Ghost bikes placed at the state Capitol for the Ride of Silence 2022
Local bicyclists are gearing up for a ride with a mission.
The annual Harrisburg Ride of Silence will take place on May 17 to honor those who have been killed or injured while riding a bicycle.
Organizers Recycle Bicycle and BikeHBG hope the event raises awareness of the need for improved bike infrastructure, while memorializing lives lost.
The 2.5-mile ride will begin at 7 p.m. behind the Armed Forces Reserve Center on the 2900-block of Green Street and will end at the steps of the state Capitol. There will then be a ceremony to memorialize those killed on Pennsylvania’s roads in 2022, including two women who were killed locally.
The ride coincides with the International Ride of Silence, which takes place around the world and aims to raise awareness of cyclist deaths and to call for safer road conditions for all users.
All levels of bikers and all types of bikes are welcome, and helmets are mandatory. Participants are encouraged to wear a black and/or red armband in solidarity.
In 2022, 15 cyclists were killed in the commonwealth, according to data provided by event organizers. To memorialize those lives, throughout the day on May 17, white ghost bicycles will be on display on the state Capitol steps. One red bicycle will represent the hundreds of cyclists who are injured each year.
“Please slow down when you see a biker,” said Diane Dankman-Riley, one of the organizers of the event. “We might be riding to school, a job, or we might need to be on a bike because we have a handicap or cannot afford a car. We might be out exercising, recovering from a heart attack. We might just be out for fun. We are no different on two wheels than you. We all need to get somewhere… safely.”
For more information about Recycle Bicycle, visit their website.
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