While ghost bikes are memorials, they go beyond the simple representation of the mourned bodies of cyclists. The physical presence of the objects also serves as a reminder of the bicycles themselves involved in these crashes. While some ghost bikes lack a personal representation to the cyclist it represents, the one at the intersection between Roxboro and Chateau Road clearly depicts who it stands for: Tony Turner. Some may ask if ghost bikes serve as a form of official memory. In the case of the Tony Turner’s bike, it is safe to assume that it has a personal touch that associates the body with the accident. In this sense, the bicycle, carefully decorated with flowers, serve as a visual metaphor for the loss of the body.
A few steps away from the ghost bike, a cross was laying down. Immediately, the reminder that we are at a site of mourning resurges. Despite its secular nature, this site remains one of mourning. But how does this affect our behavior, and how does it differ from one we may adopt at a religious memorial? To the general public, a ghost bike may not be as significant, due to a lack of knowledge and awareness about the significance of the object. However, Tony Turner’s is different. It is personal and highlights a connection between the past and the present: the picture on the bike, the last hobby he engaged in, allows for his memory to be kept alive, to keep moving forward. But it also allows the progressive mourning of its family. Unlike in religious ceremony which are punctual, the ghost bike remains visible and its aging process is visible to all. The slow decomposition of the bike, the paint scratching off and the flowers falling off allows a gradual evolution of grief, while at the same time ensuring the constant presence of Tony Turner.