Since 2003, Texas Bicycle Coalition, in partnership with Bell Sports, has made bicycle helmets available through the Helmets by the Dozen program at a greatly discounted price to organizations and individuals wishing to provide helmets to cyclists who might not otherwise be able to afford one.
Thousands of Texans Participate in Ride of Silence
On May 17, 2006, thousands of Texas cyclists took to the streets in the international Ride of Silence. Seventeen Ride of Silence events were held throughout Texas. According to media reports and conservative counts, there were approximately 4,000 riders at all the Texas events.
Cyclist Gay Simmons-Posey was killed by an automobile-bicycle crash on April 17, 2006, in Austin. A trailer pulled by a vehicle clipped her, and a second vehicle (which subsequently left the scene) then hit her after she fell to the ground. The cyclist was riding in the same direction of traffic, as required by law, and was wearing a helmet.
Simmons-Posey was riding on Loop 360 – Capital of Texas Highway, a popular cycling route in central Texas, in training for the BP MS 150 ride from Houston to Austin, which was scheduled to take place a week later. Her tragic death caused heated debate and many discussions in Austin and central Texas regarding the safety concerns for cyclists riding on state highways. This debate reverberates across Texas and has an impact on all cyclists.
Join cyclists across the country on Wednesday, May 17 at 7:00pm in a Ride of Silence. The ride’s purpose is “to HONOR those who have been injured or killed, to RAISE AWARENESS that we are here and to ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD.” The first Ride of Silence was founded in 2003 by Chris Phelan in Dallas after endurance cyclist Larry Schwartz was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and was killed.
To date, rides are scheduled in more than 260 cities worldwide, including 16 Texas cities: Amarillo, Austin, Beaumont, College Station, Dallas, Fort Worth, Houston (two locations), Huntsville, Lubbock, Mineral Wells, Odessa, San Antonio, Temple, The Woodlands, Waco and Wichita Falls.
With the permission of ride founder Chris Phelan, Texas Bicycle Coalition has created a flyer for participants to hand to people who have questions about the ride. No longer will participants need to break the silence to explain to motorists why they are riding on May 17. The flyer is available for download here. Please print the flyer and take some extra copies to your city's ride.
Visit the Ride of Silence website to find a ride near you or to coordinate a ride in your community.
Bicycle Helmet Recall Alert
The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission has announced a voluntary recall of the Back Trails Jr. Toddler, Youth and Child Bicycle Helmets, sold by Target and manufactured by UNA International Limited. The Commission announced that consumers should stop using these particular helmets immediately, and noted that some of the helmets do not meet CPSC safety standards for bicycle helmets, which poses a risk of riders suffering head injuries.
Partially-blind motorist kills cyclist, gets off easy
In March 2004, cyclist Gary Arnold of Plano was struck from behind by a motorist while cycling with a friend. The next day, on March 7, Gary died as a result of the injuries suffered.
The motorist has a degenerative eye disease which has rendered her partially blind, and she was operating the motor vehicle without a license. Still, the Collin County judge presiding over the case this month has demonstrated leniency toward the defendant. Such leniency is potentially damaging to the cycling community because it further marginalizes the safety of cyclists. This situation contributes to the growing precedent of inappropriate consequences for a motorist injuring a cyclist.
