RIDGELAND - The city will host the state's first Ride of Silence, an international event meant to mourn the loss of cyclists killed by motorists, and to raise awareness of bicyclists on the roadways. The ride will be held on May 16 at 7 p.m.
The ride will start at Northpark Mall, run down County Line Road, turn right onto Ridgewood Road, right onto U.S. 51, and then follow Wheatley Street back to the mall. Roads will not be closed during the ride, but there will be a police escort.
The Ride of Silence was started in 2003, by Chris Phelan in Dallas, to honor endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz, who had been killed by a passing bus while riding his bike.
Mayor Gene McGee, an avid cyclist himself, said he feels the event is very important. McGee said he knows the carelessness and disregard with which cyclist are sometimes treated by motorists.
"I've experienced many occasions when cars pass me by too close, and (occasions on which) drivers are not respectful of cyclists even in designated (riding) areas," he said.
McGee said motorists have even blown their horns just to spite him as he rode his bike, and passed him when it was illegal.
He said assurance of safety is important if the sport of cycling is to continue growing in the area and riders need to feel secure.
"We want to improve participation in cycling and want it to be safe," said McGee.
It was the Ridgeland Cycling Club and the Jackson Metro Cyclists who approached the mayor with the proposition of hosting Mississippi's first Ride of Silence.
Jayce Powell, president of the Ridgeland Cycling Club, has experienced, first hand, the perils of cycling on a heavily trafficked road.
About four years ago, Powell was struck by a vehicle pulling out of the Shell gas station on the corner of Lake Harbour Drive and Old Canton Road. He was sent over the handle-bars, with his face and head impacting the front quarter panel of the driver's vehicle.
Powell was left with a concussion, a broken nose with a hairline fracture, and lacerations around the eyes. He was out of work for three weeks. Powell said the incident spurred him to campaign for the welfare of road cyclists.
"That's what brought me to be more of an activist," he said. "Cyclists have a right to be on the road."
Powell said they expect to have 50 to 100 participants at the event, but hope for even more.
The ride is free and all are welcome to participate. There are no registration fees, no sponsors and no T-shirts. Any expenses are covered by volunteers and donations.
Riders are asked to travel no faster than 12 miles per hour and to remain silent throughout the ride. The event likewise requests that participants wear black arm bands, or a red band if the rider has been in an accident with a motor vehicle. Cyclists will receive a brief education in road safety, including hand signals, before the ride begins.
For more information on the event, call Ridgeland Recreation and Parks Department at 601-853-2011. The official Ride of Silence web site is www.rideofsilence.org.
