David Smith
David Smith
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Age: 63
Location:
Sixth Avenue at 36th st.
New York 10018
United States
David Smith was riding in the Sixth Avenue bike lane on his way to work, as he did every day. As is often necessary when riding in this bike lane, he rode into traffic to avoid a pickup truck blocking his way. At that moment, Augustus Browne opened her passenger door without looking, knocking David off of his bike and sending him into the path of a truck that ran him over.
The driver, Benjamin Siano, was given summonses for blocking a bike lane and parking at a fire hydrant. Browne was given a summons for opening a door unsafely into traffic. The driver of the truck that killed David was not charged.
“He was an avid cyclist and rode his bike to work every day,” said Smith’s partner, Rev. John Moody, to Metro/NY. “He had all sorts of lights and safety things on his bike. When he’d ride home at night, people would sometimes say, ‘Hey lights,’ because he had so many lights on his bike.”
Moody said he and Smith, a recording engineer at Triton Sound on West 43rd Street, had been partners for 36 years.
When we dedicated a ghost bike to David on Wednesday, December 12, and again on our Annual Memorial Ride, John and David's son Nalla came to tell us about David and thanked us for remembering him with the ride and memorial. Fred Askew's photos of the memorial can be viewed here
A group from Fast and Fabulous decorated David's ghost bike on Gay Pride Day 2008
Wednesday, December 5, 2007
Age: 63
Location:
Sixth Avenue at 36th st.
New York 10018
United States
David Smith was riding in the Sixth Avenue bike lane on his way to work, as he did every day. As is often necessary when riding in this bike lane, he rode into traffic to avoid a pickup truck blocking his way. At that moment, Augustus Browne opened her passenger door without looking, knocking David off of his bike and sending him into the path of a truck that ran him over.
The driver, Benjamin Siano, was given summonses for blocking a bike lane and parking at a fire hydrant. Browne was given a summons for opening a door unsafely into traffic. The driver of the truck that killed David was not charged.
“He was an avid cyclist and rode his bike to work every day,” said Smith’s partner, Rev. John Moody, to Metro/NY. “He had all sorts of lights and safety things on his bike. When he’d ride home at night, people would sometimes say, ‘Hey lights,’ because he had so many lights on his bike.”
Moody said he and Smith, a recording engineer at Triton Sound on West 43rd Street, had been partners for 36 years.
When we dedicated a ghost bike to David on Wednesday, December 12, and again on our Annual Memorial Ride, John and David's son Nalla came to tell us about David and thanked us for remembering him with the ride and memorial. Fred Askew's photos of the memorial can be viewed here
A group from Fast and Fabulous decorated David's ghost bike on Gay Pride Day 2008