From Local15tv WPMI
(MOBILE, Ala.) – Dozens of silent cyclists wearing black armbands hit Mobile’s roadways Wednesday, honoring riders killed and seriously injured by cars.
The event, the second annual Ride of Silence, is meant not only as a memorial, but also to raise awareness among drivers. The cyclists ride in silence for a 7.5 mile trek with police escort.
“We all have a right to share the road,” Ride of Silence organizer Jeff Grill said. “Too many times the driver says ‘I never saw the cyclist.’ Too many times you have drivers leaving the scene after hitting a cyclist.”
In the event’s first year, more than 200 cyclists showed up despite little advertisement.
“I expect to top last year,” Grill said.
This year’s event featured two special speakers.
“Both are cyclists that have been hit,” Grill said. “One was hit last year, and she hasn’t been on a bike since. She’s endured lots of surgeries and pain.”
Last year, Mobile County was rated the deadliest in Alabama for vehicle-bicycle collisions.