Reminds Public of the Need to Be Attentive to all Traffic

On Saturday, November 2, 2019, the family of Kathleen (“Kate”) Kirsch placed a ghost bike in her honor near the site of the tragic September 13, 2019 motor vehicle operator versus bicyclist collision that ultimately led to the loss of her life.

Ghost bikes are public memorials parked on public ways near fatal crash sites to honor bicyclists who have unnecessarily lost their lives in traffic crashes.  They are also educational tools, reminding drivers and other members of the public that people riding bikes have the right to safe travel.

Kate’s ghost bike, which is parked on the public esplanade outside of On the Vine Marketplace at 591 Route One in Scarborough, is intended to allow Kate’s spirit to remain in the community where she lived and loved to ride her bicycle for health, transportation and fun. It also serves as a solemn visual reminder of the loss of Kate’s life in a preventable traffic crash.

Kate’s brother, Dr. Stephen Kirsch, also a resident of Scarborough, says that he hopes that the bicycle tribute to his sister will prompt drivers to look for people walking and biking on public ways.  Dr. Kirsch, who is a fellow cyclist, is aware how vulnerable individuals are when they take to the streets on foot or on a bicycle, especially when sharing the road with pick-up trucks in excess of seven-thousand pounds.

Dr. Kirsch also hopes that the placement of a ghost bike near the private-to-public intersection will remind all drivers approaching stop signs and stop lines to stop and look in all directions, and to wait until it is safe to proceed, before entering a public way.

He and others in his family would like to see Kate’s ghost bike increasing awareness and generating public dialogue about the critical need across the State of Maine for complete streets, safer spaces for vulnerable road users, and strategies for building healthier communities.

The Kirsch family invites members of Kate’s various communities and the public to visit the bicycle memorial to reflect on Kate’s life and how it was lost, as well as on the 40,000 plus lives lost every year in the United States due to preventable traffic crashes.

Kate’s siblings also wish for people visiting their sister’s ghost bike to remember Kate’s creative energy, her playful side, her love of children and animals, and her contributions to her theater, school, religious, and other communities.  Anyone who ever saw Kate out riding, or saw her bright purple bike before or after the crash, will likely remember that it had a giant, white bell on it sprinkled with colorful shooting stars.  As a tribute to Kate’s eternal youth, her ghost bike boasts a pink horn splashed with a daisy, which visitors may choose to honk in her honor.

If you are in need of representation in Maine contact one of our Bike Accident Lawyers in your area. 

Portland Bicycle Accident Lawyer

Lauri Boxer-Macomber

Lauri Boxer-Macomber has been an avid rider for decades. Lauri’s Maine law practice is focused on advocating for the rights of bicyclists, pedestrians, and other vulnerable road users.

Lauri’s riding experience and legal training are complemented by her advocacy work.  She is an active Board Member of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, a Governor of the Maine Trial Lawyers Association, and a Member of the American League of Bicyclists.  She also chairs the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Policy and Legislation Committee and is one of the founding members and facilitators of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine’s Law Enforcement Collaborative, a group of law enforcement officers, planners, bicycle advocates, and others who meet regularly with the goal of improving safety on Maine’s roadways.