How was your advocacy today?

[buzzman]

So, I've been reading BF for two months now and have gotten some great info and learned some new things:

In all my years of winter commuting I've never used studded snow tires until I read of all the success others have had with them in various threads. Used 'em all winter and I'm hooked.
I came into bike forums with no particular side of the coin I was on about "VC", bike lanes or bike facilites in general. But I've learned that I now have a low tolerance for VC advocates' epithets regarding bike lanes, bike facilities and road usage despite the fact that I could easily be described as a VC cyclist in terms of how I ride (except for my support for and occasional use and enjoyment of integrated and segregated cycling facilities.) So, "Advocacy and Safety" has turned at least one "neutral" but experienced cyclist into someone whose skin crawls now at the mention of "Vehicular Cycling". The "EST" of bicycling.
My favorite forum is "Commuting" and favorite thread is "How was your commute today?" It is non-judgemental, informative, entertaining and seldom mean spirited. It's been more informative to me regarding issues of advocacy and safety than the "A&S" thread has been.
I am more committed than I have ever been to participate in my local advocacy groups with both financial support and more voluntary participation. Bicycling advocacy desperately needs open minded individuals interested in helping to develop livable communities not just cyclists interested solely in issues as they relate to a small percentage of cyclists.


In the interest of getting some posts that are about individuals actions of advocacy without judgement I'm starting this thread.

"Just the facts." If you want to argue start your own thread. If you want to take issue with things I've said in this post PM me or start your own thread. Positive feedback is welcome. NO ADVICE UNLESS SOLICITED BY THE POSTER. This is not about what you think others should do or say, this is about what you did or said. Maybe you want to state your commitment to doing things this year with your local advocacy group. Or maybe each week you'll take one positive action of advocacy. Tell us about it. And despite my negative impressions of "VC" zealotry don't let it inhibit you from telling of your successes in real life situations of actual effective advocacy in that regard if you want.

So, I'll start:

Yesterday I joined the Charles River Conservancy and Mass Bike in a clean up effort of the MDC bike path. This is a bike path I frequently use on my daily commutes in and out of Boston. It is in desperate need of TLC. We trimmed tree branches, picked up litter, shoveled the dirt and debris that in places made the bike path a full 20% narrower than it actually is.

[sbhikes]

I share your point of view almost identically. I too consider myself a vehicular cyclist, and a rather adamant one at that.

I already posted of my failed "advocacy" attempt the other day. On with a group bike ride where we went the wrong way on the sidewalk a good portion of the way, I was confronted by others as being "too brave" and "crazy" when I rode on the road (in the bike lane no less) instead of on the sidewalk, and "going to get killed" when I tried to explain to these folks that riding on the sidewalk is more dangerous than riding in the street. My attempt to tell them of our rights and responsibilities according to the law didn't work, either.

My advocacy was ineffective. Instead I learned that it is best not to tell other people how to do it. Either model the way or go away and ride somewhere else.

I applaud you and your back-breaking day of labor!

[Halfstep]

I'm not a frequent poster to these forums, although I read them every day, but I think this is a great thread and I'll chime in.

I'm trying to get our local cable access channel to air an educational / informative video about cycling safety and interaction with motorists. While doing research on videos, I found many more options than I thought I'd have. Now, I'm looking at a cycling safety video, pedestrian safety video, effective cycling video, children's cycling video and the possibility of public service announcements on some local radio stations. My only fear is getting a little overwhelmed and dropping the ball. My third son is due for arrival in just a few weeks and I know I'll have a LOT on my plate, then. Just gotta stay committed.

Thanks, buzzman.

[joejack951]

As usual, I biked to work today but in addition to transporting myself and my clothes and lunch, I also carried a package about 5 ft. x 2 ft. x 1 ft. on my trailer. While I personally enjoy being resourceful without the use of a car, I also like the idea that I'm promoting the utility of a bike even in a generally suburban area.

[buzzman]

I'm trying to get our local cable access channel to air an educational / informative video about cycling safety and interaction with motorists.

yeah, as someone who works in media and teaches at a communications college I am looking for ways to combine my abilities and interests with cycling, advocacy and video. I think visual assistance is useful when trying to inform non-cyclists about the realities we deal with when cycling.

