NEW ORLEANS (press release) – On Saturday, Oct. 9, at 10:30 a.m. bike krewes, advocates and bike riders from around New Orleans will come together to demand safety on city streets in the form of protected bike lanes and memorialize the people who lost their lives due to a lack of safe biking infrastructure, and call on elected officials and candidates for public office to support more safe biking infrastructure across New Orleans neighborhoods.
“Too many of our family and friends are dying. Too little has been done to protect the lives of New Orleanians riding bikes across our city. Whether we ride to our job, our school, our health, or for fun. We ride to remember those we’ve lost. We are standing up, speaking out, and riding together” said Charlie Schully of Bike Uneasy.
Riders will be meeting at the site of ghost bike memorials across New Orleans, including locations in Algiers, Carrollton, the 7th Ward, and Lower Garden District on Saturday morning, before congregating at Duncan Plaza, at 10:30am, 343 Loyola Avenue, where a rally will be held followed by a unity ride through downtown New Orleans.
Speakers include:
- Blake Owens*, GetUpNRide
- Nellie Catzen*, Committee for a Better New Orleans
- Robert Henig Bell*, Bike Easy
- David Green*, Lighthouse Louisiana
- Zina Harris, Sistahs on Wheels
- Clark Thompson, Bike Uneasy
- Alex Fleming, Ghost Bikes
- Dana Ennes, Urban Conservancy
- Monique Blossom, GNO Fair Housing
- Carl Lynch, Major Taylor Cycling Club
WHO: New Orleans’ largest social rides, bike clubs, and advocates: GetUpNRide, Nola Social Ride, Bike Life Council, Bayou Cruisers/Bayou Queens, Bike Easy, Bike Uneasy, BikeNVote, Algiers Street Riders, We Are One Ryderz, YaMammannem Cycling Club, and hundreds of local resident bike riders
WHAT: Morning group rides congregating at Duncan Plaza, 45 minute program of calls for bike safety in New Orleans, followed by a 2-mile unity ride
WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 9
Morning rides – 8:30 a.m. – 10 a.m.; Rally – 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.; Unity ride – 12 p.m.
WHERE: Duncan Plaza, 343 Loyola Ave., New Orleans, LA 70112
For more information (incl. group ride meet-up locations), visit rideforourlives.net.
