Prairie Cycle Club – Bicycle Club for Champaign County, Illinois

The ride of silence happens May 20, 2009 at 7:00 p.m. We start at the parking lot near the assembly hall at First and St. Mary's. The route will be N on first to Stadium Drive, then across 45 (Neil Street) to Randolph and through downtown Champaign, then South on First and then down Green Street, then a bit North on Busey to Main and through downtown Urbana, then South on Vine to ILlinois, then Lincoln, then Pennsylvania, Fourth and back to the lot. It's about 9 miles and we'll be going less than 12 MPH and regrouping whenever we get spread out.
In the past we've had about 35 riders; if riders wear black armbands (a garbage bag cut into strips works) or have a sign on bikes indicating who they're riding for, then it communicates what we're doing to passersby.

The purpose of this ride is
• To HONOR those who have been injured or killed
• To RAISE AWARENESS that we are here
• To ask that we all SHARE THE ROAD; that drivers recognize that there’s room for all of us out here, and that a bicyclist may be around the next corner and has every right to be.
We are looking for respect, not retaliation; for visibility, not vengeance. Let us show how to share the road by a positive example. Please follow the rules of the road. Ride as you would in a funeral procession; ride predictably.
Point out potholes and road hazards; signal turns and if you slow down. Momentary inattention is the number one cause of accidents -Be aware of what is in front of and BEHIND you, watch your line, and keep your hands near your brakes.
We are riding as a group, silently but use your judgement regarding both. Allow for breaks in the group when it makes sense.

http://www.bikelib.org for more information.

The intent of the HB 4757 &
SB 2311 (identical wording) is transparency and accountability. Bills will
force IDOT and the Gov. to make the award cycle of Federal dollars regular
and transparent. Enhancement dollars come in annually. Most states have a
regular grant cycle, usually annual. This allows local govts. to plan
trails projects and have them in queue-i.e the Sangamon valley trail which
require several projects over years.

The Gov's office held the dollars from 2001 till 2005. Then the fanfare,

This just in (2/28/08)
You can read more on LIB's website: http://bikelib.org
HB 4757 and SB 2311 bills passed out of committee today unanimously in both the House and Senate.

RIDE OF SILENCE – MAY 16, 2007
DATE: May 16, 2007
TIME: 7:00 pm
WHERE: Assembly Hall Parking Lot (first & St. Mary’s) and Hundreds of locations world wide –
Join cyclists worldwide in a silent slow-paced ride (max. 12 mph/20 kph) in honor of those who have
been injured or killed while cycling on public roadways.

Thursday, May 3, 2007
6:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Urbana Middle School Cafetorium
1201 S Vine, Urbana

Join us in our first public forum to:
• Map which roads you like to bike on
• Comment on bicycling conditions
• Learn more about the planning process
• Find out how to stay involved

The League of Illinois Bicyclists will be hosting a 4-hour presentation called "Safe Roads for Bicycling." It will be presented by Dean Schott, the Outreach
Director for the League of Illinois Bicyclists.

This will be on Thursday, May 3rd, 0800 - it will be "geared" toward police, but the material would be very relevant for anyone interested in a safer biking community, in terms of traffic flow and addressing the typical hazards associated with the bike-vehicular conflicts.