This "ghost bike" appeared near the spot on University Drive where cyclist Misty Bassi was run down by a hit-and-run driver on Memorial Day morning. She was hit head on, so at least her death was instantaneous.
When Umass students return and The Hanger starts packing them in again, maybe more folks will be reminded that a car is a deadly weapon.
CBS reports
I just hope that they pay attention. I have seen a lot of stupid drivers on U. Drive no matter wheter the students are here, or not. Everyone seems to be in a hurry to go nowhere.
ReplyDeleteUntil later..................
maybe they should a bike outside of the Bangs center. After all, a senior citizen killed misty not a UMass student.
ReplyDeleteMay we also be reminded that accidents can happen to anyone whether we are drivers, cyclists, motorcyclists or pedestrians. Not only do we have the "right" to travel safely, we also have the responsibility to protect ourselves when traveling.
ReplyDeleteFor sure.
ReplyDeleteAnd let it also be a reminder that you can, like almost 3,000 (mostly) Americans on THAT awful morning, be doing EVERYTHING "right," and still die a horrible death--although obviously not an accident.
The fact is simple - all of these "traffic calming" things, like the roundabouts planned for 116 at Bay Road, simply increase the likelyhood of this stuff happening.
ReplyDeleteWe need high-speed, high-volume vehicular egress to UMass. The 116 bypass should have been continued straight through where Staples is an down to the Turnpike, there should be a cloverleaf for the intersection with Route 9.
I just find it funny that the planners in the 1950's seemed to have it so right (four-lane 116 from 91 to the 'Pike and only that one section by UMass gets completed) and the work just stopped. I just wish that this ARRA recovery act could have continued some of that build-up for the aforementioned high speed egress from UMass instead of putting "functional overlays" of pavement on state highways that really don't need it, depending on who you talk to.
ReplyDeleteBut that's where NIMBY comes in.
Of course, by the time the students returned this past weekend, the memorial had been removed.
ReplyDeleteIt was placed in the wrong spot, unfortunately...about 30 feet or so south of the actual accident site. I'm sure the Hangar didn't appreciate being known for 'the place where an elderly woman mowed down a cyclist'.
Yeah, I kinda figured that would happen.
ReplyDelete