And being a visible part of the landscape as a commuting/transport cyclist is probably our biggest form of advocacy. When people see me exit the grocery store with my cloth grocery bags plopping them into my oversized milkcrate and riding off into the snow and ice they'll either think I'm a nutsy granola eco-freak or that a bicycle is a viable alternative to the automobile. And sometimes, as sbhikes experience with the "sidewalk dependent" so perfectly demonstrates:

My advocacy was ineffective. Instead I learned that it is best not to tell other people how to do it. Either model the way or go away and ride somewhere else.

I find cycling advocacy at times to be a daunting task. I'm hoping to get some inspiration from this thread (and some good ideas to steal ;) )

[galen_52657]

Yesterday while out on the tandem, I waved at all the folks who passed me safely.... and those who did the usual dumb stuff too!

[buzzman]

Yesterday while out on the tandem, I waved at all the folks who passed me safely.... and those who did the usual dumb stuff too!

:roflmao:
I just got in from a road ride and for some reason waved at every car that let me go through an intersection, waited to safely pass or let me cross over into the left lane to make a turn at the next light. It'd be good to make a few friends out there.

[MicheleC]

This afternoon, I'm going with some other members of the Bike Access committee of our local cycling club to advocate for cycling with one of our local cities. I'll post later how the meeting went. According to the chair of the committee, the city heads are "great at talking the talk, but not walking the walk." At least today, they gave us the meeting time.

[Roody]

I talked with a group of coworkers. I confessed that I have been driving to work on a very temporary basis. I said that I was not enjoy the drive and I didn't see how they could stand driving every day. I told them I gained two pounds because I wasn't riding much, and did they notice how cranky I was?

Most of them thought I was joking, even though I told them i wasn't. One guy looked interested. He's in his mid-20s and has told me before that he is worried about losing conditioning as he gets a little older.

[sbhikes]

I told them I gained two pounds because I wasn't riding much, and did they notice how cranky I was?


Oh how I hate how this bike riding works that way! If I don't ride I get fat and cranky. But it really doesn't hardly do anything for my actual fitness except sort of keep the old ticker somewhat better than feeble. And it never actually makes me thin. Just lets me eat some m&ms after lunch and that's about it.

I'm sore after every weekend after I go hiking. It would work out so much better if I could walk to work. But it's too far so I have to ride. One of these days I'll stop being so lazy with all this bike riding and I'll walk to the bus stop and take the bus.

How's that for a weird twist on the usual excuses?

[oboeguy]

A couple of days ago I renewed my 5BBC (Five Boro Bike Club) membership. The 5BBC sponsors a lot of good, "fun" rides as well as the Montaul Century.

[buzzman]

One guy looked interested. He's in his mid-20s and has told me before that he is worried about losing conditioning as he gets a little older.

appealing to vanity can be an effective means of advocacy. I work with various groups and recently three of us on one job were regular bike commuters. Two other guys, both of whom who were just a little overweight but still athletic types, took note that the three bike commuters were eating pretty much whatever we wanted and maintaining a good body weight without a lot of effort. I'm not working with them right now but ran into one the other day and he went out and bought some fenders for his bike and is starting to ride to work. I'm sure the fact that he's 21 years younger than me and feeling older and fatter than I do influenced his decision as well.

[N_C]

To answer your question as to what I did for bicycle advocacy, today, in the interests of bicycle advocacy I:

1. Replied to an email regarding an issu a Iowa rep. & I have been discussing via email these past few weeks. In this reply I asked him what he thought I should do regarding the change the DOT uses to evaluate roadway design in Iowa. I asked if I should try to work with the commission first or if we should pursue legislation on it first. I await his reply. See the thread regarding my issues with Hwy 12 for more details.

2. I left a message with the dorector of the North Sioux City Parks & Rec. Dept. asking if she knew of any construction that will affect the 3rd annual Tri-State Trails Tour Bicycle Ride. I await her reply.

