The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia invites the Philadelphia region’s cycling community to join us for the 8 mile Ride of Silence this year on Wednesday 19th at 6:45pm. This is a slow pace group ride, for all experienced level cyclists, will begin at North Apron of City Hall and end at the bottom of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps on Wednesday, May 19th, from 6:45 pm – 8 pm.
The purpose of this event is to honor and memorialize cyclists whose lives have been taken, due to the lack of investment in road infrastructure, and to call for greater investment to ensure the safety of all cyclists across the nation.
The Ride of Silence has taken place over the past 18 years and continues to due to the lack of investment in bicycle infrastructure and overall road safety for all users — pedestrians, bicyclists, motorists, and even horses. This year we begin at a new location, the North Apron of City Hall, so please do not show up at the Art Museum steps.
We would recommend, if you are driving into Philadelphia, to park for free at the rear entrance of the Art Museum and bike down to City Hall because the ride will be ending at the bottom of the Philadelphia Art Museum steps.
When you arrive at City Hall, you must fill out an Accident, Photo Release of Liability, and COVID-19 waiver in order to participate in the group ride. Please arrive at least 15-30 minutes before the Ride of Silence begins, promptly at 7 pm and ending at 8 pm. While you are waiting, you can check out the Families For Safe Streets of Greater Philadelphia table and see how they have been advocating for safer streets in Philadelphia and across the nation. There will be a police escort and volunteer bicycle marshals from the Philadelphia Bike Messenger Association (PBMA) helping guide and close intersections.
This ride is a slow pace ride and is open to cyclists of all skill levels. It will be an 8-mile ride taking us throughout downtown Philadelphia, West Philadelphia, and ending at the Art Museum. You can view the mapped route of the ride here.
Recommendations to bring with you:
- Facemask that must be worn at all times
- Helmet
- Bike lights: Front and Rear
- Water
The Ride of Silence will be occurring across 38 states and 8 countries on Wednesday. The mission of the worldwide Ride of Silence is to honor bicyclists killed by motorists, promote sharing the road, and provide awareness of bicycling safety. Do not let their lives be lost in vain. Join us on Wednesday, May 19th for the Ride of Silence.
See you there and stay safe.
For more information about the Ride of Silence, click here
If you have any questions please contact Lor Song at lor.song@bicyclecoalition.org or John Siemiarowski at tandemdad@gmail.com