Once again, Francoise and I will join Sylvia’s friends in Cleveland for a bike ride to remember her killing on Sept. 15, 2009 – seven long years ago.  We will also remember others killed on the streets of Cleveland.  Bike Cleveland has posted details of the ride:

http://www.bikecleveland.org/bike-cle/events/sylvias-ride-2016/2016/08/

https://www.facebook.com/events/513506272173851/

For any of you so inclined, organize a bike ride to remember Sylvia and to promote bike safety.  If that’s not possible, take a small moment out of your day to remember her on the 15^th. 

She continues to live on through those of you who knew and loved her who are now doing wonderful work to make the world a better place.  In her AmeriCorps application to work at Hard-Hatted Women, she wrote: “I hope to spend the next year amongst professionals dedicated to creating a better world. I would like to help improve individual lives, while also working towards systemic sustainability and justice.”  Elsewhere she wrote “I am so sure that I can change the world and that there are countless others doing the same.”  Her time was cut short but may we all live up to that confidence she had that we can change the world.  

Sylvia was killed six years ago today. They say "it" gets easier but it doesn't; it just becomes different. We love hearing what you, Sylvia's friends, are doing. We live Sylvia's hopes and dreams through you. We are so proud of all the exciting paths you're charting for your lives. We love to hear about the children and grandchildren of you, our contemporaries. Though every day is hard, we stay very busy. It's our best medicine. Thank you all for your good wishes. Without friends and close family members, we would never be able to get through the day. The pictures are of Sylvia in Mali in 2006. All our love, Steve and Francoise.

Francoise and I haven't posted anything on this blog for over two years.  We'd like to bring it back to life and want to encourage you to submit posts.  In less than a month, it will be what would have been Sylvia's 27th birthday.  Once again, we will celebrate her life.  The event will be at our house Sunday April 27 from noon to 4 pm - a potluck brunch and desserts.  Look for an invitation but if you don't get one, let us know if you can come.  We are hoping to raise funds for the Sylvia Bingham Fund which has given away almost all the donations people have made.  (Thank you for them!).  See http://www.sylviabinghamfund.org/grantsawarded.php for a listing of grants made.  In the meantime, please post any thoughts to this blog.  Memories are always precious.  Thanks!  Steve

The criminal trial of the truck driver who killed Sylvia over 26 months ago in Cleveland has finally concluded. Herschel Roberts was convicted Monday 11/21 of “aggravated vehicular homicide” due to recklessness. He was sentenced to 3 years in prison and had his driver’s license revoked for life. Various articles and TV news clips can be found by googling “herschel roberts cleveland.”

We were wonderfully supported by Sylvia’s friends and the Cleveland biking community throughout the trial. We were unhappy that evidence of the use of drugs by the driver (16 times the legal limit) was ‘suppressed’ (not admitted) by the judge in the bench trial (no jury, at the defendant’s request) but he nonetheless concluded that Roberts had to have seen Sylvia in his side mirrors had he looked before turning sharply right. His failure to exercise care was deemed recklessness.

Several legal issues which are important for the biking community in Ohio arose during the two-year legal proceedings which Steve will be addressing as part of his work on the Sylvia Bingham Fund (SBF) when he reduces his work time at Bay Area Legal Aid to 20% in January.

Expect to hear from us as we strive to raise more funds to underwrite the Fund’s donations to grass-roots organizations whose work corresponds to the SBF mission. If you would like to claim a 2011 tax deduction, we encourage donations at this time to the Peace Development Fund. See the 'contact and donation info' page for details on how to make donations. In January, the items regarding legal proceedings will be moved to an inside page as the website evolves into the SBF’s central communications medium.

