Ride of Silence Cycles Through Doylestown

On Wednesday, Doylestown area cyclists slowly pedaled through the borough in honor of John Chapman and all the other cyclists who have been killed in traffic crashes.

This is the fifth year that Doylestown has hosted a Ride of Silence, and this year's ride was dedicated to Chapman.

The cyclist from Queens, New York, was riding through Bucks County with his cycling club on May 28, 2011. He was standing on the side of Route 413 (Durham Road) when he was struck by a passing pickup truck and killed.

With that tragic backdrop, this year's Ride of Silence was even more somber, said Don Berk, an organizer of the ride.

"Of all the rides we've done, this one was the quietest," Berk said Thursday. "It was completely silent; I've never heard it so quiet."

Ride of Silence is a national event that draws attention to the people who have been killed and injured by vehicles while riding their bicycles. First held in 2003 in Dallas, the ride has since spread around the country and the world; last year's event was held in 322 places worldwide.

This year, 110 cyclists came out for Doylestown's ride, Berk said.

The weather was perfect for the 6 mile ride that started from Central Bucks West High School and wound slowly through town to Maplewood.

Emergency responders guided the column safely through the streets of town, and when police were called away, the Central Bucks Ambulance and Rescue Squad stepped in as escorts, Berk said.

"It was nice to know they had our back," said Berk, who is also a member of Doylestown's Borough Council.

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