NEW ORLEANS (WGNO) — On Sunday, May 19, you can ride in a community bike ride event that will highlight bike safety and honor those killed in bike crashes.
Bike Easy teamed up with Metairie Cemetery to host a memorial bike ride called a “Ride to Remember” to honor those killed in bike crashes.
“Definitely in the last year and a half it has been very intense with the amount of people dying on our streets. This year alone, there have been five hit-and-runs, including one a few days ago. People walking and biking, it is a big problem,” said Executive Director of Bike Easy Alline La Spina.
According to a 2023 study from the League of American Bicyclists, per capita, New Orleans has the highest rate of fatal bike crashes for major metro cities in the U.S.
“I think it is very important that we wind up remembering their lives. I can’t think of a better place than historic Metairie Cemetery to do that,” said Gerard Schoen with Lake Lawn Metairie Funeral Home and Cemeteries.
Bicyclists will ride in honor of those lost amongst the tombs of a “who’s who of Louisiana.”
“You have the Copeland’s, Anne Rice, Tom Benson, nine Louisiana governors that are buried in this cemetery,” Schoen said.
Burying bicyclists too soon is what Bike Easy organizers will continue to fight against.
“Advocacy when it comes to advocating for more bike lanes and by going to City Hall,” said La Spina.
Bike Easy aims to make it easier for people to ride their bikes safely throughout the city.
“We want to create a space for them to have resources, advocacy, bike safety,” said La Spina.
If you don’t have a bike but still want to ride at the event, they’ll have free loaner bikes, but they suggest registering for a bike on the Bike Easy website.
Ride to Remember is free and open to all ages. Several other organizations like New Orleans Ghost Bikes, Blue Krewe, Bike Law Louisiana, New Orleans Complete Streets Coalition and Get Up N Ride NOLA will be on hand for the event.
There will be a brief memorial service honoring those killed while riding their bikes. May is National Bicycle Safety Month.
Ride to Remember will take place on Sunday from 8 a.m. to 11 a.m.
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