Criminal Trial will start on Monday, November 14

It was confirmed this week that the criminal trial of Herschel Roberts who killed Sylvia over two years ago will finally begin at 9 a.m. on November 14 at the Cuyahoga Count Justice Center at 1200 Ontario St. in downtown Cleveland in room 19D, Judge Gaul presiding. The criminal charges are Aggravated Vehicular Homicide and Failure to Stop After an Accident. The trial is expected to last up to one week. The trial is of course open to the public and anyone interested is encouraged to attend. -- Steve and Francoise

Criminal Trial Delayed Again

We are not good bloggers! As many of you know by now, the criminal trial has once more been postponed from April 13, with no new trial date set. The criminal defense attorney was in the middle of a murder trial that itself had been postponed. There will be a hearing with witnesses on May 2 to consider the defendant's motion to suppress all evidence relating to the urine drug test of the defendant that revealed he had over 16 times the legal limit of marijuana metabolites in him. The argument to suppress? The test was conducted by a company that was not licensed by the State of Ohio, even though the tests were done pursuant to regulations of the US Department of Transportation. The new trial date won't even be set until the hearing occurs on May 2. The disfunctionality of the criminal justice system is unbelievable and very discouraging for Francoise and me. This is perhaps the sixth or seventh postponement of the trial. Sylvia was killed by the driver over 19 months ago. Francoise and I will of course be going to the hearing.

Meanwhile, a second round of grants from the Sylvia Bingham Fund is about to be made. The names of the organizations will be posted on the website shortly.

Please remember Sylvia on what would have been her 24th birthday on April 22, Earthday. We still love to receive remembrances of time spent with her. Her spirit burns brightly and we want it to do so always.

Criminal Trail set for Feb. 28

The criminal trial of the driver who killed Sylvia is set for February 28. See the comment to the last post. The driver was allowed to withdraw his guilty plea. The civil trail against the driver and his employer, Leff Electric, will hopefully happen in late spring. Francoise and I will of course be in Cleveland for both trials and would love to hear from any of you. Steve

TRIAL UPDATE: Truck driver pleads guilty 9/13/2010

The defendant in the criminal case plead guilty yesterday as set out in this brief news clip:http://www.19actionnews.com/Global/story.asp?S=13146612. He was sentenced to four years. We indicated that we would not object to him serving only 30 months in prison if he then performs a supervised community service obligation for another 18 months. We said it was our strong desire that the service he is ordered to perform relate to the bike/vehicle street safety issues we now so very much care about. We are of course relieved that the defendant took responsibility for his actions and hope that his sentence sends a loud message to drivers that conduct due to drugs or recklessness that causes the death of someone on a bicycle will have severe consequences.

We are surrounded by Sylvia's friends here in Cleveland. Today, September 15, on the one-year anniversary of her death, we will participate in a memorial bike bike traveling the route Sylvia was taking exactly a year ago on her way to work at Hard-Hatted Women. Friday we will participate in a city-wide festival to promote sustainable transportation in Cleveland (the second item at this link: http://www.gcbl.org/planning-development-projects/city-sustainability-program).

Thanks to all of you who sent notes to us. Steve and Francoise.

Bike Ride of Silence, Wed, May 19th at 7pm

Just a reminder that the national Ride of Silence is 2 weeks from this Wednesday, May 19. http://www.rideofsilence.org/main.php. Sylvia's name is on the memorial page listing hundreds of people killed on bikes. People from all over the country are organizing rides that will begin at 7 pm local time.

I hope all of you will find ways, large and small, to participate and/or encourage others to participate in a ride near you. If a ride is not organized near you, you can organize your own and have it posted on the Ride of Silence website for others to see and join. It doesn't have to be a big event. Five people riding together and reflecting on those who died biking, especially Sylvia, would mean much to Francoise and me.

We still have "I Ride for Sylvia" T-shirts we could mail out, $10 each to cover cost plus mailing. One shirt free to the organizer of a ride. This amount for the shirts should be in a check to me as we haven't integrated the sale of the shirts into the Foundation's finances. Any additional tax-deductible amount you'd like to contribute should follow donation directions on the website www.sylviabinghamfoundation.org. We plan soon to shift money to another foundation but the instructions on the site are still good.

For those of you not able to be with us on April 24, we had a wonderful gathering of family and friends to remember Sylvia whose 23d birthday was Earth Day, 4/22. We planted a fig tree in our back yard in her memory and included some of Sylvia's ashes. The tree is thriving as are many other plants that guests brought. We also raised funds for the Haiti Emergency Relief Fund, something we know Sylvia would have supported. A couple of pictures are pasted below.

