Cyclists pedal together for national ‘Ride of Silence’ in Roanoke
ROANOKE, Va. (WFXR) — Bicyclists in the Star City and around the world are gearing up to pedal together for the 2024 Ride of Silence.
On May 15, the international event honors cyclists who have been killed or injured while riding on public roads. The event seeks to raise awareness that cyclists have a right to use the road and that all road users have an obligation to prioritize safety.
To bring the event to Roanoke, the city teamed up with the PedalSafe ROA. Bicyclists will meet at the Cardinal Bicycle and Cafe in Grandin Village at 6:30 p.m. and the ride will start at 7 p.m.
The path takes riders on a 5.2-mile journey through the city. Steven Jones, the Sales Manager of Cardinal Bicycles says the goal of this event is to encourage driver safety.
Flags fly at half-staff in honor of Peace Officers Memorial Day
“We want people to be more aware. Less looking at the phone and more in touch with what’s going on around them. Cyclists are small and easy to forget because we are off the side typically,” he added.
Jones says with the new traffic patterns and more riders in the Star City, he wants to make sure riders are safe. However, with all of these changes, he says he is seeing a shift within the community.
“We are seeing better work on greenways and safe places for people to ride. Every year I get out there, there are new demographics, there are new groups of people who are coming together and making their own smaller community of riders. It is really inspiring to me, as someone who has been rising for 20 years,” said Jones.
In Virginia, drivers must approach and pass a bicycle at a reasonable speed and be at least three feet to the left of the bicyclist.
For more safety driving tips, visit the Virginia Department of Transportation website.
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