Ride of Silence in Arlington Heights to honor bicyclists killed on roadways

Three Rides of Silence, including one in Arlington Heights, will be held Wednesday, May 16, as bicyclists around the Chicago area pay tribute to cyclists who have been killed or injured riding their bicycles.

The Arlington Heights ride will begin promptly at 7 p.m. in Recreation Park, 500 E. Miner St. Riders will go 10 miles. For more information on this ride, email Gary Gilbert at rideofsilence@cyclearlington.com or visit [URL]cyclearlington.com/events/events2012.html;http://cyclearlington.com/events/events2012.html.The Joliet Ride of Silence will honor the memory of Jan Briese, who in May 2005 was leading her Thursday morning Joliet Bicycle Club ride, as she had for the past 12-plus years, when she was struck and killed by an 88-year-old driver. In Joliet, riders line up at 6:45 p.m. at Memorial Stadium, 3000 W. Jefferson St., for the 7 p.m., nine-mile ride. Contact: Sara Jo Briese, sjbriese@yahoo.com, (815) 715-2851.In Chicago, riders will gather at 6:45 p.m. in the Daley Plaza at Dearborn and Washington. The 10-mile ride begins at 7 p.m. Contact: Elizabeth Adamczyk, rideofsilence.chicago@gmail.com or visit [URL]rideofsilence.org/chicago/.

Riders are invited to join these silent, slow-paced rides, that go no faster than 12 mph, honoring bicyclists who have been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

Last year, Rides of Silence took place in 319 cities in all 50 states, 24 countries and all seven continents. For rides outside the Chicago area visit rideofsilence.org.