Organizers of this year's Ride of Silence here in Minneapolis got a BIG jolt as yet another rider was killed the morning of the ride.  Dennis Dumm died after being run over by a semi-truck. 

By the time the ride started, the route was changed to allow a visit to the site if the accident at 14th and Portland Aves in Minneapolis.  About 120 riders participated in a ride that also visited the sites of two other riders that were killed in traffic deaths last fall. 

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The route started at Cars-R-Coffins, then headed to the site of Jimmy Nesser memorial on Excelsior boulevard.  Jimmy was on his way to work when he was struck by a vehicle, and dragged for a few hundred feet.  The driver fled the scene and was never apprehended. 

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The second stop was the Dennis Dumm accident scene, where the ride was greeted by Dennis' family and girlfriend.  There was a small plaquard at the scene, look for a ghost bike to be installed there soon. 

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The last stop was downtown at 5th and Nicollet Ave, the scene of the Nik Morton accident from Septemer 2008.  The city has tried to erase the memory by removing the ghost bike here, but there are still some decorations on the street signs. 

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In the last 6 months here in the Twin Cities, 5 cyclists killed have been killed by vehicle drivers.  So far there have been NO citations or charges.  The message is clear - it's OK to kill with your vehicle. 

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