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Posted: 10:40 PM May 20, 2009
A "Silent" Bike Ride That Wasn't Quiet
Over 50 bicyclists met in downtown Greenville Wednesday night for a silent tribute ride, but their message was anything but quiet.
Reporter: Christine Kennedy |
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12 Comments
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Over 50 bicyclists met in downtown Greenville Wednesday night for a silent tribute ride, but their message was anything but quiet.
The annual event started in Texas in 2003 and now spans to all 50 states including 18 countries worldwide.
The silent tribute ride honors fellow cyclists who have died or been injured while riding on the road.
Since 2004, Eastern Carolina has had at least 10 bicyclists lose their life in accidents involving motorists.
With the most recent occurring this March, when 54-year old Joseph Smallwood died after being struck by an ECU transit bus in Greenville.
EC Velo Cylcing Club President, Christy Deardorff says the ride may be silent but the message is deafening.
The bicycle ride went through Greenville's busiest streets and totaled about 10 miles.
Latest Comments
Posted by: zed
Location: Greenville
on May 22, 2009 at 10:28 AM
Sam- You and others may wish to contact your local legislators with your suggestions so that state and local laws can be changed. Local laws prohibit bicycles from being on the sidewalk and state law treats them as motorists/vehicles. Bikers should follow the rules of the road but they have every right to be anywhere in the lane. Maybe you might like to read your driver's handbook again before you encourage illegal acts. Interesting that people here complain about bikers using the road but say nothing about farm equipment, motor scooters, or other slower moving vehicles. Maybe if the speed limits were enforced (or gasp...followed) cars and trucks would go safer and not kill or hurt so many people...just warm the planet and kill the air..a slow death shared by all instead
Posted by: Sam
Location: Williamston
on May 22, 2009 at 09:47 AM
I have no problem with bikes in general and I have ridden them before both out in the country and in town, but there would not be so many deaths to the cyclists if they would learn to respect the drivers and stop taking up the road acting like they are a motorist holding up a motorist that is trying to get from place to place or trying to cut out in fromt of someone, risking getting hit and swindiling money out of the motorists bank account cause of their stupidity. At least when I have rode a bike out in the country, I would pull over to the shoulder when a car comes, which is the considerate thing to do and so should everyone else. As far as in town, thats what sidewalks are for(if there are any). If there are none then stay along the edge of the road and get out of my way when I am on the road. I don't want or need to be held up by you or to hit you, hurting you and having my insurance go up or cancelled and bank account go dry because of your stupidity. Common sense people!
Posted by: FEDUP
Location: Plymouth
on May 21, 2009 at 11:20 PM
To l location, g'ville. Are you nuts? I live in a small rural area. NO public transportation. Taxing my gas is going to help who? I agree that bikers deserve to ride the roads and we should respect their right-of-ways and their desire to ride their bikes. At the same time, they need to obey the law just the the car driver does. More than once in G'ville, and other areas, I've had to slam on brakes to avoid hitting a biker who just appeared out of nowhere. Many will ride into traffic from side roads, convenience stores and never stop regardless of how heavy traffic is. So lets make sure ALL are following respectful and lawful rules of the road. Those who ride bikes and follow the rules of the road, should be allowed to do so without ridicule from anyone. My experience is more of the unthinking bike rider rather than the serious law-abiding biker.
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