LEWISTON — Cyclists came to the corner of Lincoln Street in Lewiston Wednesday night to participate in a somber yearly occurrence to memorialize cyclists killed by motor vehicles, and to promote sharing the road.

The Ride of Silence, hosted by the Maine Cycling Club and chaperoned by Lewiston and Auburn police, took place through the Twin Cities. The mission of the event is to honor cyclists killed by motorists while raising awareness about bicycling safety. 

Following a 3.5-mile course starting and ending at the Lincoln Street garage, participants rode at an easy pace, making the ride suitable for all experience levels.

“What we’re trying to do is bring awareness to people of how many people riding bikes and walking are killed each year by motorists,” stated John Grenier. “It’s a lot more than people think.”

Grenier, the owner of Rainbow Bicycle in Lewiston and a board member of the Maine Cycling Club, is an avid cyclist with years of experience. He noted that in the past decade the dangers of cycling on the road with vehicles has increased greatly. 

Now in its 23rd year, the silent bike ride, which includes rides in Portland and Saco, has become a worldwide event. Last year there were 239 silent rides across three continents and 14 countries, according to the Ride of Silence website.

The number of bicyclists killed in motor-vehicle crashes has been trending upward in the last decade or so, according to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration.

From 2010-21, bicyclist fatalities ranged from 623 to a high of 966 with a yearly average of 800, the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration reported. From 2017-21, the yearly average was 883 deaths.

In 2023, there were 937 fatalities nationwide, according to the National Safety Council.

Last week, a Sanford man died following a collision with a moving vehicle. In August 2024, a 15-year-old from Sabattus was killed in an accident.

“A heartbreaking tragedy,” Jean Sideris, executive director of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, said at the time. “No child should be killed while riding a bicycle. Maine roads should be safe not just for cars, but for all users.”

The Bicycle Coalition of Maine and the Maine Cycling Club partnered in their efforts to promote the silent bike ride through Lewiston and Auburn.

Michael Rifkin, a board member of the Bicycle Coalition of Maine, read the Ride of Silence poem before participants took off, with its final lines: “Tonight’s ride is to make others aware/ The road is there for all to share/ To those not with us or by our side/ May God be your partner on your final ride.”

“This is a memorial ride recognizing people who have been injured and killed in hopes of raising the consciousness of everybody that we need to share the road,” Rifkin said.

Participants such as Lisa Morin of Turner have personally been affected by interactions with motorists. Morin herself has been in a minor accident while riding her bike, and said drivers should remember that others can be on the road, too.

“It’s important to try and remind people that there are lives at stake here many times in your efforts to try and go someplace faster,” Grenier said. 

Other participants joined because they knew of loved ones that died from crashes. William Phillips, a retired cardiologist, said he personally had two close friends that passed away due to injuries sustained from being hit by vehicles on bicycles. 

In his preride speech, Rifkin highlighted three aspects of the Ride of Silence: To honor, to raise awareness and to encourage all to share the road.

The Maine Bicycle Coalition and The Maine Cycling Club push to properly integrate pedestrian pathways in Maine.

“There’s a lot to be done,” Rifkin said.