A bike ride has been organized by family and friends of Will Lindsay “in honor of those we have lost, in support of ourselves and each other, in solidarity with Vision Zero.”

Sunday, July 26th at 1pm

Start: Dell Music Center

End: East Laurel Hill Cemetery

12 mile route, accessible for all levels 

The route and other details about this ride are here.  The route does require walking your bike around three park gates on MLK Drive.  Please be aware if you are riding a recumbent or tricycle.

From the organizers “Please remember to wear a bicycle helmet, wear a mask, bring plenty of water, some hand sanitizer, and follow all COVID-19 precautions.  COVID-19 Information: PLEASE we ask that everyone riding to wear a mask.  PLEASE ride with your “Covid-19 Family Groups” only and socially distance from others.  This means, if you plan on riding you must follow current CDC guidelines (i.e, masking when not able to be more than 6ft apart and interacting with others), not spitting/coughing/sneezing. Likewise, if you have been feeling unwell or have been exposed to someone who has been feeling unwell or tested positive for COVID-19, we respectfully ask that you stay home.” 

Check out USA cycling COVID guidance on group rides or COVID guidance used by the Bicycle Club of Philadelphia

There will be some Philadelphia Police Department presence in an escort role on a limited part of the route.  Otherwise, this ride is not supported.

Will’s family and friends have established a Go Fund Me page “in honor of those who lost their lives too soon.” Donations made to this fund will be shared between the  Bicycle Coalition and Neighborhood Bike Works.

As written by the ride co-organizer and Will’s girlfriend, Sylvie Feathers, on her Instagram story, “We cannot bring back Will. We cannot bring back Nadir or Sam. But, we CAN commit to the future of cycling in our city.  We MUST advocate for ourselves.  We MUST center preventative measures.  If we BELIEVE in our collective power, if we CHANNEL our grief and our anger and most importantly our love…we WILL move mountains. We WILL save lives.  We HAVE the power.  Together, let’s make it happen.”

Will Lindsay died on July 12th when hit by a motorist and left to die on the side of the Ridge Avenue, right across from the Laurel Hill Cemetery.  Nadir Nafis Holloman Jr. died while crossing Kelley Drive at the intersection with Sedgley Drive on July 7th.  Sam Ozer was killed on Henry Avenue while riding home from his job at Manayunk Trek on Father’s Day on June 21st.

Three bicyclists killed is less than 30 days is unacceptable.  All of these roads —  and countless others — were not designed for city living and have long since needed engineering changes to keep motorists under control. Many of these are high-speed roads dividing neighborhoods and are responsible for a disproportionate amount of vehicular carnage in Philadelphia.  Action is needed now to make these and other roads safe with better designs such as parked car protected bike lanes, and new technology such as speed cameras and radar.  Vision Zero needs to be prioritized by Mayor Kenney and our elected officials in Harrisburg.  The city and State need to address these issues before more preventable deaths occur on our streets.   William Lindsay, Nadir Nafis Holloman Jr., Sam Ozer, their families and friends, and countless others who’ve experienced traffic violence, deserve better.