A group of cyclists rode through Center City Philadelphia Wednesday to remember lives lost in crashes between bicyclists and drivers. NBC10’s Johnny Archer reports on the silent ride.
Hundreds of riders took to the streets in a nearly silent ride -- the smooth, soft sounds of spoked wheels spinning across concrete was nearly inaudible -- as bicyclists in Philadelphia joined riders across the country for a "Ride of Silence" to remember cyclist who died on the road.
On the city's streets, riders rode in memory of the 14 bicyclist throughout the Delaware Valley who died over the past year.
Organizers of the night's event said that total ties for the highest number of deaths recorded in the area in the past 20 years.
In fact, according to the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, hit-and-run deaths in the city reached an all-time high last year.
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In 2022, the group found the city saw 34 such incidents.
According to numbers from the Philadelphia Police Department, last year, the city saw 39 deadly hit-and-run crashes.
On Wednesday night, outside City Hall, riders read the names of bike riders who died in crashes, in order to help remember their loss.
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Names like Billy McWilliams, who was just 16-years-old when he was killed during a hit and run incident in Northeast Philadelphia last summer.
And, Mario D'Adamo III, a 37-year-old attorney from South Philadelphia who was also killed during a hit-and-run incident while riding his bike in the bike lane at FDR Park last August.
In March, Philadelphia Mayor Cherelle Parker signed an executive order in the hopes of reaching the goal of no traffic deaths in the city.
It supports the effort called Vision Zero Philadelphia that is aimed at improving traffic safety on city streets.
"You should be able to ride safely wherever you go in the area and of course as cyclists you have responsibility to also respect other people as well," said Ray Scheinfeld, of the Philadelphia's Ride of Silence.
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