone ahs a problem with it, they are welcome to take it up with me personally, not behind a monitor.

I feel like it has a place there, and I know for a fact that a large part of the cycling community, the neighbors, and the police support it being there.

Also, it is a legal form of a road side memorial, unlike spray paiting a bike which would be vandalism.

In addition, I think that everyone needs to keep in mind that bike is memorializing a person, and his life. I think a certain amount of sensitivity is deserved. I didn't know RuiHui Lin, but from everything I hear, he was an ideal hard-working American trying to better himself and his family and rightfully deserves to be memorialized.

Stopped by tonight, and someone knocked it over and kicked the stuff everywhere.

There is now some fliers posted by the family asking for anyone with information on the accident.

I think that it is great that there are a bunch of people keeping their eyes on it. I think it will be important to keep an eye out this week with all the new neighbors the memorial has.

i would say on about 70% of my rides, i come up from junction hollow. oftentimes i come up joncaire instead of neville, because, while i live in shadyside, i get bored of taking the same routes every time. i can make a habit of biking a quarter mile out of my way on these days to check on the status of the bike, if there are insufficient eyes on it already.