After his broken scapula and ribs healed months later, Hill said he walked away with one big lesson.

“You have to share the road,” he said. “I was lucky (to survive.)”

In honor of his life lesson, Hill wore a red ribbon around his arm to represent his accident during the 10th annual Greater Lansing Ride of Silence on Wednesday evening. Hill was one of more than 75 bicyclists who rode from campus to the Capitol in silence to memorialize bikers across the nation who have been killed or injured in bicycle accidents.

Hosted by MSU Bikes, the free event was part of a nationwide ride held in all 50 states.

As the manager of MSU Bikes, Tim Potter said he routinely has visits from students who were in bicycling accidents in search of repair.

“It’s something that does happen around the world,” he said. “We just feel it’s important to remember the people who have been injured and killed in these accidents.”

As bagpipes played, bicyclists gathered at MSU Bikes to register and tie a black ribbon around their arms to represent someone they know who has been killed in a bicycle accident or a red ribbon to show they or someone they know has been injured in an accident.

Before the event started, Biological Science Program tech support member Tom Harpstead tied a red ribbon to honor the accident he suffered 15 years ago in East Lansing, when a vehicle turned in front of him causing the collision.

“I learned to pay more attention to vehicles around me,” he said, adding both parties were at fault.

Harpstead said the accident helped to remind him to stay safe on the roads and fueled his passion for participating in four of the five years MSU Bikes has hosted the Greater Lansing Ride of Silence.

Music from MSU Assistant Carillonneur Patricia Johannes greeted participants at Beaumont Tower during the Concert of Remembrance, where they gathered in silent prayer and started the ride.

Leaving the tower, they rode their bikes in silence, making their way through campus to Grand River Avenue. Escorted by MSU police and Lansing police officers on bikes themselves, the group rode Michigan Avenue down to the steps of the Capitol and held a small ceremony in memory for those lost in bicycle accidents.

As graduate student Dwight Washington rode his bicycle in the event, his arm was bare. But he said he still hoped to further the idea of bicycle safety with his participation in the ride.

“I’ve been fortunate that no one really close to me has died,” he said. “Hopefully if more people are out riding then … there will be fewer deaths.”

Following the ceremony at the Capitol, the bikers traveled back to campus, completing about a nine-mile trip.
Potter said he hoped the ride gave proper respects to those lost in accidents and created more awareness for bicyclists on the road.

“Bicyclists deserve to ride out on the streets without being hit or threatened,” he said. “We want to let people know we’re here and we have safe and legal rights to use the road.”