[oilfreeandhappy]

I waved to a number of fellow cyclists in the last day and a half. I rode proudly displaying my "Oil-Free and Happy" logo. In speaking to a number of advocates, they don't think this is effective. But from my experience, I tend to respond to a challenge, and I think others do as well.

[buzzman]

Attended the Annual Policy Meeting of my local bicycling advocacy group. It was attended by a few legislators (good for them) and by a fair amount of dedicated and interested members. Got home and immediately wrote to my State Rep. requesting his support for two pieces of legislation concerning cycling in Massachusetts. Managed to get a decent bike ride in and back to the meeting. Took a long meandering trip down memory lane on the way home through old neighborhoods I used to live in years ago.

[Halfstep]

I found funding to purchase videos to show on our local cable public access station. Our City Council is considering restriping our downtown streets to calm traffic and part of the plan is to put in bicycle lanes. They agreed to purchase some videos to educate motorists and bicyclists since these will be the first bicycle lanes in our downtown.

[Halfstep]

My wife and I had a twin bed we needed to get rid of. A friend put us in touch with a couple who needed one, so we offered it to them. They accepted and asked if they could pick it up yesterday afternoon. I can get home from work in a matter of minutes, so I told them to call me and I'd meet them whenever they got there. Well, they called me and said they were twenty or so minutes away, so I waited and then got on the bike and went home.

Now, it's not terribly cold here, 20F to 30F. I had on boots, cycling pants, polar tec jacket and a windbreaker, earwrap, and gloves. Not enough to make me hot, but it keeps me and my extremities warm enough. As I pulled into the driveway, I heard a vehicle turn the corner and looked back to see it follow me home.

They didn't say anything, but the guy was staring at me and the bike, and then looking at his wife. After we'd loaded it in their truck, we shook hands and they said thanks. I figured we were done and started getting back on the bike. He asked me how far away I worked and if I rode every day. I told him I commuted by bike year-round and it only took ten or twenty minutes, depending on traffic. She wasn't looking thrilled, but wasn't scowling, either. More like concerned.

We talked about cycling and commuting for a while and by the end, they both had the same expression of acceptance and anticipation. They've never done more than recreational riding, but now he's going to start commuting the fifteen miles to work. She's not so sure, but maybe she'll come around. I gave him my email address and told him I'd send him some information about year-round commuting, as well as the BikeForums.

Another convert! Hallelujah!

[TrevorInSoCal]

Commuted 4 of 5 days this week. Does visibility count as advocacy?

Yesterday, on my way in to work I stopped at the scene of a fender-bender that occurred as I was riding by. After determining that no one was hurt, I left my name and number with the not-at-fault driver as a witness for their insurance company, and continuted on my way. While that's not bike-specific advocacy it least it puts a positive human face on a cyclist amongst a sea of automobiles (The only people who stopped were myself and a couple pedestrians. All the cagers just kept on driving...).

Also followed up on an email exchange with local transportation authorities that occurred some months ago. This time voicing my displeasure with the supposed "improvements" to one of my commute routes that I was assured were being made. They finally finished construction, of a new bridge and resurfacing a portion of the roadway. However, rather than resurfacing the entire lane they simply resurfaced to the stripe, and the road-shoulder (or maybe that's what they're calling a "bike lane"), is still so strewn with debris, and broken up as to be unrideable. Consequently I'm still stuck out in a lane of inadequate width. It's slightly less hazardous than the route I was forced to take during the construction, but not much of an improvement on what it was like before that route was shut down for construction. How hard would it have been to have paved another 3 feet all the way to the edge? I don't care where the stripe is, I just want a suitable riding surface and enough clearance for cars to pass safely. Two or three more feet of pavement on either edge of the road would have accomplished that regardless of where they decided to paint the stripe.

-Trevor

[buzzman]

Does visibility count as advocacy?

I think visibility is our primary means of advocacy. It's why it makes sense, from an advocacy point of view as well as a safety one, to ride responsibly so we're not creating enemies.

I love leaving a work location with a group of friends who want to gather somewhere else for a bite or dinner and they see that I've ridden the bike and usually give me the pity look, "Oh, you rode your bike." but 9 times out of 10 I'll get there first and have a table for all of us waiting for them as they park their cars and wind through traffic. Many converts this way, if not tons of envy as well.

