To the Editor:

Via the wonders of Facebook, and a group called “(Bleep), and I can’t stress this enough, them cars” I read Frank Palmeri’s recent column regarding his annoyance with ghost bikes.

Thanks, Frank, for reminding people not to text and drive. But clearly that genie escaped the bottle years ago. Distracted driving is only part of the problem. Unnecessarily large vehicles and road design that encourages speeding both play a huge part.

In 2022, there were 7,522 pedestrians, 1,105 bicyclists, and 324 other nonmotorists (for example, persons riding micro-mobility devices) killed in crashes with motor vehicles in the United States, according to National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.  

That’s equal to two World Trade Center attacks! It’s equal to 36 Boeing 737 max planes going down.  

Why are we not horrified? Why aren’t we demanding something be done to meaningfully address the crisis?

For some people, the shock and horror of losing a loved one leads to them placing a ghost bike. I’m sorry that makes you uncomfortable. But I assure you your discomfort is nothing compared to every Christmas and birthday the family members mourn what was likely a preventable loss.

My friends’ daughter was hit by a truck from behind severing her brainstem three years ago. She was only 29, working in Charles City, Iowa on greener, safer agricultural chemicals. The man who hit her was texting and didn’t even go to jail. The biking community put a ghost bike on the fence near the site of her death.

Her parents’ grieving has involved trying to pass laws in Iowa to hold people accountable for killing people with their vehicle. The legislature has failed to act. I grieve for their daughter by advocating for better road designs where I live (her hometown).  

After stating bicycling is “very, very, dangerous,” you ironically suggested a better way to grieve might be to donate that ghost bike to a needy kid.

Frank, I think you need to take “just a moment” to apologize to the grieving families in your community.

Ginger Wireman

Richland, Washington