2023 Charles City bicycle Ride of Silence will be Wednesday evening, May 17

By Bob Steenson, bsteenson@charlescitypress.com

The annual Charles City Ride of Silence will take place on Wednesday, May 17, to remember persons injured or killed while riding a bicycle. The ride will begin at 7 p.m. outside the Pub on the Cedar.

Bob Krueger, who helps organize the local ride each year, said the event is important to help remind bike riders about riding safely and doing whatever they can to be visible to motorists.

He also said it is important to raise awareness among motorists to look out for bicyclists and safely share the roads with them.

The event carries special significance in Floyd County, where three individuals have lost their lives while cycling in less than a decade: Brian Lauterbach in 2014, Bob Phillips in 2016 and Ellen Bengtson in 2020.

Participating cyclists are asked to go no faster than 10-12 mph so everyone can keep up. They are also asked to wear helmets, follow traffic rules and remain silent during the ride.

Krueger offered some safety tips for bicyclists:

• Keep your bicycle in good repair, especially the brakes.
• Wear a protective helmet and brightly colored clothing. Have a bright headlight and taillight if riding at night.
• Signal turns and stops. Be predictable.
• Obey traffic laws. In Iowa, bicyclists enjoy the same rights as motorists. In accepting those rights, bicyclists also assume the responsibilities for riding in a safe and legal manner.
• Stay alert and use your brain when you ride, constantly thinking about what is going on around you.
• Do not wear earphones while riding.
• Do not drink alcohol and ride.

The Ride of Silence is held in cities around the world, usually on the third Wednesday in May, which is national Bicycling Month in the United States. The Ride of Silence began in Dallas, Texas, in 2003, after a cyclist who was well known in that area was killed when struck by a school bus, then the event began spreading across the country and worldwide.

“Please join us again this year to let all know that we share the road. Invite family, friends and coworkers,” Krueger said.