Ride of Silence
Larry Schwartz
"Larry was an incredible cyclist. He would ride his bike from Plano to HHH, do the century, then ride home. He said he did not like having to clean off all the splattered bugs from his car's windshield." (Chris Mathews)
Larry took biking to a whole new level. In 2002, Larry cycled approximately 25,000 miles! (BikeTexas)
Sadly, Larry passed away May 3, 2003 in a biking accident. The Ride of Silence was started in his honor. It was to be a one time event at White Rock Lake, but took off and is held annually. The Ride of Silence has since then been observed in other cities in the US and even overseas.
The Ride of Silence asks cyclists to ride no faster than 12 mph, wear helmets, follow the rules of the road and remain silent during the ride. There are no registration fees. The ride, which is held during National Bike Month, aims to raise the awareness of motorists, police and city officials that cyclists have a legal right to the public roadways. The ride is also a chance to show respect for and honor the lives of those who have been killed or injured.
History
In 2003, Chris Phelan organized the first Ride of Silence in Dallas after his friend, endurance cyclist and former PBA president Larry Schwartz, was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and killed. The 2003 Ride of Silence™ at White Rock Lake in Dallas drew 1,000 cyclists through word of mouth and email communication over a period of only ten days. There was no registration and no fees. Local media reported the ride to be incredibly moving as these cyclists rode in silence, occasionally wiping away a tear or patting a friend on the back. Chris thought the ride would be a one-time event, but as word got out, other cyclists began to contact him with a desire to do the same thing in their own communities. You can read Chris’ ride report from the first ride here.
2003 Timeline
May 4 - Larry Schwartz is killed by a school bus mirror
May 8 - Funeral for Larry and concept of idea
May 11 – Emails go out
May 21 - First Ride of Silence, one-time-only event in Dallas, 1,000 attend
You can read about Larry Schwartz here
Present Day
The Ride of Silence is here to stay and has grown to 228 locations worldwide, in 40 states and 16 countries across 5 continents.