Think about what inspired you to commute or even to ride. For me I was about 15 years old, always loved bikes and then one day saw this guy on a beautiful black bike going faster than I'd ever seen anyone ride a bike. He was right out there with the traffic. I watched him as stopped at the traffic light down the road and take off like he was jet propelled. I was hooked. I realized in that moment that a bike was more than a kid's toy and that it could be used to get you anywhere that a car could and all under your own power. A mind blowing concept to me at the time.

[Artkansas]

Last Friday, I taught a cop that bicycles ARE allowed on the streets. I was riding beside morning rush traffic. She pulled up and ordered me to get on the sidewalk. I protested and cited the statute about all the rights and duties... and she threatened to call in backup. So I complied.

She left and I stewed for a minute. Then I decided that I had been wronged and that I should get her badge number. Traffic was so thick that catching up to her was easy but she was two lanes out in traffic. She saw me and rolled down her window. I yelled to her that I wanted her badge number and she rolled up her window. So I took the vehicle license plate number instead.

When I got to work, I spent a little time double checking the law and then called the Little Rock Police. I started by asking for help in double checking the law. That was probably good, because they transferred me twice and I ended up talking to the Sargent in charge of the department bicycle patrol.

It was nice to hear a friendly voice. We discussed the incident, and the fact that ONLY police officers may ride their bikes on the sidewalk in Little Rock. He promised to locate the officer and talk with her. She was wrong in ordering me off the street, but more wrong in illegally ordering me onto the sidewalk and refusing to give me her badge number.

About an hour later he called back and he had talked with her. Apparently she only did it for my own good and had typical motorist outlook. But the Sargent laid down the law to her. I also asked him if he wanted to speak in front of the Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas and he accepted.

I wrote up the incident for the BACA forum, and gave the Sargent's number to the leaders so that they could invite him to speak. My posting has gotten much reaction, since it only demonstrated what we suspected. At least one cop got educated. And it may create an opening for better bicyclist/police relations in the future.

[buzzman]

Last Friday, I taught a cop that bicycles ARE allowed on the streets. I was riding beside morning rush traffic. She pulled up and ordered me to get on the sidewalk. I protested and cited the statute about all the rights and duties... and she threatened to call in backup. So I complied.

She left and I stewed for a minute. Then I decided that I had been wronged and that I should get her badge number. Traffic was so thick that catching up to her was easy but she was two lanes out in traffic. She saw me and rolled down her window. I yelled to her that I wanted her badge number and she rolled up her window. So I took the vehicle license plate number instead.

When I got to work, I spent a little time double checking the law and then called the Little Rock Police. I started by asking for help in double checking the law. That was probably good, because they transferred me twice and I ended up talking to the Sargent in charge of the department bicycle patrol.

It was nice to hear a friendly voice. We discussed the incident, and the fact that ONLY police officers may ride their bikes on the sidewalk in Little Rock. He promised to locate the officer and talk with her. She was wrong in ordering me off the street, but more wrong in illegally ordering me onto the sidewalk and refusing to give me her badge number.

About an hour later he called back and he had talked with her. Apparently she only did it for my own good and had typical motorist outlook. But the Sargent laid down the law to her. I also asked him if he wanted to speak in front of the Bicycle Advocacy of Central Arkansas and he accepted.

I wrote up the incident for the BACA forum, and gave the Sargent's number to the leaders so that they could invite him to speak. My posting has gotten much reaction, since it only demonstrated what we suspected. At least one cop got educated. And it may create an opening for better bicyclist/police relations in the future.

Great story! Definitely goes to show how the small actions we take are the foundation for the bigger things we do. Here in Massachusetts we just instituted a police training program designed with help from MassBike to instruct local and state police officers on bicycle rights and responsibilities. I just hope they will be at least as effective at enforcing laws regarding safe cycling with the motorists who buzz us, cut us off, harrass us etc as they are with cyclists who run stop signs and red lights. But at least they'll have no excuse for not knowing our rights.