Gashaw Clark's mother speaks while she looks at her son's ghost bike at the intersection of Mission Bay Blvd. and 3rd Street on Wednesday May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.
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Many hugged and cried together on Thursday night as Gashaw Clark’s mother asked Ride of Silence attendees to take one of the lentil and quinoa Ethiopian snacks she had made for the evening. She said she considered everyone who came to pay respect to Clark a friend of his, and she was happy to share one of her son’s favorite bites.
Gashaw Clark’s mother looks at her son’s ghost bike at the intersection of Mission Bay Blvd. and 3rd Street during the Ride of Silence event on Wednesday May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.
Clark died seven years ago following a collision with a vehicle at the intersection of Mission Bay Boulevard and 3rd Street. He was 25 years old.
About 100 people attended the Ride of Silence last night, cruising through the city in honor of more than 40 cyclists who have been killed — most by motorized vehicles — on San Francisco streets since 1997. Strangers, friends and family shared stories, tears and hugs while they heard the names of the victims read out loud by organizers.
Attendees of the Ride of Silence riding east toward the second stop in Mission Bay on Wednesday May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.
The Ride of Silence started in the Mission District, and stopped five times before it reached its final destination at City Hall, where organizers installed a bike painted white and adorned with flowers, known as a ghost bike, in front of the building.
Organizers read nine names before riding away from the ghost bike and from the building, which had been lit white as a form of respect, as it has been for the last four years of the annual event. Only the candles around the ghost bike and a black-crowned night heron remained.
Tyler Dixson places two memorial posters at the intersection of 4th and King streets during the Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Luis Cisneros carries flowers in the front basket of his bicycle during the Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Close-up of memorial posters displaying the photos and names of cyclists remembered at the Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Luis Cisneros and Angel Hancock look at other volunteers place flowers at the intersection of 4th and King streets on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.A volunteer decorates Gashaw Clark’s ghost bike with blue flowers at the intersection of Mission Bay Boulevard and 3rd Street on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Barry Grosfield carried the ghost bike organizers installed at City Hall during the whole ride on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Jeff Jones asks for a minute of silence for the cyclists killed around the intersection of Folsom and 14th streets on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Jeff Jones points to the exact spot where a cyclist was hit and killed at the intersection of Folsom and 14th streets on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Attendees at the intersection of Octavia and Market streets decorate the ghost bike at the site on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Attendees arrive at City Hall to place a ghost bike in front of it, for the last four years officials have lit up the building white to honor the ride on Wednesday May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Attendees place the names of cyclists hit and killed around City Hall, for the last four years officials have lit up the building white to honor the ride on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.Attendees arrive at City Hall to place a ghost bike in front of it, for the last four years officials have lit up the building white to honor the ride on Wednesday, May 15, 2024. Photo by Oscar Palma.
Reporting from the Mission District and other District 9 neighborhoods. Some of his personal interests are bicycles, film, and both Latin American literature and punk. Oscar's work has previously appeared in KQED, The Frisc, El Tecolote, and Golden Gate Xpress.
Way to many bicyclists and pedestrians are injured in this city. I’m curious about the ghost cyclist shrines that are allowed to remain at the site of the accidents. I thought the DPW had a strict rule against pop up shrines. At least that’s what they said when they tore down one at the site where Kate Steinle was shot. Maybe if she was part of the bicycle coalition it might be different
@Gigi-For clarification, the ghost bike memorials we install have nothing to do with the SF Bicycle Coalition. Our group has affixed a decal that reads “This is a Memorial Bike” so that The City doesn’t remove them and others can respect it. One year, we had a moratorium where the ghost bikes could stay up for a year. As an organizer, we may decide to leave them for a month, then remove them.
Lastly, thank you Oscar, for your respectful coverage of our solemn, beautiful, and powerful ride that honors people who were killed while biking and supports their families, friends, and the community as collective healing.
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Thank you
Way to many bicyclists and pedestrians are injured in this city. I’m curious about the ghost cyclist shrines that are allowed to remain at the site of the accidents. I thought the DPW had a strict rule against pop up shrines. At least that’s what they said when they tore down one at the site where Kate Steinle was shot. Maybe if she was part of the bicycle coalition it might be different
@Gigi-For clarification, the ghost bike memorials we install have nothing to do with the SF Bicycle Coalition. Our group has affixed a decal that reads “This is a Memorial Bike” so that The City doesn’t remove them and others can respect it. One year, we had a moratorium where the ghost bikes could stay up for a year. As an organizer, we may decide to leave them for a month, then remove them.
Lastly, thank you Oscar, for your respectful coverage of our solemn, beautiful, and powerful ride that honors people who were killed while biking and supports their families, friends, and the community as collective healing.