Ride of Silence Wednesday May 21st
This came to me thru friends in Providence, and I thought some of you might be interested….
huffin & puffin pete
Hey Friends!
I’m inviting you to participate in the world wide ‘Ride of Silence’ on Wednesday, May 21 at 7pm. This event is a memorial to people locally who have died bicycling. You are welcome not only to join in, but read a short speech for whatever group we gather, which has varied from year to year.
The meeting location will be near the intersection of Cranston St and Rt 10. Meets: 7:00 PM, Cranston Parkade, Garfield Avenue.
Although the ride goes rain or shine, last year the ride was postponed due to a tornado watch. You only need to show up before 6:45 PM with a bicycle in good repair (a mountain bike would be okay), helmet, and lights (optional, front white and rear red).
We stay together and go slowly. We ride on city streets in Cranston, Providence and Warwick; the route has several eye openers: exposes roads that are bicycling unfriendly (which is illegal), pays homage to Cyclocross Nationals held in Providence (thus a route that goes over small sections of dirt and sidewalks), points out neglected opportunities for improvements. There will be free pamphlets, souvenirs and a map.
During the ride Alan Barta, contact for the Providence ride, will point out things that individuals can do to fight back and refuse to be victims. He’s had many personal successes he’ll mention and be glad to discuss further.
Alan has advocated for bicycle awareness and beyond. His decade long, ongoing agenda of bicycling activism has been fourfold:
1. Change RI motoring code to acknowledge not discriminate against and over regulate;
2. Force roadnet improvements that favor; stop trend to eliminate shoulders and squeeze out other road users;
3. Create an unbroken statewide infrastructure–everyone should be able to ride safely anywhere in state.
4. Encourage versus polluting, wasteful forms of transportation.
Support Bike-to-Work Day next Friday, Bike-to-Work Week, and Bicycle Month of May.
For more information or to find a location near you (if you aren’t in RI) go to www.rideofsilence.org
Hope to see you on the 21st.
Much Love,
Heidi