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Ride of Silence this WednesdayTODAY: A Q&A with organizer Ray Scheinfeld
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Ride of Silence this WednesdayTODAY: A Q&A with organizer Ray Scheinfeld
Back in 2006, we told you about the very first Philadelphia Ride of Silence, a slow quiet procession designed to commemorate those killed while cycling.
This year, on the eve of the 5th annual event — an approximately 8-mile, 1.5-hour ride starting at the foot of the front steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum on the Ben Franklin Parkway Wed., May 19, 6:45 P.M. — we shot a few questions at Ray Scheinfeld, one of the organizers of the now-tradition.
The Clog: How has the ride changed since the first one?
Ray Scheinfeld: We are better organized to put the ride together and we notice that a lot of people know about the ride now compared to the first one. In addition, we have attracted a lot more riders since the first one.
This is sort of a broad question, but does the ride work? Anecdotally or statistically, how has Philadelphia become more aware of cyclists and better toward cyclists?
This has been the first year that no riders from Philadelphia City were killed. That may not be the result of the ROS but we hope it stays that way in future years. I think that the ride is a small part of the improvement of the biking scene in Philly, but one of the best parts of the ROS is that it helps bring the entire Bike Community together; racers, messengers, commuters, recreational riders, recumbent bikers, etc. This combination of different riders and styles of riding don't often align in purpose and direction but during the ROS we are one!
Last year saw a new ride with (at least some) similar goals to the Ride of Silence. I'm speaking, of course, of the Philadelphia Naked Bike Ride. The World Naked Bike Ride (the inspiration for the PNBR)Â lists among it's myriad raisons d'etre increasing awareness of the vulnerability of cyclists by making riders aware that there's just a layer of clothes protecting us. Are the Ride of Silence and the PNBR friends? Do you feel that you are kindred spirits?
We both have different approaches in riding style ;-) but I don't see us at odds in our general purpose which is to show that bikes belong and are fun. We of course are more serious in our presentation. When I am out riding my bike I see a wide range of interesting bikes, riders and rider behavior but the important thing to me and my co-organizer John is that they are riding a bike.
You're hoping to get 500 riders out this year. How has attendance been since the first? Has it generally been going up? What was the turnout for the first year?
We would very much like to reach 500 riders this year but the ride is most affected by the weather conditions. We ride rain or shine, but we have taken to promising the people we talk to about the ride that we can guarantee no snow. The number of riders has generally increased since the first year when we had 150 bikes. The following year in a rainstom we had 57 hardy but wet riders. We have had up to 300 riders participating in the last several years. Some places like Dallas have over 1,000 riders participating in their ROS ride. We hope to one day reach that level of participation.
The Ride of Silence, Wed., May 19, 6:45 P.M, The 8 mile long route will start at the foot of the front steps of the Philadelphia Art Museum on the Ben Franklin Parkway. A brief pre-ride dedication ceremony will take place at 6:45 PM and the ride will start promptly at 7:00 P.M. It will proceed down the Parkway, circle City Hall, continue to Independence Hall, and head over to West Philly via the Walnut St. Bridge. The ride will return to the front of the Art Museum over the Spring Garden Street Bridge. The duration of the ride is expected to be 1.5 hours. Helmets are required and bicycle lights are encouraged.
[...] was a busy evening in our community, in addition to the Ride of Silence and a Phillies game, and we still got the chance to talk shop at the main [...]
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