Where cyclists die, 'ghost bikes' rise in tribute

[August 08, 2012]  RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) -- Activists in a growing number of cities are erecting bicycles by the side of the road as memorials to cyclists killed in crashes with cars. They're called ghost bikes because many are painted white so that they stand out, like memorials at the sites of fatal car crashes.

But the bikes are as varied as the people they memorialize. At least one is bright pink. Some are smashed with sledgehammers to signify the wreckage left after the collision.

Ghost bike creators say the first memorials were put up about 10 years ago. They say the ghost bikes are also meant as reminders of the hazards cyclists face to share the road.

Hundreds of cyclists are killed in crashes with motor vehicles each year in the U.S.

[Associated Press; By ALLEN REED]

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