KAILUA-KONA — In a solemn tribute to fallen cyclists and a call for greater road safety awareness, the 13th Annual Ride of Silence took to the streets of Kailua-Kona on Saturday, uniting riders from all walks of life. The event partnered with community organizations such as the Hawaii Cycling Club (HCC), Coffee Talk Riders, PATH (People for Active Transport Hawaii), and the Hawaii Police Department (HPD).
The Ride of Silence is a world-wide event now in its 20th year, held in 50 states and 18 countries during the third week on May. The first annual event — which drew 1,000 cyclists — began in Dallas, Texas on May 21, 2003 after endurance cyclist, Larry Schwartz, was hit by the mirror of a passing bus and died.
Here locally, the annual event continues to gain momentum as cyclists and advocates join forces to honor those lost in cycling accidents while raising a powerful message for change. With cyclists simply gathering in silence, the Ride of Silence serves as a poignant reminder of the vulnerability of cyclists and the urgent need for increased respect and protection on our roads.
HCC president, Franz Weber, said “The idea is to raise awareness for anyone who got hurt or killed by a car, it’s about sharing aloha out on the roads, and be conscience and observant of other people on the roads.”
“Almost every two years in Kona we have cyclists being killed,” Weber said. “So, we are trying to raise awareness and educate the community to be courteous, to look out for cyclists, we want this to be a community that shares aloha between everybody participating in traffic.”
Sergeant Brandon Mansur, a 15-year veteran of the Hawaii Police Department, agreed that increased education and awareness are key to decreasing motor vehicle-cycling accidents.
“The importance of this event is not only to remember those who have died or who have been seriously injured from bicycle and vehicle collisions, but also to build awareness for vehicles on the road to look out for cyclists and share the road especially here in Kailua-Kona where we have Ironman and other events.
“Regarding bicyclists and traffic accidents, it’s something that we deal with year-round particularly around the time of Ironman and other smaller bicycle events. In the past several years, Kona has made its best efforts to develop safe roadways for bicyclists to operate on however, there are still many places in town where it becomes difficult for vehicles and bicyclists to share the road. Also, we have the issue of bicyclists coming from other countries to participate in races here where the laws may be different and that obviously causes a major safety hazard.
Community Policing Officer Dwayne Sluss said Saturday’s event was his third year participating as HPD escort in the Ride of Silence.
“All these events are equally important,” Sluss explained when asked about the importance of having the community Ride of Silence. “Our community is very diverse so this is just as important for kids playing soccer out on the fields as much as it is for cyclists. This particular event is nice as it’s a memorial for all the bike riders who have passed away while riding their bikes and enjoying what they love to do. It’s a nice tribute.”
Underneath a cloudless sky, a group of nearly 50 cyclists set off silently from the Kona Community Aquatic Center and were escorted by HPD over the slow paced, two-mile route that went onto Alii Drive, through Historic Kailua Village, to Hualalai Road and Kuakini Highway, before returning to the pool parking lot.
The absence of spoken words amplified the significance of the event, as participants pedaled with a shared sense of purpose. The Ride of Silence reminds us that road safety is a responsibility shared by all road users, urging drivers to exercise caution and vigilance while highlighting the importance of infrastructure improvements to accommodate cyclists. The event also serves as a rallying point for local organizations like the Hawaii Cycling Club, Coffee Talk Riders, and PATH — inspiring them to continue advocating for policy changes and education programs that prioritize the safety of cyclists and create a more inclusive road culture.
Sergeant Mansur shared some advice to those on our roadways.
“Just be careful, watch everything going on around you. Keep your head on a swivel because even though you may be paying attention other motorists or bicyclists may not be, and you just got to be prepared for that.”