LAS VEGAS (KLAS) — Ride to Remember, an annual event that brings together cyclists to promote safety on the roads, is scheduled this Saturday.
Beginning at 7:30 a.m. Saturday, Oct. 12, cyclists will head south in groups of 50 from the Camping World parking lot on Las Vegas Boulevard South. They will ride 14 miles south to Jean before heading back to Las Vegas. The road will be closed to motorists during the event.
The annual ride began as the 3 Feet for Pete campaign, in honor of Pete Makowski, who was killed in 2013 when he was struck by a gravel truck on the same road riders will use on Saturday. Safe cycling was a habit for Makowski. It’s Nevada law to give cyclists 3 feet of space if there’s not a dedicated bike lane, and drivers should move over to give cyclists the entire lane when it’s safe to do so.
“Our mission is unchanged,” Tony Gebbia, president of 3 Feet for Pete, said. “Bicycling is exploding in popularity at the same time our roads are getting busier, and god knows drivers are more distracted than ever. The city is trying to make streets safer for pedestrians and bicyclists, but as with everything in Vegas it is almost impossible to keep up with growth. It is more important than ever for cyclists and drivers to pay attention, make good decisions, and respect one another while on our roadways.”
Registration is open online, and riders can also register on site before the event. The cost is $25, and organizers emphasize it’s not a race, competition or a training ride. The pace will be about 12-14 mph. Helmets are required.
Last year, the event was exactly two months after 64-year-old cyclist Andreas Probst was run down on Tenaya Way near the 215 Northern Beltway. The trial of Jesus Ayala, 19, and Jzamir Keys, 17, has not started.
Event organizers said bicyclists should never assume they are safe on any road. Good choices are a must. Riders should seek out the safest route and avoid putting themselves in danger. Even then, the law can’t protect cyclists from a distracted driver.
The event is sponsored by Centennial Subaru, in partnership with 3 Feet for Pete, the Southern Nevada Bicycle Coalition, Ghost Bikes Las Vegas, LV5 and Camping World.
