LoRoK

This is a letter I've drafted to the mayor of the City of Albuquerque regarding cyclist safety. I'd appreciate any feedback you have before I send this off.

"Hello Mr. Mayor. I am writing you to share my frustration and fear with you. I live a car-free lifestyle, and cycle throughout the city as my sole form of transportation. There are not always bicycle paths or lanes available to me on my routes, and I often share the road with motorists. The frustration and fear I deal with is resultant of the hostility and rage I am greeted with, on an almost daily basis, from vehicle drivers.

Hardly a day goes by where I am not harassed, shouted at, swerved at, disregarded, threatened etc. The vast majority of these attacks feature the idea that I "Get off the road." In fact, I have been ordered by Albuquerque police to ride on the sidewalk. I have politely explained to police officers, on more than one occasion, that it is my legal right to ride as FRAS (far right as safe/practicable) on any road that doesn't post exclusions to bicyclists. I choose the roads I ride on based on what I feel is safest, so know that I am not senselessly riding down any old road I come across.

The reason I write to you today is to ask, not for increased bicycle infrastructure in the sense of specific bicycle lanes or paths, but for increased education and awareness for motorists and cyclists alike. A public education campaign that alerted drivers to the legal right of cyclists to utilize public roadways would do much, in my opinion, to alleviate the hostility and potentially dangerous actions many of us face on a daily basis. This would also educate cyclists to the dangers of riding bicycles on the sidewalks, as I see so often. Did you know a cyclist is several times more likely to be struck by a vehicle, or hit a pedestrian, while riding on the sidewalk? Certainly when the officers sworn to uphold the law are unaware of the law, we cannot expect citizens to know it either.

Furthermore, I ask that motorists be aware that harassment of cyclists is a crime, and they be held accountable. I called 911 one night after a car full of teenagers threw drinks at me through the windows of their moving car, and after giving my report to the 911 operator, with my phone number and address, police never showed up at my home to take my statement which is what I was told would occur. Nor was there every any followup regarding the matter from police or city officials. One day, a man threatened me and jumped from a moving vehicle (he was a passenger) to swing at me. This happened at Central and 1st street. I found a police vehicle within moments, pulled the vehicle to the side and pleaded with the officer to apprehend the men in the car. I was told that since he didn't hit me that there was nothing I could do unless I wanted to file a report. The offending party was still within eyesight, and I told the officer they were right there, and she refused to take any action, other than to allow me to file a report. I was so frustrated I sat on the edge of the road and cried.

I believe this public education campaign could be mounted in a very cost effective manner, utilizing billboards, roadway markings and street signage. I believe this would benefit everyone. If more people felt their rights were protected, and their presence respected, there would be an increase in cycling commuters. This could decrease traffic, raise the public health level, and lower tensions of those who share the public roadway. I understand the financial stress this city and it's citizens are under, which is why I feel this is more important than ever to address this issue now.

Fortunately, I do not write to you simply to complain. I also offer a potential solution. I have served the City of Albuquerque in public education with the Albuquerque Green campaign. As an employee of TKO Advertising (2007-2009) I created billboards, banners, flyers and other materials available to Albuquerque citizens from a variety of outlets. In fact, I believe that there is at least one Albuquerque Green billboard I created still up, visible near I-25 and Indian School. I am no longer with TKO, as the Albuquerque office has downsized, but I still have the ability to create smart, effective messages through a variety of mediums independently. I am willing to volunteer my services at a rate that you will not find with any advertising or marketing agency anywhere.

Of course, this is not just an attempt on my part to solicit money from the City; my primary cause is to assure my own safety (and that of other cyclists) who utilize our public roadways, and to help both motorists and cyclists understand legal rights (cycling on roadways), revokable privileges (driving on roadways), and repercussions of violation of the law. I thank you for your time, and hope to be alerted to all, if any, followup on this matter and others regarding cycling in Albuquerque. I am willing to help in any way I can. Thank you again.

Yours in service,
Jason"

achoo

Too long. Way too long. End it after the fourth paragraph.

genec

You might want to include something about the area "going green" in an attempt to give the mayor incentive for supporting cyclists.

10 Wheels

Agree, Too Long. Delete the bill board info.

LoRoK

OK, I will edit for length. How about tone, verbiage, facts/figures? Is there something you would include? Something you don't like (again, other than the length) (that's what she said)? And I appreciate any and all feedback, thanks guys.

Wanderer

You forgot to offer a meeting, to discuss, and elaborate, on your ideas.

Jehannum

1) Mayor Berry won't give a crap. Bicycling in the city is way, way below his priority horizon. Mayor Chavez was pretty much the driver of bike infrastructure improvements in the recent past.

2) Cycling on Central at 1st Street, HA! MLK, Jr. Blvd is not 300 feet from that intersection, and has a bike lane that runs all the way up to UNM. There's not exactly a dearth of alternate routes that you could use. Yes, we're traffic too, but both of us is likely to lose to drunk Frank in his Chevy 1500 crew cab, so at least consider setting aside your pride and trying an alternate route through the city. I can get everywhere I want to go in Albuquerque without touching traffic lanes on roads with speed limits 35MPH and greater except to turn left.

