The Ride of Silence was held across the country on Wednesday, May 16, 2018 in honor of all bicyclists who have been injured or lost their lives in traffic crashes. The local observance of the event was in Tampa where approximately 50 riders, many wearing black armbands, rode in silence to call attention to bicyclist crashes in the region. The ride started and ended in Curtis Hixon Park in downtown Tampa and followed a 10-mile route on local roadways which included the locations where cyclists LeRoy Collins Jr., Diane Vega, and Peiter Vanvliet were killed in traffic crashes.

“The aim of the ride is to raise awareness of motorists, police, and city officials that people riding bicycles have a legal right to the public roadways,” said Drew Hunter, Tampa Ride of Silence event organizer. “The ride is also a chance to show respect for the lives of those riders who have been killed or injured on Hillsborough County roads.

The Ride is held each year during May, which is National Bike Month, typically on the third Wednesday of the month.