Friday, May 05, 2006
By Howard Meyerson
The Grand Rapids Press
If you happen to be driving downtown the evening of May 17 and see what looks like a funeral procession on bicycles, it very much is. And more.
Don't honk. Just wave. The event is the Ride of Silence.
"It's a funeral procession to honor lost friends," said Mark Hagar, a member of the local Rapid Wheelman bicycling club and the Michigan director for the Ride of Silence.
By "lost" he means cyclists who have been killed by motorists. This is the second year for the Ride in Grand Rapids, one of 209 being held at 7 p.m. that day in time zones around the world. The event drew 15,000 riders last year. This year it is expected to be much larger.
Rides span continents
"There are rides in eight countries on five continents including: Scotland, South Africa, New Zealand and Hong Kong," said Hagar.
The ride got its tragic start in 2003 when professional endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was killed after being struck by the mirror of a bus while riding in Dallas. His coach and friend, Chris Phelan, organized a ride that year to honor him. More than 1,000 cyclists participated.
What began with just a single grassroots statement of honor and concern quickly caught the imagination of bicyclists all across the nation who struggle constantly with the Neanderthal attitudes of motorists who do not know or care that bicyclists have the legal right to be on the roads.
Spread like wildfire
And so the ride has caught on and spread like wildfire.
"There were five rides in Michigan last year. There will be 25 this year," Hagar said.
Rides are scheduled across the state from Port Huron to South Haven and from Ann Arbor to Marquette.
The Grand Rapids ride will start from the Island Shelter entrance of Riverside Park and travel south through downtown to John Ball Park and back. The route will be 11 miles. Any rider is welcome to participate.
This year's gathering is expected to be several hundred strong. It will be led by a Grand Rapids city police cruiser and possibly accompanied by police officers on the city bike patrol.
"We are helping because we want to make sure the people will be safe on the road," said Lt. Pat Dean with the GRPD special event section. "Their message is a valuable one. There are a lot of crazy drivers out there."
Hagar said that four Rapid Wheelmen members have been killed on area roads. The most
recent occurred last September when Anna Sobie of Belmont was killed on West River Drive just south of North Park. She was riding with her husband and some friends.
"She was struck by an older gentleman who didn't see her," said Hagar. "The Rapid Wheelmen have since donated a sign to the city of Walker to post saying: 'In memory of Anna.'
"The ride is not just a memorial ride," said Hagar, "It's also to let the motoring public know to please be careful. We all need to share the roads."
Last year only 100 riders participated. Hagar said the event was hastily organized. This year will be much bigger.
"We plan for it to be more visible this year," Hagar said. "We will have banners on vehicles explaining that this is the Ride of Silence and to please share the road with the group."
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Below is the article...taken from azbikeclub.com
Phoenix will be one of 120 locations worldwide that will take part in the Ride of Silence, a bicycle ride to honor bicyclists killed or seriously injured while riding on public streets.
The Phoenix Ride of Silence is set for May 17, at 7 p.m., commencing at GranadaPark, 6505 N 20th St (Maryland and 20 th Street). The local ride is being organized by Rita Walter, whose husband, Jack Carney, died on October 19, 2005, following a car/bicycle crash.
“The Ride of Silence commemorates not only Jack, but at least five other riders I know of who have died in car/bicycle crashes in Maricopa County since last September,” noted Ms. Walter, who can tick off their names and the names of other close friends who have been seriously injured while riding their bicycles on streets in Maricopa County..
The Ride of Silence originated in Texas in 2003. It was organized by Chris Phelan to honor a fallen friend. The initial Ride of Silence, in Dallas, drew over 1,000 riders by word of mouth in a little over a week. Since then, Phelan’s concept of a 12-mile-per-hour, silent, single-file ride – with no sponsors, t-shirts, or registration – has helped raise the awareness of motorists, police, and public officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways and that cyclists and motorists need to make a conscious effort to share the road.
The Phoenix Ride of Silence will be an 11-mile ride that commences from GranadaPark and runs approximately 5 miles northwest on the AC/DC Canal before looping around and returning to the park. The May 17 ride will involve minimal road riding, but riders need to equip their bikes with head- and tail-lights, since the ride will shortly after nightfall. Helmets are mandatory.
For more information, or to contact Rita Walter with questions, visit the Ride of Silence website at http://www.rideofsilence.org.
Things to have : Helmets Please,Front Light, Rear Blinker ,spare tube,pumps and some cash for your meals at Lau Pa Sat
http://sgcycling.org/index.php?showtopic=441