On Wednesday, May 16 (6 PM – 8:30 PM) Buffalo will join the national Ride of Silence movement, to demonstrate the need for additional cycling safety precautions. The Buffalo Ride of Silence is also in place to give cyclists a voice, not just for road justice, but also for cyclists who have been injured or lost their lives on the road.
In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed (learn more).
Buffalo Ride of Silence will take place at Delaware Park – stay tuned to this Facebook page for details moving forward. Also be sure to check out the event page.
The following is from the organizers of Buffalo Ride of Silence:
818. The number of cyclists killed in the US in 2015.
783. The number of cyclists killed in a crash involving a single motor vehicle.
45,000. The approximate number of cyclist injured in crashes in 2015.
To me, 45,818 is too many. Inspired by our sister city of Rochester, Buffalo will join over 300 other cities in riding together as one, SILENT voice. Our main focus is the awareness and safety of cyclists. But that is not our only focus. The safety of everyone is paramount. Our goal is to bring this conversation to the forefront, and work towards completion of Vision Zero. We invite you to ride SILENTLY with us on May 16, 2018 at 7:00 pm.
In every situation a person might fail – the road system should not.
We will meet in the Delaware Park ring road near the police radio tower at 6:00 pm. At 7:00 pm we will depart on an 8 mile ride through the city. The max speed will be between 8 and 10 mph. As a single group we will proceed SILENTLY, bringing awareness to the vulnerability of cyclists. The ride is free but lights and helmets are mandatory. Please be aware this is a self-supported ride. It is recommended to bring your own tube and patch kit.
If someone you know has been harassed, injured or killed on a bike, we ask you wear a black armband. If you personally have been harassed or injured, please wear a red armband. A limited number of armbands will be available to be loaned out for the duration of the event. During the entirety of the ride, please remain SILENT. The only noises to be heard are the moving of the gears and the wheels spinning.
If you have any questions, please feel free to message David Saunders or Rob Brandon. If you are interested in volunteering, please email bflorideofsilence@outlook.com.
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