Thank you all for whatever you can do on May 19,

Steve

Happy Birthday Dear Sylvia

A Great Soul Serves Everyone All The Time
A Great Soul Never Dies
It Brings Us Together Again and Again


Maya Angelou

Message from Steve and Francoise, Jan 16, 2010

We are Sylvia's parents. We haven't posted on this blog as we're not bloggers but we would love to hear from anyone who knew Sylvia and has a story to tell - funny, sad, irreverant, about food, green politics, knitting, whatever! Sylvia's tastes were eclectic and we know her friends were also.An update from us: we spent 3 days over Christmas holidays with Sylvia's friends in Cleveland. Wonderful people. We spent time in Connecticut and saw Sylvia's grave stone for the first time. Very hard to look at but it has a flower and butterfly on the back side. We'll post some pictures on the website. We both returned to work in October. Hard to do but necessary and in some way good for us. We miss Sylvia so very much but cherish our memories of her - and yours. Please add to this blog.

Steve and Francoise

Cleveland man indicted for killing bicyclist Sylvia Bingham

By Stan Donaldson

October 22, 2009, 5:52PM

Cleveland -- A 61-year-old Cleveland man was indicted Thursday for vehicular homicide and driving while under the influence in a Sept. 15 accident that killed a 22-year-old bicyclist, the Cuyahoga County prosecutor's office said.

Herschel Roberts was also indicted for failure to stop after an accident. Prosecutors said that Roberts drove a 2005 Peterbilt Straight truck near Prospect Avenue and East 21st Street when he struck Sylvia Bingham and left the scene.

Roberts' truck was found an hour later in the 1100 block of East 40th Street. Police said he tested positive for marijuana.

He is scheduled to be arraigned on Nov. 2.

Bringham, a Yale University graduate, was killed as she rode from Ohio City to work at the Hard Hatted Women office, where she helped tradeswomen become mentors.

She was not wearing a helmet, police said.

© 2009 cleveland.com. All rights reserved

Photos of the Rides for Sylvia on October 17, 2009

RIDING FOR SYLVIA IN OAKLAND, SAN FRANCISCO AND MARIN, CALIFORNIA

Riders who met at Sylvia's childhood home in Oakland, CA to Ride for Sylvia.

Oakland Sylvia riders at San Francisco Bay.

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San Francisco Sylvia Riders at Ocean Beach, San Francisco

Group photo of San Francisco riders on the Ride for Sylvia.

Riders in San Francisco at the Ride for Sylvia.

Steve riding for Sylvia in Marin.

Sylvia's bike shown during the Ride for Sylvia in Marin.

Group Photo of the Ride for Sylvia in Marin

Francoise and others riding for Sylvia in Marin.

Multi-County Memorial Ride for Sylvia Bingham to Promote Safe Streets for Bicycles

Please join us on Saturday October 17, 2009, in a memorial bike ride for Sylvia Bingham to affirm the rights of cyclists to bike safely on public streets. Sylvia, age 22, was killed while riding her bicycle to work in Cleveland on September 15, 2009. She grew up in San Rafael, California and went to Terra Linda High School. A recent Yale graduate and an AmeriCorps VISTA volunteer, Sylvia was passionate about social justice and cycling, and was riding that day to her work at Hard Hatted Women, to empower women to achieve economic independence by creating workplace diversity in trade and technical careers. Sylvia's father, Steve Bingham, is a long-time advocate for the poor at the San Francisco office of Bay Area Legal Aid. Her mother, Francoise Blusseau, is a teacher at Lick-Wilmerding High School in SF. There will be simultaneous memorial bike rides in Sylvia's honor in SF, Marin, the East Bay, and Cleveland.

In memory, celebration, and honor of Sylvia Bingham’s life and love of bicycling and to promote bicycle safety, please join us either in the East Bay, San Francisco, or Marin County.

Please wear white T-shirts. [A Limited number of White T-shirts with “I Ride For Sylvia” on them will be available in an effort to raise funds for the Sylvia Bingham Foundation.] Helmets are required. While waiting for riders to gather, we will distribute reflective bike tape that people can put on their helmets and bikes to increase safety.

These multi-county rides will be silent rides and are being done to coincide with similar rides in Cleveland.

