Bicycling around Wisconsin can be an enjoyable form of transportation and recreation, though it comes with considerable risks. According to the Wisconsin Department of Transportation, 1,000 bicyclists are injured each year in bicycle accidents - and an additional 11 bicyclists will be killed.
Rasheed Markis of Milwaukee was almost one of those fatalities when he was hit by a motorist and suffered multiple injuries - including a broken pelvis and crushed lung.
"When I got to the hospital they gave me a less than five percent chance that he would survive," Bilal Markis, Rasheed's father, told WTMJ Newsradio. "It's a miracle that he even survived."
In honor of that miracle, the father and son became involved in the Ride of Silence - a worldwide, annual event that was created to bring attention to the victims of cycling accidents and promote safer roads for bicyclists. In Wisconsin alone, there are several Ride of Silence events - in cities that include Green Bay, Madison and Milwaukee.
One way that the Ride of Silence educates the public about cycling safety is by having participants attach 3-foot flags to their bikes - which signifies the fact that many motorists do not give bicyclists three feet of clearance. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, ignoring the three-foot rule causes 23 percent of all bicycle accidents around the country.
The event also stresses the importance of other bicycle safety rules, such as using helmets, mirrors and lights, as well as wearing bright colors while on the road. To help illustrate the gravity of cycling accidents, Ride of Silence participants do not speak during the event.
