November 12, 2013
For immediate release: For information contact Rick Price, 970-310-5238
“Ghost Bike to Commemorate Death of Cyclist October 8th”
The Fort Collins Bike Co-op and a group of concerned citizens will place a “Ghost Bike” at Hinsdale Drive and Harmony Road Sunday, November 17th in memory of Jim Fogelberg. Fogelberg was killed while riding his bicycle in the bike lane at this intersection on October 8th when a pickup truck turned into him. The driver of the pickup did not see Fogelberg who hit the truck and died later that evening.
“I wanted to help place this memorial as a reminder to all motorists that cyclists are vulnerable road users and that we all need to be extra careful and vigilant when driving around cyclists,” said Dr. Terri Marty, Trauma Surgeon at University of Colorado Health in Fort Collins. Dr. Marty painted the commemorative plaque that will be placed on the ghost bike in honor of Mr. Fogelberg. Fogelberg lived in Boulder but worked at Advanced Energy in Fort Collins.
Geni Klagstad, Mr. Fogelberg’s widow, wrote that “Jim used to ride every weekend from the end of Sugarloaf Road on the Peak to Peak [highway] to at least Brainard Lake, and sometimes down Lefthand Canyon and back up. One of my brothers once asked Jim if he wasn’t worried about all the crazy drivers out there and Jim responded ‘I will not be afraid to live my life.’ My daughter has that engraved on a pendant around her neck.”
Jim Fogelberg was 64 when he died.
“Ghost Bikes” are often placed in memory of cyclists killed on city streets throughout the world. In response to such spontaneous memorials many cities have developed policies regulating their placement and removal. In Fort Collins ghost bike memorials are allowed for up to thirty days after the “date of the incident.”
Citizens placing the ghost bike in memory of Jim Fogelberg hope that the City will allow the bike to remain in place for thirty days from the time it is placed. “This is a reminder and valuable educational opportunity to help motorists and cyclists to remember to watch for one another on our streets,” said Rick Price, Safe Cycling Coordinator at the Bike Co-op and founder of the Bicycle Safety Institute of Colorado.
A brief ceremony will be held on Sunday, November 17th at 2 p.m. at the corner of Hinsdale Drive and Harmony Road. Ms. Klagstad has said she will attend with her son and with friends and colleagues of Jim along with concerned citizens. The public is invited.
Rick Price, Ph.D.
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“Bike safety can never be stressed enough. If you doubt this, try stressing it as much as you possibly can. It won’t be enough–guaranteed.” The Onion, 2001
