Very Strange Occurance !! Rational advocacy discussion / Brunswick Maine

[-=£em in Pa=-]

Those freaks wouldnt last a minute here !! :p

I just returned from a short vaction on Orr Island right outside
of Brunswick, Maine. On Brunswicks Public Access channel there
was a replay of The Brunswick Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition meeting.
Very intelligent and rational discussions on many issues ranging from safety
stuff, activities designed to get people 'into' riding, like a big Bike Rodeo
event at the park and police give 'tickets', ie; gift certificates to kids with
parents who display proper bike safety to what one advocate considered the
most important item of all....getting literature printed up and distributed everywhere
about cyclists, thier rights and to please give them the room that is rightfully theirs.
Vermont is pretty cyclist friendly but this is the first time I have seen bicycle awareness
at this level and so organized. I was very impressed. I saw cyclists everywhere were
we where and no sidewalks or shoulders on the islands so I suppose people there do
respect them somewhat.
Now I want to move to Maine :)

[nova]

Those freaks wouldnt last a minute here !! :p

I just returned from a short vaction on Orr Island right outside
of Brunswick, Maine. On Brunswicks Public Access channel there
was a replay of The Brunswick Bicycle and Pedestrian Coalition meeting.
Very intelligent and rational discussions on many issues ranging from safety
stuff, activities designed to get people 'into' riding, like a big Bike Rodeo
event at the park and police give 'tickets', ie; gift certificates to kids with
parents who display proper bike safety to what one advocate considered the
most important item of all....getting literature printed up and distributed everywhere
about cyclists, thier rights and to please give them the room that is rightfully theirs.
Vermont is pretty cyclist friendly but this is the first time I have seen bicycle awareness
at this level and so organized. I was very impressed. I saw cyclists everywhere were
we where and no sidewalks or shoulders on the islands so I suppose people there do
respect them somewhat.
Now I want to move to Maine :)


Can we car/truck pool lol

Damn sounds like cyclist heaven there.

[nova]

Ok on a serious note i personaly want to try and get some sort of awareness events going here in my section of ohio. Things like community cook outs aka chili cook offs and other such community events. A way for riders and not riders to get togather. Maybe have various guest speakers. I figure if you can get cyclists and non cyclists in the same place in a non confrentational setting it can only have a positive effect.

Maybe have various antique bikes and bikes like the old schwinn "motorcycles" in a bike show type deal. Cyclist or not seeing stuff like that that has historical meanign is sure to get you noticed.

[ken cummings]

This part of California is like your Maine and does not nave snow :D

[JohnBrooking]

This part of California is like your Maine and does not nave snow :D
You say that like it's a good thing! :)

Understand that Brunswick is one of the more progressive towns in Maine. Per capita, probably even more so than Portland, although Portland is better known since it is bigger (which isn't saying much in Maine), and also has a Bike/Ped Committee (http://www.PortlandBikePed.org/). I don't know if the Bicycle Coalition of Maine (http://www.bikemaine.org/) was involved in that meeting you saw, but they are definitely a helpful presence statewide.

I would recommend to nova and anyone else interested in advocacy to try to find some other advocates to hook up with, either locally or some statewide organization. I'm not a professional or leader, but I've been in enough of it to observe how it works, and I think that one of the key ingredients for success is local contacts and access to volunteers. If you don't have these, it will be helpful to contact someone who does. Even if they aren't interested or don't have the resources to put a lot of time into your effort, many times they will at least be willing to include a blurb in an email to their members or put you in touch with some other people.

[JohnBrooking]

P.S. Glad you had a good time, £em. (Or did you really, if you were spending your time indoors watching public access television?! :D)

[-=£em in Pa=-]

P.S. Glad you had a good time, £em. (Or did you really, if you were spending your time indoors watching public access television?! :D)

:roflmao:

I knew that was coming....a little later than I thought though :p
Really though......late nite replay. We were out a lot. I came home
as red as one of the lobsters outside of our cabin window :eek: !

I :love: Maine !

[Falkon]

When discussing advocacy, remember what VC bicycle Jesus says!

[maddyfish]

This part of Ky. is like northern Ca. and Maine but with no progressives.