Monday, May 6, 2013

Local 'Ride of Silence' evening of May 15th

Plan to join one of the local Ride of Silence events on Wed. evening May 15th to honor fallen cyclists and promote road safety.

  What began in 2003 in Dallas as a spontaneous outpouring of grief for a friend and fellow rider, struck and killed by the mirror of a passing vehicle, has rolled across the globe to become an international annual event memorializing and honoring cyclists who have been injured and killed while riding.
 
The many hundreds of events share the same goals:  "To honor fallen cyclists, to promote road safety, and to make a difference."

Bike safety is not a fleeting issue, especially here in Florida which ranks as the very worst in the nation for cyclist safety with the highest fatality rate for eight years in a row.  Just within the past four months, here in Lee County three cyclists have been killed in crashes with automobiles.
The Ride of Silence, in memorializing riders injured and killed, seeks to draw motorist's attention to cyclist's legal rights to full use of the roadways, to inform motorists that we are here, to watch for us--as if our lives depended on it.  Locally there will be two Rides of Silence.  Please come out to show your support and send the message that we deserve our right to operate on our own roads.  We are not just bike riders, but friends and neighbors and we must all Share the Road.

Fort Myers: The ride in Fort Myers will start promptly at 7:00 p.m. (arrive early).  It will start at Centennial Park, 2000 W. First Street, Fort Myers  (under the bridge at Heitman and Bay Streets).  The ride will be 8 miles around Downtown Fort Myers River District, at a pace of no faster than 12 mph.  For information, contact Mike Resnick:mike@canterburyconstructors.com.

Bonita Springs:  The Bonita Bay Bicycle Club ride begins at 6:00 p.m. sharp, starting from "Riverwalk Park" within Bonita Bay.  The ride will be a 10 mph ride within Bonita Bay.  Non-residents of Bonita Bay are welcome, and must contact Claude Weir at least a day in advance to be cleared at the gate:  cvwesq@earthlink.net.

Note:  All riders must wear a helmet.


Contact:  Dan Moser 239-334-6417
                 dmoser@bikewalklee.org
                       

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