Atip's Latest Ghost Bike Removed; Dangerous Intersection Now More Deadly

Atip's latest Ghost Bike has been removed. Apparentely, the Ghost Bike was removed on Tuesday, July 21, less than 48 hours after the bike was locked up.

When I rode up to the corner of the University Ave & Park Blvd intersection on Saturday, July 25 to take-in and appreciate the awareness that the Ghost Bikes have brought to that deadly, car-centric intersection, I was saddened to ride up to what turned out to be a bike-less, naked, grey corner. It's disappointing to see that people's well-intentioned methods of physically memorializing a human being that was killed at that site, can simply be scooped up, curbed, and tossed into the back of a City-owned truck like an abandoned shopping-cart.

City governments should be about protecting the well-being of it's citizens. Spending our tax dollars and wasting money to remove an awareness-raising work of public art is backwards. Thank you City of San Diego Street Divisions for spending money to make a dangerous intersection more deadly---all so you can hide the weaknesses of your auto-centric, car-first, pedestrians/cyclists-last philosophy.

It's clear; Street Divisions, a City of SD department directed by an automobile-traffic-engineer, is determined to remove anything from the corner that is mildly associated w/ Atip and/or bike-safety (Source on Deputy Director's automobile-traffic-engineer background: Personal phone conversation before the original Ghost Bike Memorial was removed, 2008).

Fortunately, a permanent memorial is in the works. An awesome and super-fun fundraiser-event is being planned! Details very soon.

News about Gathering for Atip Represented in "Pedal Consumption"

The PedalConsumption.com fixed gear news source showed some supportive Atip representation on their site, in lieu of the gathering which took place last Sunday, July 19.


A couple photos (including one above) taken by Atip's close friend Matt Lingo got linked up.

The caption reads as follows:

'Just a year ago, Atip Ouypron was struck by a truck and died on the morning of July 19, 2008. Its great to see him remembered with the support of those who rode with him... or just heard his name whispered.'

Well said.

The page can be seen here:

http://www.pedalconsumption.com/files/a_gathering_for_atip.html

Thanks, PC.

Community Gathers to Recognize One-year Passing of Atip; Ghost Bike Memorial Returns

Friends of Atip gathered on the afternoon of Sunday, July 19, to commemorate the life and death of our fallen friend.

It was clear, judged by the turnout, that positive and loving memories of Atip remain omnipresent in the minds of his friends, community, co-workers, and fellow cyclists fortunate enough to have known such a positive-thinking and influential individual.

A Ghost Bike memorial returned to the corner of the deadly Park Blvd. & University Ave intersection; the site of the high-speed collision which took the life of our friend on July 19, 2008.

Above photo taken by Matt Lingo.

Following photos taken by Skyy:









Atip will never be forgotten.

One-Year Anniversary of Atip's Death is this Sunday

Atip's close friends are organizing a gathering to take place this Sunday, July 19, 2009 in recognition of the one-year anniversary of Atip's death.

The vigil will take place at 5pm at the Park Blvd. & University Ave. intersection; the site of the collision which killed Atip, and the site of his Memorial Ghost Bike which arose in response.

More details to come.