Every day, that white bike hang from the post, looking to other alike bikes, they are more colorful and alive, riding on the asphalt that as much as that bike wants, won’t ride again. Since the day they took the life of occupier, its fade is being a ghost bike, visible to everyone, but yet, never seen.
Whether you’re a cyclist or not, motorist of a vehicle or just a passenger of a transport, maybe you have seen a white bike placed on a pole in your road.
Have you ever wondered why is it there or what is its meaning? Today we’re going to explore more about these tragic stories.
A white bike, symbol of a complaint and respect
Even though is good for cycling to increase, unfortunately exist other numbers that don’t decrease: death cyclists.
This isn’t a proper neither exclusive situation of any country. However, what has internationalized is the way to protest against these numbers. This comes as a white bike that symbolizes a complaint and respect on cyclist context.
You will realize these bikes in certain points of the city, maybe, and regrettably, in many. Their presence works as a landmark and piece of collective memory that refuse to forget to victims.
In essence, a white bike signs the point where a cyclist died by a motorized vehicle.
The most common cause of death among cyclists who perish on streets, avenues or highways is being hit by motorists. In the majority of cases, these are hit by motorists that don’t respect transit regulations, such as drive at high speed, ignore stop light, and others.
Thus, when the life of a cyclist is taken, groups and relatives of the person, place a ghost bike, as it also known for being painted white, placed where the person lost his/her/they life.
In this way, the action intends to highlight the tragedy that happened there and honor the memory of the victim.
The ghost of the complaint
If from now on, you pay attention when you look at the window when going by public transport, or crossing at avenues in your private car, you will realize that your city has too many ghost bikes.
Another point of hanging a white bike is highlight the alarming frequency of run overs to users of non-motorized transports and pedestrians.
A white bike is more than an object, is a way to honor the memory of that people to remember them, but, also a peaceful and respectful complaint to aware motorists to drive cautiously and share the roads of transit.
Even though is a silent complaint, is visible to everyone’s eyes. In one hand, demonstrates the union bond among cyclist groups, and on the other hand, makes us remember our fragility as living beings that can die at any moment and place.
A white bike isn’t an object, is a scar on city and memory of a society that needs to be more conscious of itself.
White bike: the hurtful irony of an origin
Tragedies result more hurtful when irony is present. The case of white bicycles is not immune to this situation.
The movement arose during sixties in Amsterdam, one of the greatest bike cities in the world. The initial aim was noble, the intention was paint bike of white to be used by anyone. Once, someone finished to use it, could leave it on any place for the next user.
Now, years later, results ironic; that the bike that was supposed to be used by everyone, now is the symbol of a bike that won’t be used by nobody.
It was for the first time in 2003 at Louisiana in United States, where a white bike was placed to honor the memory of Patrick Van Der Tuin, a cyclist that was run over. That’s how this movement started.
The terrible numbers
As we mentioned, this isn’t an exclusive issue of the country, in Mexico, unfortunately the numbers aren’t encouraging.
In Mexico City, between January of 2019 and November 27th of 2023, around 1689 cyclists have died by run overs, according to the data of N+, obtained by the Fiscalía General de Justicia de la Capital (Attorney General’s Office of capital city).
Injuries to bicyclists are added to these cases, with a total of 2234 on the same period.
In Guadalajara, one of the greatest cyclist cities of Mexico, the numbers aren’t so encouraging. The organization Bicicleta Blanca expose that 328 cyclist have been killed since 2009. In this year, to June 24th of 2024, counted 13 deaths. In 2023, were taken 17 cyclist lives.
It is noted that, in their site, organization has an up-to-date record of the number of fatalities in Guadalajara. They also have a specific register with deaths, to check the name and cause of death of cyclists.
Causes and prevention
Exist many causes, most of them are run overs and aren’t caused instantly. But the impact when falling against asphalt or concrete can be the cause.
Even so, most of run overs and deaths of cyclists is associated to zero or poor cyclist infrastructure. Also, a bad or zero-planning of bikeways; to the lack of training of public or private motorists, and others.
And just like that, one of the greatest solutions to this unfortunate issue, is create a better cyclist infrastructure. This have to be designed, thought and implemented by the specific regulations and tools.
At the end, everyday we wish for more bikes in the world, and fewer white bikes on it.
