'Ride of Silence' today

Beverly Heise was in Texas taking care of their grandson. Ronald was in Tucson talking to his wife on the phone and about to set off on his daily ride. Before hanging up the phone, he told his wife he'd call her tomorrow. She said "I love you." So did he.

He hopped on his bicycle and started pedaling, heading south on Harrison Road toward Catalina Highway in the late afternoon on Aug. 15.

Ronald, 65, had started riding regularly a couple years earlier, Beverly said.

He wanted to lose weight and it was working. He'd already lost 50 pounds, she said.

The shoulder narrowed, forcing Ronald to take part of the lane. A 19-year-old driver in a sport utility vehicle turned south onto Harrison Road, but didn't see the cyclist in time. She slammed into him from behind.

A nurse at the scene tried unsuccessfully to resuscitate him.

Beverly said she learned he died from her mother and her sister.

"He was a great dad to his two sons," Beverly said. "They are still devastated about their dad's death."

After the loss of her husband, Beverly wants drivers to be extra cautious around cyclists.

"They have as much of a right to the road as drivers," she said.

Tucson cyclists, and others across the nation, will ride silently through town this evening to encourage motorists and riders to share the road. Some will wear red armbands honoring riders who have been injured in the roadway. Others will wear black ones in memory of cyclists who have died. Organizers expect 100 cyclists to ride.

Wayne Cullop, an engineer at Raytheon who helped organize the Ride of Silence, said he's been cycling in Tucson for 12 years.

"The message would be to be aware that bicyclists share the road and for drivers to always be on the lookout," Cullop said.

Cullop has been hit twice by cars while cycling, he said. In both situations vehicles turned left in front of him and he didn't have time to avoid the collision. Neither of the crashes was serious enough to keep him off a bicycle for good, he said.

Cyclists need to follow the rules of the road as well, Cullop said.

They need to stay on the right side of the road and never ride on sidewalks or against the flow of traffic, he said.

Tom Thivener, Tucson's bicycle and pedestrian coordinator, said cyclists need to obey the same laws on the road as drivers. Often cyclists are killed when they ride on the wrong side of the road or on the sidewalk or if they ride at night without lights, he said.

Cyclists and motorists need to learn to safely share the road because more people are deciding to get around town without using a car and Tucson supports that, Thivener said.

"It's important because the city of Tucson does promote alternative modes of transportation," he said.

Zach MacDonald, a real estate agent, said he has been road biking and mountain biking for more than 15 years.

"Tucson is a great city to ride your bike and there's been a strong movement in the last 10 years to improve that," he said.

Still, he said he worked in several bike shops and hearing about people getting hit by cars was a regular occurrence.

Nine months after the death of her husband of 38 years, Beverly Heise still struggles with daily reminders of his life.

"His family loved him and misses him a lot," she said.

Rules of the Road For cyclists:

• Wear light, bright clothing. At night, Arizona law requires the use of a rear red reflector and white front headlight. Cyclists should also use a red taillight at night.

• Wear a helmet and use bicycle mirrors to see more easily.

• Ride on the right side of the road with the flow of traffic. Don't ride against traffic or on a sidewalk.

• Be aware of your surroundings. Make eye contact with drivers and be sure to get their attention.

Source: Pima County Department of Transportation's "Share the Road" guide.