"...and no one Dared Disturb the Sound of Silence."

Yesterday was an important day in the cycling world across the globe, as thousands of cyclists participated in the 17th annual Ride of Silence. My girlfriend and I attended here in Columbus:

If you're unfamiliar with the ride, it's an international event in memory of fallen cyclists who were victims of traffic-related fatalities. It's much different than any other ride throughout the year, as it's not only at a very casual pace, but also in complete silence out of respect for the deceased. I estimate about 200 cyclists participated in the Columbus installment, which met at City Hall:

Before the ride, there were brief presentations on the state of cycling infrastructure in and around Columbus (including appearances by several local police officers), and the names of cyclists who passed away in the past year were read aloud to the crowd:

This particular part of the evening was extremely moving, as several of the Columbus-area cyclists were quite young. One was the exact same age as our daughter is currently:

1. Brooke Hoffman - 22
2. Milton Shetler - 79
3. Daniel Ball - 71
4. Michael Flynn - 23
5. Kevin Johnson - 56
6. Shane Cash - 33
7. Oliver Seikel - 80
8. Paul Klein - 66
9. Lawon Tilley - 43
10. Shannon Mills - 26
11. Caiden Balash - 11
12. Mark Wladecki - 60
13. Ronald Chamberlain - 59
14. Mark Esposito - 57
15. Christopher Clifford - 51
16. Javonte Brunston - 17
17. Nickolas O'Donnell - 65
18. Mary Sheeler - 18
19. Alan Sellers - 58
20. Laqua Darnell Burton - 38

It struck me even more when my girlfriend pointed out how many attendees were adorned with red ribbons that had been distributed to cyclists who'd survived incidents with cars (yours truly included, twice):

I consider myself fortunate to have been able to wear one last night, because there have been plenty of others who weren't as fortunate. I'd like to take a moment to thank Yay Bikes for coordinating the volunteer efforts for this event. These gestures were extra reminders of why advocacy is so important, and that cyclists' lives affect everyone, not just the humans riding the bikes.

The ride itself was as perfect as it could have been, with favorable weather and no incidents to speak of. Everyone was well-behaved and the only sounds I heard (besides pedaling) were solo bell dings when we passed a ghost bike on High Street:

I don't look forward to this event, yet it's one I feel I need to participate in every year. It's a strange feeling because the ride exists for all the wrong reasons and all the right reasons all at the same time. I can only hope that one day we're riding in celebration of zero traffic deaths.

So, if you are a cyclist, or you know or love someone who's a cyclist, I ask that you support us. I ask for your patience as you drive. I also ask that you understand why riding is important to so many people and think about how it affects everyone in some way. Because we're all out here riding, and we love it as much as we love you.

And of course, ride on no matter what. Tomorrow is Bike to Work day, after all...