The Ride of Silence is an annual event that takes place in communities all over the world to honor those who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways, as well as to inform motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways, and to promote bicycling safety.
The Ride of Silence takes place on the third Wednesday of May, at 7pm local time, and consists of a silent slow-paced ride — a funeral procession, in effect.
Be sure to make plans to arrive early. There’s usually a brief ceremony to remember friends and loved ones who’ve been injured or lost their lives, followed by an announcement explaining ride protocol and safety precautions for the ride, which begins promptly at 7:00pm.
2014 is the 11th anniversary of the first Ride of Silence, which took place in 2003 in Dallas, Texas.
Kansas Rides of Silence
— Edgerton Ride of Silence: Begins and ends at Edgerton Elementary School.
— Lawrence Ride of Silence: Begins and ends at the gazebo in South Park. Ride will loop through downtown twice before returning to South Park.
— Topeka Ride of Silence: Begins and ends at Washburn University.
— Wichita Ride of Silence: Begins and ends at Heartland Bicycle in downtown Wichita. About 10 miles.
Regional Rides of Silence
— Arkansas: Fort Smith, Little Rock
— Colorado: Boulder, Denver, Fort Collins, Woodland Park
— Iowa: Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Marshalltown, Mason City
— Missouri: Joplin, Kansas City, Springfield, St. Joseph, St. Louis
— Nebraska: Beatrice, Bellevue, Lincoln
— Oklahoma: Stillwater, Tulsa
Seven bicyclists died on Kansas roadways last year:
1. Gail Kline was killed near Salina on May 31st.
2. Jeremiah Conlin died in Kansas City on July 9th
3. Ralph Lowe died on July 10th in Topeka
4. Hayley Berrios was killed in Lawrence on July 21st
5. Michael Glaser was killed by a train in Emporia on October 9th
6. Ronald Kennedy died on October 24th in Emporia
7. Santiago Zamora-Zamora was killed by a hit-and-run driver on November 29th in Kansas City, Kansas