Ghost Bike Project honors cyclists killed on Palm Springs streets

PALM SPRINGS — With the first documented cyclist fatality this year in Palm Springs, Volunteer Palm Springs has installed its first Ghost Bike at the intersection of Ramon and Compadre. Painted all white, the Ghost Bike serves as an effective, yet somber reminder of a bicyclist killed while biking.

Police responded about 4:45 a.m. Monday, March 13, to the intersection of Ramon Road and Compadre Road to a report of a collision between a vehicle and a bicycle, according to the Palm Springs Police Department.

The bicyclist, Nelson Esteban, 58, of Palm Springs, was taken to the Desert Regional Medical Center, where he succumbed to his injuries, according to the Riverside County coroner’s office.

Painted completely white by Pacific Wrought Iron. The Ghost Bike serves as an effective, yet somber reminder of a bicyclist killed while biking.

The Ghost Bike Project is part of VPS’s community outreach safety program which also includes its ‘Blink for Safety’ bicycle safety light program. VPS joins the many businesses and local organizations that have sponsored Ghost Bike installations throughout the city.

Each Ghost Bike will remain on display for a 30-day period and will be monitored by VPS volunteers who will remove any other forms of a memorial from the site.

“Life is a gift that can be changed or taken away in a split second,” David Carden Jr., Founder of VPS, said. “The bicycle safety programs will raise public awareness of practicing good safety habits while riding your bike.”

UP NEXT: The public is encouraged to attend the ONE PS Annual Picnic on Saturday, March 25 at Ruth Hardy Park to register their bikes with the Palm Springs Police Department and receive a FREE set of blinking safety lights. The multiple setting blinking lights feature a red one for the back and a clear one for the front.

“You must bring your bike to the event to register it,” Carden said. “The lights are an incentive to register your bike. With over 80% of bicycles in Palm Springs not registered, we hope this is an incentive to register a bike and increase the probability of recovering it when lost or stolen.”

For more information on the Blink for Safety and Ghost Bike programs, visit: volunteerpalmsprings.org.

Founded in 2010, Volunteer Palm Springs (VPS) is a 501(C)(3) grassroots nonprofit organization committed to renewing the spirit of giving back through volunteering. It boasts more than 1,400 active members who are available to assist nonprofits with their fundraising efforts, events, and activities throughout the year. There is no cost to become a member of VPS.

Social: Follow us on Facebook! @volunteerpalmsprings.pscares

Mailing Address: P.O. Box 5803, Palm Springs CA 92263

Email: info@volunteerpalmsprings.org

Phone: 760.902.2297