Ride, don't die: Cyclists host Ride of Silence to promote bicycling safety

While riding a bicycle can be good for your body, it can also be hazardous to your health when it comes to where you ride. Over the past two months alone in Escambia County, one man on a bicycle was killed and another was injured.

In April, a Pensacola man died after he was hit from behind by a pickup truck on Mobile Highway. More than a month later, a 56-year-old man on a bicycle was hit and injured by a tree trimming truck while waiting for the light to change at an intersection.

Fatal Ride: Pensacola bicyclist killed after being struck from rear by pickup truck on Mobile Highway

More: Pensacola bicyclist killed, another seriously injured in hit-and-run on Sorrento Road

Safety is a serious issue for bicyclists and bicycling club West Florida Wheelman, which held a Ride of Silence Wednesday night to honor those who have been killed while cycling and also those who have been hit by vehicles.

“It’s to get the word out about cyclists who have the same right to the road as motor vehicles and promote cycling safety at the same time,” said Jeff Williamson, president of West Florida Wheelman. “You hear about more and more cyclists getting hit and a lot of times it’s the fault of both the cyclist and the car, by riding at night without lights, things like that. I know, just this year alone, we’ve heard of six to eight cyclists getting hit.”

Wheelman board member and retired Pensacola policeman Chris Huffman was a part of organizing the silent procession in honor of cyclists killed or injured on public roads.

He read aloud the names of bicyclists they’ve lost over the years before they started the loop from Pensacola State College and around 12th Avenue. The northeast area of Pensacola sees some of the highest numbers of crashes involving motor vehicle, pedestrian and bicycling injuries and fatalities.

“Kohlton Ward,11 was killed last year in Destin,” said Huffman. “Jessica Bibza, who was from Pensacola, she was also killed last year, in Tampa, during a training ride the day before she was to leave to compete in the World Ironman Championship in Hawaii. Travis Hurd was struck and killed on Cervantes Street, last year. Also, Quint Studer was struck and injured in 2021 by a motor vehicle where the driver fled the scene of the crash. Our mission is to raise awareness of motorists, police and local officials that cyclists have a legal right to public roadways.”

Huffman said although cyclists have a legal right to share the road with motorists, drivers aren’t always aware of their rights or the cyclists themselves. The city of Pensacola is also working to improve biking and walking paths to improve safety and transportation options for people.

“I think there has always been a good cycling culture here,” said Kateland Cerame, city transportation planner and Florida Bicycle Association board member. “It seems like there are a lot of people who have been passionate about it for a while now. It’s growing as the city is growing and people want more transportation options, not just recreationally, but utilitarian wise, just getting from point A to point B.”

On the city of Pensacola’s website, you can find details on the active transportation plan, which includes maps of bike lanes and sidewalks, as well as information on crashes, which areas have a high or low number of vehicle ownership, and safe riding routes for bicyclists.

Nearly all the cyclists who took part in the Ride of Silence wore either black or red armbands, to signify someone who died while cycling or show that they’ve been struck by a vehicle themselves. Most have their own stories of getting hit or experiencing a near miss.

According to Florida Highway Safety and Motor Vehicles, 5,218 people were injured riding their bicycles on state roads in 2021; 740 had incapacitating injuries and 197 people were killed.

In 2022, Escambia was among Florida's top 25 counties for pedestrian accidents and the Escambia Sheriff's Office received $45,055 in grant funding to increase awareness and compliance with traffic laws. The funding paid overtime for officers to conduct details and cover educational materials and bicycle light installations.

In case you missed it: Escambia among top 25 Florida counties for pedestrian accidents. This program may help.

Bicycling advocates say there is more work to be done, including promoting safety in numbers. The say the more cyclists who ride the road together, the better. The West Florida Wheelman schedule group bicycle rides each week, and all levels of cyclists are welcome. They also host slower rides, so beginners and those less experienced feel comfortable.

“What we feel is that the more we can get out there, the more we can get cyclists riding, the safer it is," Huffman said. "You start riding in groups. It’s a lot safer to ride in groups than just having single people out there.”

This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Pensacola area bicyclists host Ride of Silence to promote bike safety