Why?
Because we must make biking and walking safer for everyone.
We must change our land use patterns and infrastructure so biking and walking are faster and easier and safer than driving (as well as being less expensive).
Bicycling and walking for transportation solve most of the world’s problems while getting us where we need to go.
Our kids are counting on us.
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Ghost Bikes started appearing around 2003 in the US at locations where bicyclists were killed to bring attention to these tragedies. Some people also put up Ghost Shoes for pedestrians killed.
Bicyclists and pedestrians rarely kill others but motorists kill millions of people and billions of animals worldwide just from crashes every year. And even more from pollution, climate change, and lack of exercise.
Bicycling and walking on their own are very safe. Most of the risk to bicyclists and pedestrians is from motor vehicles and their drivers.
Bicycling and walking are about the same risk level as driving (see https://www.mrmoneymustache.com/2013/06/13/bicycling-the-safest-form-of-transportation/ and other sources).
Ghost Bikes & Shoes are visible reminders but are usually temporary and don’t provide much information about the life that was lost or what could have been done to prevent the tragedy.
The Ghost Justice Map and Ghost Justice Tracker exist so more will remember the bicyclists and pedestrians who have died AND what we can do better to prevent future deaths. A volunteer team of Ghost Editors maintains these documents for Santa Clara and San Mateo counties in California.