The Chainlink

I'm trying to process what happened to Lisa as someone who rides that route every day.

Did Lisa get hit trying to merge with traffic just before the construction site or did this happen well before the construction - some folks are saying the semi hit Lisa while she was in the bike lane before the construction site.

All that being said - my heart goes out to their friends and fam.

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If those who speak out against all aspects of cycling in media outlets comment sections, how do we categorize them? What DO we call them?

Getting a bit off-topic here, but I find it fairly irresponsible of online media to not apply even the slightest bit of filtering to their comments sections. The latest Time cover story is entitled "How Trolls Are Ruining the Internet." We see it in the bike/car context, but it's everywhere. Some sites offload their comment sections to third parties like Disqus. In that case, there are (at least) two missed opportunities to apply reasonableness filters to incoming comments.

One reason I continue to read articles and comments on the NY Times website (I'm a subscriber) is precisely because they moderate their comments sections. People can (ad do) voice strong opinions, but the end result is still readable.

Since you asked, I am going to share my opinion on this topic. Riding our bikes makes us advocates to a certain extent. All of us that get on a bike represent cyclists whether we mean to or not. When a motorist chooses to share their opinions about cyclists e.g. "they are all law breakers" or "they should be riding on the sidewalk", I don't think it's helpful to counter it by saying they are "haters". I agree with Skip, I too think comments sections need to be moderated. there is some truly inaccurate misinformation out there and some of it is toxic. 

We represent the cyclist community and I don't think labels like "haters" are effective in continuing an ongoing dialogue. I don't think that'll be the way to get people on our side when it comes to passing laws, educating drivers, and and making them care about our lives. 

I would prefer to avoid labels and categories and focus on the specific topics. It makes it much easier to address when addressing an opinion rather than demonizing someone for their opinions.

http://english.stackexchange.com/questions/45135/a-single-word-for-... ick-to-hate-others

Contrarians, detractors, intolerants, antagonists.

I would also like to avoid labels and address an opinion of someone and just probably accept the fact that they might never ever agree with me.

I have shared with Yasmeen my view that the argument that we are all law breakers is a complete red herring in  cases such as Lisa's. Whatever other allegedly bad cyclists may do has nothing at all to do with the  need for safety and the reality that a young lady riding her bike in the bike  lane was killed.  This is no different from any cyclist trashing all drivers because there are drunks in  BMW's and there are truck drivers who drive in bike lanes. Not all actors are bad and those bad actors do not change the arguments for us  to make the streets safer for everybody.

The trolls are just that, trolls. They push the  public discourse away from the solutions we seek to find. Can we all do better? Duh. Even the most noble driver, rider, walker,  does a dumb thing on occasion. Do we learn  from this? Do  we opt to do better the  next time? Do we learn from our mistakes? Do  we make such behavior the exception?  My wife recently served on a jury in a  DUI case. All the jurors who were selected had admitted that they had been behind a wheel after having a drink. Does that mean they always do so or that they do so after having more than they should  have drunk? No. We are human. 

I think the balance that has come out of most discussions on this  forum help. We will not accept blaming the cyclist as an excuse  to ignore safety and ignore positive change. However, we call out to our brothers and sisters to please follow the rules of the road and  be responsible citizens of the streets.

The  reality is that in our digital society trolls will appear to stand much taller than they are. They really are two inch plastic doofuses with colored hair.  Why engage? Let's ignore them and let's take the lane policywise.

Thank you Dave! Well said.

So it looks as though I have had a friend of Lisa's reach out to have a ghost bike installed at that intersection. I am working to organize it now, any help would be greatly appreciated. I believe we may have a bike just need paint and a chain with lock.
Find me on Facebook and shoot me a message if you can help!

I'd like to help. Do you know what the timeline is for the ghost bike? Also, do you know someone that can create the sign or did you need help with the sign as well?

The day after this horrible event, I saw city trucks parked in the bike lane;

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6CozkW6lcI

So as a update:

The friends and family are taking a few days before they would like to go through the motions.

"Awesome! I messaged my friend who was roomates with Lisa, and I think she's having a bit of a hard time right now so if it's okay, it might be a few days or just a bit longer before getting an estimated date for this. Also contacting their close friend hopefully later today"

I would love if you created the sign! Currently I have the bike now and will start painting it soon! (Tomorrow when I go get a paintbrush, cause you know as a human with a mental grocery list I naturally forgot the eggs and a paint brush!

I will update when I have more information/ solid date and time of install.
Attachments:
With Lisa close friends and families (mothers) permission the day and time have been set.
Saturday, September 3rd @4pm
Sw corner of Racine and Milwaukee
Yasmeen will bring sign, I will bring white bike.
And hugs to any that want or need them.
Lock and chain will be supplied by a friend of Lisa's who reached out to the Chicago bike selling message board to get the community's help. I obliged without hesitation.
Thanks for everyones help it makes me so proud of our community.
See you Saturday sept 3rd!
Attachments:

I'll be creating a Chainlink event shortly. I'll also be sending you a PM with the proposed content for the sign. Right now I am looking into how/where to get one made like Bobby Cann's sign. 

 

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