The Las Vegas Cyclist Memorial (LVCM) announces the LV5 Ghost Bike Unveiling & Memorial at Las Vegas Ball Park’s south lot, Saturday, Jan. 23, from 10 to 11 a.m. The event honors the five local cyclists who lost their lives on December 10, 2020, when they were struck by a truck while on a group ride. The LV5 includes Aksoy Ahmet, 48, Michael Murray, 57, Gerrard Nieva, 41, Erin Ray, 39, and Tom Trauger, 57. Due to COVID, people can choose to participate virtually and watch the live feed on the Ghost Bikes Las Vegas Facebook page. More information is available at www.lasvegascyclistmemorial.com.
People are encouraged to ride in small groups or individually in honor of the LV5 following the memorial. For safety reasons, a large group ride is not being organized.
“On Saturday, our goal is to show support for the families who lost loved ones and to be there for one another,” says Pat Treichel, founder of Ghost Bikes Las Vegas. “We also want to continue the conversation on cyclist safety by educating new cyclists about safety while reminding motorists of Nevada’s 3-Feet/Move Over law.”
Since its inception in 2018, when a cyclist is hit and killed by a motorist in Las Vegas, Ghost Bikes Las Vegas paints a bicycle white. The bike is locked to a street sign near the crash site and accompanied by a small plaque. Ghost Bikes serve as reminders of the tragedy and are quiet statements supporting cyclists’ right to safe travel.
Last week, LVCM announced the launch of Change Lanes for Bikes. It’s the Law! a public awareness campaign aimed to educate motorists and cyclists about Nevada’s 3-Feet/Move Over passing Law (NRS 484B.270). Nevada is one of 33 states to enforce a 3-Feet law and is one of five states to specify that motorists should move into an adjacent lane to the left if the lane is available when passing a cyclist. The campaign’s goal is to achieve zero collisions, ending traffic fatalities of cyclists. According to the National Highway Traffic & Safety Administration, in 2018, there were 857 cyclists killed by motorists, up 6.3% from 2017. In Nevada, 35.6% of overall traffic fatalities are pedestrian and bicycles[1]. If motorists are found at-fault in a collision with a cyclist or pedestrian, motorists may be charged with reckless driving. Other penalties include a driver’s license suspension. (NRS 484B.280)
[1] Source: The National Conference of State Legislatures