2.5) You'll always get yelled at. It doesn't matter if you cycle in the very right edge of the bike lane, people in Albuquerque are uniformly *******s to bikers. I can't tell you the number of times I've had junk chucked at me from cars, or yelled at. You've got to learn to ignore it (or at least avoid internalizing it). Don't ride angry!

3) Albuquerque is broke, like every other municipality in the country. They can't even afford to put proper signage on their "bike boxes" where they decided they were necessary. There's no way a PR campaign will receive city funding.

Keith99

Excellent way to include what I thought was important, a phrase saying cycling was a lifestyle choice. As the letter stands now it is going to be read as a letter from someone who can not afford a car, in short part of the undercalss and not worth the mayors time.

Bikepacker67

I don't like this sentence too much:

I'm also car(e)free, and what concerns me, is what if my destination happens to be on "any old road"?

Either we're entitled to use the roadway (and take the lane, if necessary) or we aren't.
Sentences like that, make it sound like a judgment call, which opens a whole can of worms.

Jehannum

It is a judgment call.

It's a judgment call made by every cyclist, every time (s)he plans a route: is it worth the possible consequences to ride down this street?

On the one hand, you've got the right, obviously. On the other hand, you've got the reality of moving in and out of traffic on a major artery road to contend with.

Bikepacker67

Sorry.
That was worded wrong.

It makes it sound like the legal RIGHT is a judgment call.
(like sure... you had the right to use "any old road", but you know you really shouldn't have).

And I don't like that ambiguity.

LoRoK

What I mean by that is that I'm not going to jump in a lane on a street with a posted 55 mph speed limit, when there's one just a block over that's 30. I'm just saying I choose my route wisely.

DX-MAN

Check the applicable law about sidewalk riding, and cite it -- in short fashion.

Yeah, be more brief.

Laserman

I imagine myself as a better editor than writer, so I took the liberty of editing your original letter into a form that I like better. YMMV

LoRoK

Thanks, Laserman. I'm going to use just that. You rock.

Edit: If, in fact, I do hear anything from anyone, I'll update. Wish me luck!

The Human Car

My 2 cents: The letter should be broken down to two parts the problem and solutions. It would be better if you could reference a group larger then yourself such as a recent survey of local cyclists indicates this a major problem or to help reduce car traffic, and obesity rates the city should put more emphases on cost effective solutions.

Solutions: Free police roll call videos https://www.massbike.org/projectsnew/...icer-training/
Federal money is available for safety materials: https://www.fhwa.dot.gov/environment/bikeped/bp-guid.htm

Bander

And yet you left "resultant" in there? Tsk, tsk.

brianinc-ville

Hi, LoRoK. I teach writing, so let me give you one big tip:

Your goal here is to make the mayor think this problem is important enough to fix. So, in the introduction, it should be about your reader, not about you. Start with what your reader knows, then bring in what he/she doesn't know -- the big problem -- and then offer a solution. Here's an introduction you might use:

"Dear Mr. Mayor [even better: use the mayor's name]:

Here in Albuquerque, we all want our city to be one of the world's best places to live. We're proud of our diversity and quality of life. But if we want to be a great twenty-first-century city, there's one thing we really need: better support for bicycling. A city that bikes is sustainable, vibrant, and livable, and attracts industry and investment -- but right now too many people are discouraged by our roads. It can sometimes be difficult to get around by bike here, but it doesn't have to be that way. Fortunately, you can take important steps to make us a world-class biking city, without spending much money at all. The key is education. Here's how we can make sure that our roads work for all our citizens, whether they're using cars or bikes."

Then, cut your supporting paragraphs down significantly.

Good luck, dude!

Laserman

You notice I said I "imagine" myself as an editor.
I never imagined myself as a grammarian.

Laserman

Good advice but your approach comes off more as advertising copy than a sincere letter from a concerned citizen.
Both styles can be effective.
Is there a bike advocacy group in Albuquerque that might be a better signatory to the more polished letter?
Also a good idea is to send copies to city council members who may be more interested than the mayor.

LoRoK

I got a response today:

"Jason, Mayor Richard J. Berry thanks you for your email. The Mayor has asked me to direct your email with its suggestion and proposal to the Greater Albquerque Bicycle Advisory Committee for their consideration."

I wonder where it will go from there?

Jehannum

Nowhere, just like my letter concerning the lack of proper signage and driver education on the bike boxes that they installed at Washington and Indian School.

hshearer

Having a bicycle advisory committe is a positive sign. Of course, I think this means the mayor (or assistants) didn't read your letter, and it got shuttled off under the heading 'bike stuff', so you're surely preaching to the choir there, and I think you've probably had all the response you're likely to get.

You could also send your letter to city councillors (your own, and any who might be sympathetic to bicylists), and your police traffic division, or the local traffic committee. They might bring it up in council. Does your state also provides funding for local transportation? Send it to anyone who is involved making decisions at that level. The local paper letters to the editor is also a good way to start a discussion. Keep it SHORT, though, and skip all the examples and specifics. Probably 10 sentences in 2 or 3 paragraphs is the most anyone will skim through. Emphasize that an unsafe feeling on the roads is the #1 reason more people don't cycle commute, and reap all the benefits that come with that (and I'm sure you can find a study to support the assertion).

Good luck!