Last Rites for Dead Bikes

Last Monday, Ben from the Bicycle Coalition performed last rites on 24 dead bicycles in Center City Philadelphia.


One of the dearly departed

 We've all seen these poor bicycles, their years of devout service ignobly rewarded by being lashed to a pole and forgotten.  When they were locked up, these bicycles no doubt expected to be retrieved in a matter of hours.  But hours became days, and days became months, and their owners never returned.  Perhaps the lock key was lost, or a component was vandalized, rendering the bike inoperable.  Yet surely these faithful steeds deserve better than to be rusted by rain and picked apart by passing vultures.

Now cracks a noble heart.  Good-night, sweet Raleigh Recoro*

Fortunately, the Bicycle Coalition looks after these deserted machines.  Working with the City of Philadelphia's Streets Sanitation Department, we tag dead bicycles for removal.  The tags are bi-lingual, neon orange, remain for a week, and display a phone number to call for questions or claims.  After that week, we remove the bicycle (or remnant of a bicycle) with the City's help and donate it to Neighborhood Bike Works.  There, the bike is cleaned, dressed in white, and then recycled for salveable parts.

Thanks to this effort, bicycle parking is freed up, the streets are cleaner, and 24 derelict bicycles have been given the rest they deserve.

*With apologizes to Hamlet.