mwandaw

My wife and I rode our tandem in the Irvine Ride of Silence on Wednesday evening. "To HONOR those who have been injured or killed - To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here - To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD". It was a good event, with road riders, mountain bikers, fixies, casual, cruiser and every other kind of rider represented. Together we were more than 100 bicyclists riding in silence, with none of the usual chatter. There was nothing but the quiet whoosh of our bikes, the sounds of the evening and our thoughts.



Of course the ride was quiet and meditative, but it was also amazing to have a police escort through the streets of Irvine. I can hardly describe the thrill of riding right through a busy intersection on a red light with traffic stopped in both directions by two really impressive motorcycle officers! Can they go on all of our rides?

The Ride of Silence was very different than a normal fun or club ride. Instead, it was meaningful and touching, and I think it was good that all of the drivers who passed us saw our numbers. Next year, please take a couple of hours out of your regular routine and do something important on your bike by participating.

bowser29

i was there too and agree with everything you said.

i think you are in this photo:



this was on the way back

eepok

Indeed, it was a very nice ride. I was near the front and it was great looking back and not being able to see the end of the line. I didn't hear a single word spoken the whole time.

I'm one of the few lucky people who attend such rides that has never personally known anyone to be significantly harmed or killed while bicycling on the road. I also have the amazing fortune of getting paid to think and act on an entire university's sustainable transportation needs (particularly bike education). I attend this ride as a re-centering on the bike-education focus, almost a threat to myself... because I don't ever want to give a memorial at a ride of silence.

HBxRider

Damn, I wish I would have known about this beforehand. I'm close to Irvine, and i'm looking to do my first group event. Friends mom was ran over and killed when she went on a sunday morning ride. Driver was in the final stages of cancer and passed out from being heavily medicated. She died at the scene and he succumbed to cancer before his court date.