On May 15, at 7 p.m., the third Bowling Green Ride of Silence will start and end at City Park, located just off Conneaut Avenue (parking provided near the pool). The ride will cover eight miles, no faster than 12 mph, with escort provided by Bowling Green City Police and BGSU Campus Police.
Helmets are required. This event is free and open to the public and no registration is required. The ride will depart promptly at 7 p.m. after a short presentation; participants should arrive by 6:30 p.m.
Before the start of the ride, we will remember Eric Ramlow, a local cyclist who was killed in 2016 while riding on Sand Ridge Road. We will also remember John Parrish, Tom Santoro, Sierah Joughin, Douglas Kania, Matthew Billings, Jim Lambert, Emilee Gagnon, Harvey Bell III, Andy Gast, Jimmy Hughey, Jeff Roth and others prior to the start of the ride.
This is a community event coordinated by We Are Traffic and supported by the Maumee Valley Adventurers, Bowling Green Bike Safety Commission, Toledo Area Bicyclists, Maumee Valley Wheelmen and TMACOG on behalf of all bicyclists.
The International Ride of Silence (now in its 17th year) will begin in North America and continue to roll across the globe. Cyclists will take to the roads in a slow, silent procession to honor cyclists who have been killed or injured while cycling on public roadways.
Although cyclists have a legal right to Share the Road with motorists, the motoring public often isn’t aware of these rights, and sometimes not aware of the cyclists themselves. The Ride of Silence is a free ride that asks its cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph and remain silent during the ride. The Ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways.
A Ride of Silence will also be held in Toledo, meeting on the UT Campus and in Findlay, meeting at Emery Adams Park. There are 17 events planned to be held across Ohio this year.