For those of you who may not yet have heard about Sylvia’s accident, you can read about it at www.sylviabinghamfoundation.org You can also learn more about Sylvia as well as the street safety foundation at the website.

Ghost Bike at the Location of the Accident

As part of the effort to draw attention to safe streets in Sylvia's hometown, Sylvia's old bike has been painted white and will be placed as a “Ghost Bike” at the Shell Station on Irwin in San Rafael. We are also working toward placing a “Ghost Bike” in SF. The Ohio City Bike Co-Op has placed a “Ghost Bike” on the corner of the tragic accident.

Thank you for joining us. If questions, please contact: For San Francisco ariellahyman@gmail.com or stacimartin@gmail.com. For the East bay ride, contact steveweiss_law@yahoo.com. For Marin riders, contact Sharon Kaiser dolphinintelligence@gmail.com.

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SF Time and place, and miles: 9:00 am –Meet at the McKinley Statue on Baker bw Fell & Oak, on the Eastern end of the panhandle. Entire ride approximately 4-5 miles.

Marin Time and place and miles: 9:30am – Meet at the Civic Center at Armory Dr. near the children’s playground. Entire ride approximately 4 miles.

East Bay Time and place and miles: meet at Sylvia’s childhood home, 2355 Hughes Ave., in Oakland, at 9:00 a.m. --riding through Alameda, and ending at Alameda

Memorial State Beach. The distance is 4.5 each way, although people would likely not make the full round trip. The Fruitvale BART station is closer.

Sylvia Chantal Bingham Memorial Service October 10, 2009

Celebration of Sylvia's Life on Saturday, October 10 at Glide Memorial Church, San Francisco

Francoise and Steve would like you to join them in a celebration of Sylvia's life as follows:

Glide Memorial Church
330 Ellis Street, San Francisco, CA 94102
Saturday October 10, 2009
1:00 to 3:00pm in the Sanctuary
3:00 to 4:30pm in Freedom Hall for Reception

See http://tinyurl.com/yat752a for a map.

People are invited to wear bright colorful clothes that they think Sylvia might have enjoyed.

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
We encourage you to use Public Transportation. To get to Glide from BART:

From the Powell Street BART Exit, walk to 330 Ellis St (about 7 minutes)
1. Head southwest on Market St toward Hallidie Plaza
2. Turn right at Hallidie Plaza
3. Turn right at Powell St
4. Turn left at Ellis and walk 3 blocks to Taylor St
5. Turn right at Taylor St (Entrance to Glide at Taylor)

If you have questions please call Tory Griffith at 510 410-5491 or send email to torygriffith@gmail.com

The Sylvia Bingham Foundation

http://www.sylviabinghamfoundation.org/

The Sylvia Bingham Foundation will help Americans demand the ability to walk or cycle safely to work, school, church or shops. The Foundation will promote safety for cyclists and pedestrians by educating drivers about sharing the road with cyclists and pedestrians and educating cyclists on defensive personal safety techniques. The Foundation will also work with others to encourage state and federal transportation agencies, city and county planners, legislators and policy makers to provide for cyclist safe zones and other engineering controls in areas of high traffic to reduce the risk of injury.
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Follow the Cleveland Blog To Honor Sylvia

http://iridefor.blogspot.com/

Follow the blog from friends in Cleveland put together to continue to honor Sylvia’s memory and help build momentum for better biking conditions.
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I RIDE FOR SYLVIA tee shirts

Two riders, Jacob and his friend, at Sylvia's house before the memorial ride on Tuesday, September 22 in Cleveland.




Alex Nosse holding up a freshly-printed "I Ride For Sylvia" Tee Shirt.

Donations to BACLF "In Sylvia Bingham's Honor"

BACLF, a foundation in northern California, has agreed to accept checks for the future Sylvia Bingham Foundation. Checks should be made out to "BACLF." On the memo line put "In Sylvia Bingham's Honor," NOT Sylvia Bingham Foundation, as there are some technical problems with transfer of money if the future foundation is named.


If people prefer, they can also donate to Hard-Hatted Women where Sylvia had just begun working. http://www.hardhattedwomen.org/. She loved her new job.