Ride of Silence raises awareness about killed and injured cyclists
Birmingham was one of the 445 cities across the world that participated in the Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 17, to honor and remember cyclists killed or injured on the public roadways.
The ride, hosted by Cahaba Cycles and Birmingham Bicycle Club, started at 7 p.m. sharp and lasted for about 45 minutes. The 9-mile route included a police escort and began behind Cahaba Cycles, down Highway 31, on to Lakeshore Drive and then back through Edgewood and Homewood. Everyone was welcome, as long as their max speed for the entirety of the ride was 12 mph and they wore a helmet.
The Ride of Silence originally started in Dallas, Texas, in 2003, after an individual was killed by a school bus and thousands of people showed up for a memorial ride in his honor.
"The idea kind of stuck," Faris Malki, owner of Cahaba Cycles, said. "It spread across the country."
Ride of Silence is now a non-profit organization.
"We are trying to make everyone aware that you have great responsibility driving a vehicle — and also a bike — especially in the age of mobile phones and heavier traffic. Everyone needs to be careful on the road," Malki said.
The Birmingham Bicycle Club, a non-profit organization that promotes safe cycling and an open environment that welcomes cyclists from all skill levels, also participated in the ride.
Gene Wallace, the president of the Birmingham Bicycle Club, asked for a moment of silence for those injured or killed and recited the Ride of Silence poem before the about 200 cyclists took off. He then listed the recorded deaths and apologized if anyone was missing. Several people in the crowd cried and prayed during this portion of the night.
"This is really to raise awareness. People want to ride bikes and be safe and active in our city," Malki said.
After the ride, the community gathered at Dave's Pizza after the event to celebrate the cycling community.
The month of May is also National Bike Month, which aims to raise the awareness that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. To learn more about Ride of Silence, visit rideofsilence.org.