WATCH: Mass ride honours cyclists killed on M4
The ride was to remember cyclists Richard da Silva (46), Jared Dwyer (36) and Craig Diedricks (52).
HUNDREDS of cyclists participated in a mass ride on Sunday as they paid tribute to cyclists Richard da Silva (46), Jared Dwyer (36) and Craig Diedericks (52). Da Silva and Dwyer were killed in 2016 near the Broadway off-ramp while Diedricks was killed near the eMdloti off-ramp last month.
Several cycling clubs, Eric Applegren, from the eThekwini Municipality, and Caro Smit of South Africans Against Drunk Driving (SADD), were also in attendance.
Present at the ride were some of the family members of Dwyer, Da Silva and Deidericks. Cyclists and family members laid flowers at the memorial site and two ghost bicycles were placed at the memorial site next to the Swapo Road off-ramp.
Eric Applegren from the City said local government had a role in preventing future tragedies.
Aroon Patel, convenor of the eThekwini Safe Cycle Forum, said he hoped the mass ride would bring awareness to the plight of cyclists on the province’s roads.
The forum was established in 2016 where concerned stakeholders came together to develop a safety plan for cyclists.
Greg Albert, who also part of the forum, said the placing of the ghost bicycles at the site was to remind motorists and cyclists of the lives lost on the M4.
“I’ve been cycling for around 30 years and we want to make the sport of cycling safe and enjoyable for the next generation. I was pleased to see so many cyclists take part in the memorial ride and I feel these issues need to be highlighted. We all feel more can be done to make the roads safer for both cyclists and motorists,” he said.
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