Ride of Silence

I will be offering a Ride of Silence on Wednesday evening, May 17.

This will be part of a larger, international event held on the third Wednesday of May each year. The purpose is to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured in motor vehicle collisions. It serves to increase awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists and promote sharing the road.  ✎

I see the Ride of Silence as just one tool to try to demonstrate how particularly important it is for us to ride our bikes safely and for motorists to drive undistracted and cautiously. It’s also important for us to remember those individuals who have lost their lives as cyclists and to use our skills and abilities to make our community a safer place to ride.

This ride will start at Woodstock Park. The pace will be no greater than 12 miles per hour. We will stop briefly at five locations on the east side to acknowledge individuals who were involved in accidents at specific locations which resulted in their deaths.

The distance is 14 miles, a little longer than suggested by the Ride of Silence organization, but participants are not obligated to ride the entire route.

We will start with a brief ceremony to set the tone for the seriousness of the occasion. It is, or should be, a ride of silence. Black arm bands are appropriate. I will bring supplies for that as well in case you forget. Lights are encouraged as the ride is similar to a funeral procession.

I felt a need to present this ride option as a member of Portland’s premier bike club. It will inevitably be emotional, and I don’t expect everyone to attend. However, I hope that this ride will become a tradition as we join the world in honoring our cycling comrades.

Ann Morrow, Ride Leader