Our resident cyclist went on a sad bike ride yesterday.
Whenever we go on a ride we never consider not coming back home to our family. But every year bike riders get killed by motorists and truck drivers.
On Friday young mother Arzu Baglar was riding from her home in Moonee Ponds to a friend in Williamstown. She only got as far as Yarraville when a truck driver turned left and killed her.
Speeches were made at the start of the ride in Yarraville Gardens by Bicycle Network CEO Craig Richards, Ed Hore from Cycle, Greens Senator and local resident Janet Rice, and Maribyrnong Mayor Catherine Cumming.
Just over 200 mourners then completed the final six kilometres of Arzu’s ride to Williamstown.
The final very short teary speech after the ride in Williamstown was from a “friend” who had two young children with him. It was when I choked up myself. Only today was it made known that this speech and the two children (only 2 and 6 years old) were the family Arzu left behind. They had joined the ride.
In Amsterdam in the early 1970’s a mass “die-in” protest led to the Netherlands starting to prioritise people before vehicle traffic. In Australia we have a long way to go.
I hope Daniel Andrews and his government can spend real money for more separation between bikes and traffic, especially in black spots such as Yarraville which was a crash (not accident) waiting to happen.
John Myers
1971 Amsterdam mass die in to protest need for more bike lanes.
At the contemplative memorial ceremony. Credit Thrive Research
I am someone's mum. Credit: John Myers, MediaWise.