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Carol Boardman ghost bike removed by council after complaints it was distracting drivers

Council ‘sympathetic towards roadside memorials’ but says sites need to be appropriate for the tributes being left

Flintshire Council has removed a ghost bike left for Carol Boardman following complaints it was distracting drivers and causing visibility issues.

White ‘ghost bikes,’ often decorated with flowers and photographs, are both a tribute to the deceased and also a means of highlighting road dangers.

The trend began in the United States but has become increasingly common in the UK.

Carol Boardman, the mother of former pro rider turned cycling campaigner Chris Boardman, was hit and killed while cycling in Connah’s Quay in July 2016.

Liam Rosney, the pick-up driver involved in the collision, was found to have been distracted by his phone and was sentenced to 30 weeks in prison for causing her death by careless driving.

Deeside.com reports that council workers last week removed a ghost bike which had been left chained to a lamp post at the roundabout on Mold Road where the collision took place.

Flintshire County Council’s Chief Officer for Streetscene and Transportation, Steve Jones, explained: “Streetscene Services received complaints last week from members of the public in relation to a white bike being placed on the roundabout at Mold Road, Connah’s Quay which was distracting drivers and causing visibility issues.

“Initial investigations with North Wales Police and their Family Liaison Officer confirmed that the family were unaware of the placement of the tribute bike, but were aware of a national organisation that place monuments at points were serious incidents have occurred.

“As yet the Council has not been able to identify the owner of the bicycle and it was removed last week.

“The bicycle is currently being stored at the Council’s Depot and is waiting for the owners to make contact to collect the bike.”

Jones added: “The Council is sympathetic towards memorials at the roadside and looks to accommodate tributes wherever possible, however we need to be considerate towards the location with respect to other highway users and sites need to be appropriate for the tributes being left.”

In 2011, the Guardian ignited debate by posing the question of whether ghost bikes may deter people from riding bikes by giving the impression that cycling is more dangerous than it actually is.

Alex has written for more cricket publications than the rest of the road.cc team combined. Despite the apparent evidence of this picture, he doesn't especially like cake.

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11 comments

Avatar
Jimnm | 4 years ago
4 likes

The best thing to make drivers sit up and take notice would be to hand out severe sentences for careless driving and causing injury or death. Take a life, forfeit your own by doing serious time. Not a short stay 30 weeks! The law is an ass! 

Avatar
Butty | 4 years ago
6 likes

Submit multiple complaints about other distracting roadside furnture and signs to:

https://www.flintshire.gov.uk/en/Resident/Streetscene/Contact-us---Stree...

See how long they take to be removed (if at all).

 

Avatar
jollygoodvelo | 4 years ago
4 likes

Fine, move it.  Install it outside the house of the driver who killed her.  Put a white bike outside the house of anyone involved in a fatal accident.  Let's see how that affects how people drive.

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Robert Hardy | 4 years ago
5 likes

Rather laughable reason in a country where athe approach to a dangerous road junction like that of the M5 and M6 is beset with enormously distracting giant electronic advertising screens.

Avatar
brooksby | 4 years ago
5 likes

You can be sure that if it had been a rented billboard advertising stuff, then the council would not have removed it... 

Avatar
burtthebike replied to brooksby | 4 years ago
4 likes

brooksby wrote:

You can be sure that if it had been a rented billboard advertising stuff, then the council would not have removed it... 

Precisely.  Reminded me of Three Billboards outside Epping Missouri.  Crowdfund a billboard anyone?

Avatar
Luca Patrono | 4 years ago
8 likes

Put another one there. And another, and another, and another, until they get the message.

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growingvegtables | 4 years ago
4 likes

Aye ... and I know I'm shouting.  With good reason, I'd suggest .

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growingvegtables | 4 years ago
12 likes

"Distracting drivers" ... or, in plain English, making them THINK.

"Causing visibility issues" ... or, again in plain English, for once in the complainant's cretinous driving career, s/he actually SAW a bike.  Only this time, s/he couldn't attempt to bully them off the road?

 

AND THE COUNCIL TOOK ONE WEEK TO RESPOND TO THE CRETINOUS DRIVER'S UPSET?

 

Come on, lads and lasses.  How often has a cyclist had a council response within ONE WEEK?

Avatar
ConcordeCX | 4 years ago
14 likes

They don’t like being reminded not to kill people

Avatar
Housecathst | 4 years ago
14 likes

Distracting drivers from their phones I assume!

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