Pasadena Ride of Silence to Honor Fallen Cyclists and Advocate for Safer Streets

The Pasadena cycling community is inviting the public to participate in the annual Ride of Silence on Wednesday, May 15, at 6 p.m. The event, now in its 22nd year, honors cyclists who have been injured or killed on public roadways and raises awareness about the importance of sharing the road safely.

The Pasadena Ride of Silence will begin at the Rose Bowl in the north end of Lot K, with announcements beginning at 6 p.m. White doves from White Dove Release will be sent off individually to honor the cyclists lost during the last year. At 7 p.m., a police escort will lead cyclists of all ages and abilities on a slow and silent 9-mile route to Pasadena City Hall, where attendees will observe a moment of silence to honor friends and family lost to traffic violence. 

The ride will finish at the Rose Bowl with free tacos for all participants.

The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration recently reported that 1,105 cyclists were killed by drivers of motor vehicles in 2022, the highest number ever recorded since the federal government started collecting data in 1975. Experts attribute the increase in fatalities to several factors, including inadequate street designs, larger vehicles, higher horsepower in vehicles that are more likely to speed, and distracted driving.

However, there is hope for the future, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration and the Biden Administration announced on April 29, 2024, that all new U.S. cars and trucks will be required to be sold with automatic emergency braking by September 2029. Automatic emergency braking are sensors that hit vehicle brakes to avoid a collision if the driver does not, and the new system will detect vehicles, cyclists, and pedestrians.

“We ride to remember. We ride to advocate. We ride for change,” said Thomas Cassidy, Pasadena Ride of Silence organizer. “Everyone deserves to return home safely from a ride. The Ride of Silence serves as a poignant reminder of the importance of mutual respect and vigilance on our roadways.”

Local bicycle shops, ambassadors from the cycling community, and safe street programs will be in attendance, including Dorothy Wong, a member of Altadena Town Council and a community organizer specializing in bicycling advocacy who was recently honored with the Woman of Distinction Award for the 41st Assembly District.

The annual Ride of Silence is a global cycling event, with thousands of cyclists participating in similar rides worldwide on the third Wednesday in May. The event began in 2003 at White Rock Lake in Dallas, after a local athlete, Larry Schwartz, was hit and killed by a school bus mirror while cycling. Schwartz’s friend, Chris Phelan, organized a ride in 10 days which drew in 1,000 cyclists through word of mouth and email. The event is now held in 228 locations worldwide, spanning 40 states, 16 countries, and five continents, with zero words spoken and a million powerful memories.

For more information on the Pasadena Ride of Silence, including route details and more information about the event, please visit www.facebook.com/RideOfSilencePasadena.