Message From the President – Ride of Silence 2017
By JW HauptFor those reading this that have attended a Ride of Silence event/ride, please bear with me as this posting is directed at those that have heard about it but don’t really know that much about it.
Some History of the Event
Ride of Silence Mission Statement – The mission of the world wide Ride of Silence is to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety.
The Ride of Silence is a world-wide event that takes place on the third Wednesday in May at 7:00 pm local time. Riders gather and in procession-like fashion ride in silence en masse at 10 mph (a maximum of 12 mph) for a 10 mile loop.
The first Ride of Silence was held in Dallas, Texas on May 21, 2003 when the friend of a rider who was killed by a school bus mirror organized a Ride of Silence in memoriam to his friend. By means of email messages only – 1,000 riders turned out for the ride. The event has grown each year and support has expanded world-wide. In 2016 there were 445 events, located in all 50 states of the USA, 48 Countries and on 7 Continents.
Local History of the Event
This will be the 5th Annual City of Wilmington Ride of Silence. The route will traverse streets within the City of Wilmington and surrounding area as it has in prior years with the City of Wilmington Police Bike and Motorcycle Patrols escorting us along the route through the City, taking positions at the front and rear of the procession. We have a new starting location this year, so for those returning riders please take note – University of DE, Goodstay & Arsht Hall, 2600 Pennsylvania Ave , Wilmington, DE 19806.
This ride is a family-friendly ride for everyone that can maintain a 10 mph pace. There is no stopping to regroup as the procession will move through intersections without stopping with the aid of the police escort.
Okay, I Want To Ride…Now What…
You’ll need to bring a bike that is road-worthy and in good working order. Make sure your tires are inflated, your brakes work and your chain is lubricated. Plan to arrive at least 30 minutes in advance of the start to prepare yourself and your bike as the ride will push off PROMPTLY at 7:00 pm – without delay. A helmet is mandatory and a water bottle is suggested. As with all WCBC-led rides, riding with ear phones, ear buds, etc. is not permitted. On the ride, taking is not permitted. If you have lights please bring them and use them for the duration of the ride for both safety reasons and to help to draw the attention of the public. There will be a sufficient number of WCBC Ride Leaders on hand to render assistance to a rider should you have a mechanical problem, but please make sure your bike is in good working order before the event. If you have any WCBC gear, please wear it as we want the public to know that WCBC is supporting this event.
WCBC event information page – https://whiteclaybicycleclub.org/events/ride-of-silence/
Official Ride of Silence page – http://www.rideofsilence.org/
I hope you can join us on this ride as we honor those cyclist that have been injured or killed by motorists while cycling on public roads, to make the public aware that we are riding on those roads and that the roads need to be shared by all users.
Respectfully,
JW Haupt
WCBC President
