500 cyclists descend on Lake Zurich for memorial, fundraiser ride

About 500 motorcyclists descended upon Paulus Park in Lake Zurich Saturday afternoon, and the police were ready for them - to direct traffic and ease road congestion.

Cyclists from around the country arrived at the park to participate in the Epic Memorial Ride and Rally, a fundraiser sponsored by the Black Nail Brigade, an organization founded by Wauconda resident Greg Zaffke in honor of his late mother.

Last May, Zaffke's 56-year-old mother Anita of Lake Zurich died when a car rear-ended her motorcycle not far from Paulus Park. Authorities allege that the car's driver, Lora L. Hunt of Morris, was distracted because she was painting her nails when the car hit Zaffke's motorcycle. Hunt has pleaded not guilty.

"We want to establish an exhibit and memorial that will take our message to the people who need it the most, which is the general driving public," Zaffke, 32, said. "We want to get the message out that people need to pay attention when they're driving, and be aware of the consequences of their reckless actions behind the wheel."

"A couple of days after my mom was killed, I went to the store to buy some black nail polish to express my disgust at what the driver was doing at the time she killed my mom," Zaffke said. "It turned out to be an extremely effective awareness device."

Zaffke, who grew up in Lake Zurich, painted the nails on his right hand black. People began asking questions about it. Then he received photos from motorcyclists who told him they painted their own nails black for him and his mother.

The Black Nails Brigade had begun.

"The motorcycle community has been a huge, huge source of support for our family ever since our mom was killed," Zaffke said. "Everyone here probably has a story about a friend or loved one they've lost. The untold stories belong to the injured riders, and we've got three of them speaking here today.

"Their stories need to get out, because their lives have been drastically affected by some other motorists' decision to do something negligent or sometimes extremely reckless behind the wheel."

Many people think distracted driving means simple things such as changing the stations on a radio. Not so, he said. It's hard to believe what some people do behind the wheel, he said.

"People are doing things like painting their nails, rummaging around for a cigar in the passenger's seat," Zaffke said. "One person dropped a water bottle and wound up crushing a New York Department of Transportation worker. All these things are just as lethal as texting or talking on a cell phone."

Zaffke himself wasn't a cyclist like his mother at the time of her death. Now he rides an all-black Harley-Davison Sportster bike.

"It's my statement," he said. "No matter what I wear, no matter what color my bike is, no matter how reflective my helmet is, they should still see me. I have a headlight and turn signals and taillights like any other vehicle on the road.

"The truth is that when people say they didn't see a motorcyclist, they weren't looking. It's as simple as that."