Thursday, October 9, 2008

Critical Mass Memorial Ride

Jen Futrell was hit by a car while riding southbound on Bardstown Road on Tuesday, Sept. 30. She received life-threatening injuries and was taken off life support a few days later. She died on Saturday, Oct. 4.

Come to Critical Mass on Friday, Oct. 10 (5-6pm) to remember Jen and raise awareness of these issues:

-- Helmet safety - at her family's request, PLEASE show up wearing protective gear
-- Increased protection for cyclists, including increased funding for cyclist awareness campaigns for drivers and more bike lanes
-- Changing the culture of Louisville from car-centric to one that defers to alternative modes of transportation like cycling

We are meeting in the parking lot of Bardstown Road Presbyterian (they are not affiliated with this), biking down to the intersection of Baxter/Bardstown Road, then returning to the parking lot. We will pass the ghost bike, placed where Jen was hit. Her family has been made aware of this action and believes Jen would have supported it. ALL are invited, not just those who knew Jen.

I can't make it, but y'all should go.

In other news, I finally figured out why every day a little piece of my soul dies. It's because every day, I'm responsible for the emotions of many, many other people in addition to my own. It's called the service industry. My jobs aren't even that high stress. I would probably implode after about three hours of waitressing.

I will do my best to make my next post more normal milkyboots stuff ...

4 comments:

John Bronson said...

I would have come down from Cinci but a critical mass on the first Friday of the month? Or is it just for the remembrance ride?

milkyboots said...

It's just for the remembrance ride.

Unknown said...

Just got back from the ride, and it went off without a hitch. We rode to the ghost bike, paused for 5 min or so, and came back, with only one brief confrontation with the police (that quickly died out). I think Jen would have been happy, roughly 60 people showed up, representing not just the crusty punks and activists, but neighborhood kids, working parents, and local bike club people as well. All in all, a good day for CM. Oh, and I talked to several people about the CM spraypainting incident from last month, and from what I heard, nobody seems to know anything about it, and it seems that your friend must have encountered some non-associated bicyclists. Just what I've heard.

milkyboots said...

That's great. I wish I could've been there.
Thanks for the FYI, too.