Advocacy & Safety - How many people have you inspired to take up cycling?

How many people have you inspired to take up cycling?

By inspired I mean: talked to them about cycling, buying bikes, riding in traffic, fixing bikes, etc., such that they either began cycling or got a lot more serious about cycling because of your involvement.

Ooops... thought the question was "How many people inspired you to cycle." Easy on that... my dad owns a bike shop and has owned it for almost 30 years. But, now I work in a bike shop and have no idea if I've inspired someone.... hopefully I have, that would be super sweet. I love going into work and KNOWING I'm going into work and B.S. about bikes all day... love it.

At last count, my Scout cycling program has taken 67 people on a total of 6359 man-miles.

However, not too many decide on cycling as their new pastime. At lease they get exposed to it.

This weekend we take the Metrolink out 18 miles and ride back!

In recent memory, only 4. But I have also kept folks cycling that had pretty much put their bikes away.

I visit, lay on the guilt, and they break the bikes out and we go for a few short rides. They report later that they have done a few more rides... but I suspect that after that, and until my next visit, the bike goes back into the garage.

Thousands.

Why the poll, armchair rider?

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.
+1. I'm just their talking reference manual. :D

good point, chip. Okay, I talk to thousands of people about biking, safe lights, taking the lane, etc. but these people are certainly not raw silk waiting to be made into cycling clothes, they're already considering it or there in some way.

I've certainly pimped out hundreds of Superflashes to riders here in the Northwest; the Superflash is approaching critical mass- riders are coming in looking for the blink-blink-BLINK light........ and buying in droves. Helping to make cyclists safer, one blinky at a time!

I wonder why the resident A&S neophyte traffic cyclist has started this poll?

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.

I wouldn't be either, unless I saw it happen. Twice. Now I am that arrogant.

I wouldn't be either, unless I saw it happen. Twice. Now I am that arrogant.

Ifin ya can walk the walk....:beer:

you arrogant so and so's......

Thousands.

Why the poll, armchair rider?
It's 1:1 advocacy. Inspiring family members, friends and colleagues to take up the activity regularly. Just curious how much of it is going on with forum members.

The polls fine. SOme might feel better with the word encouraged. I sort of feel I encouraged one rider. He had previously taken up cycling. But, after he had a couple years pause, I invited him to join our group. After one ride he was hooked. Bought a new Giant couple weeks later.

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.
It's not necessarily something that they didn't already want to do.
But it might be something they've always thought about, but never got around to trying.
I mean, if you don't have a bike, or if your bike is really old, taking up cycling, particularly as a sport, presents a significant effort for most people. You not only have to buy a new bike (which involves picking a bike from a myriad of choices), or get an old bike in good running order, but you have to learn the gears, about clip pedals, buy all the accessories (pedals, shoes, helmet, pump, tool/patch kit, tube, clothing, etc.). Having a family member, friend or colleague who will help you can make it less daunting, and make the difference between doing it, or not doing it.

I suspect that almost every BF member has someone, maybe several people, in his or her social circle, for whom the difference between getting into bicyling or not, or getting into it more seriously, can be made by inspiration from the BF member.

I'm not talking about picking someone who has shown no interest and trying to coax him or her into it. I'm talking about making yourself "known" as a bicyclist in your social circle, and talking a little bit about it when the opportunities present themselves.


At a party mention the great bike ride you went on that day.
Complemented on your physique? Mention the biking you do regularly.
Hear someone complaining about traffic and congestion? Bring up how you deal with it - by biking to work.
If someone mentions something about how dangerous it is to ride a bike out there with all those inattentive drivers, explain how and why it can be safe.


Stuff like that. Eventually, someone is likely to ask follow-up questions. Be inspiring in your answers. Next thing you know they might be asking you to help them shop for a new bike...

That's what I mean, and I've seen it happen for me three times now. Does that make me arrogant too?

Jeez, this is an advocacy forum, is it not? I can't believe you give me grief for even a pure advocacy thread like this one.

The polls fine. SOme might feel better with the word encouraged. I sort of feel I encouraged one rider. He had previously taken up cycling. But, after he had a couple years pause, I invited him to join our group. After one ride he was hooked. Bought a new Giant couple weeks later.
That's what I'm talking about.

Yes, encouraging others to take up cycling, successfully, counts too, but that's different (though no less valuable) from inspiring. Often they go together.

I got my girlfriend to start cyclocommuting, but that doesn't count because she lives just off campus and doesn't have a car. I got her familiarized with the particulars, though.

I also managed to get one of her friends interested. She should be starting really soon, in fact.

Alone in the dark I like to give myself credit for 20+. But in reality, I give the credit to the fight to end the devastating effects of Multiple Sclerosis.

I think the vairous "rides for a cause" do more to attract people to cycling than any other single thing.

IMHO: It has bigger effect than the Lance effect, advertising, peer to peer encouragement, or any other single thing.

Scot

I figure that I chased away thousands with my ugly appearance. :eek:

However, my wife probably bought an equal number back ... :love:

I got my girlfriend to start cyclocommuting, but that doesn't count because she lives just off campus and doesn't have a car. I got her familiarized with the particulars, though.

I also managed to get one of her friends interested. She should be starting really soon, in fact.
Good examples. Inspiring, in fact.

Jeez, this is an advocacy forum, is it not? I can't believe you give me grief for even a pure advocacy thread like this one.

Down boy...I didn't mean that to sound like I thought you were arrogant. (Ok maybe I do, but not from this thread :p) I mean't that I don't feel that I am arrogant enough to make such a claim, I just don't give myself that much credit when it comes to inspiring or influencing other people. Capice?

The wife and I (arrogantly) inspire one another.

The wife and I (arrogantly) inspire one another.

Sounds sexy ;).

my twin brother and my son, both my riding partners.

It's really hard to say. I've read many posts over the years in the Commuting forum in which people report that it was the people on Bikeforums (Commuting subforum, in particular) that inspired them to ride. But who can claim credit for that, individually, I don't know. Yet it does show that one's fervent love of cycling can be very infectious.

I always encourage people to ride if I can. But I've learned over the years that people are more inspired by example than they are talking. Sometimes talking about riding can make people feel uncomfortable (or bored out of their skulls.) :D

In particular, I can think of one person here at work in his mid 50's. When I met him, he was a bit overweight. Talking, I found out he used to do triathalons, but a nerve condition in his thigh made it painful. One day when I bumped into him again, his head was shaved and he was as thin as a rail. He was back into amateur competition. I sometimes wonder if my riding helped give him one more reason to go back.

I'll put my vote in for these folks:
http://www.cnn.com/video/player/player.html?url=/video/us/2007/02/06/papanikolas.dead.couple.memorial.affl

Good examples. Inspiring, in fact.

Quite inspiring. See, the street that my girlfriend's friend will be riding down is a two-lane road. Well, it's really four lanes. The outside two lanes, which are actually wider than the inner lanes, are designated bike lanes. Signs are posted all along the road which read "No motorized vehicles in bike lane" and at the lights which read "Motorized vehicles cannot cross double white lines."

I love these magnificent facilities. In fact, I've seen a couple SUV drivers (not yet seen any car drivers do this) drive in the bike lane...and get held up by irritated cyclists.

How many people have you inspired to take up cycling?

By inspired I mean: talked to them about cycling, buying bikes, riding in traffic, fixing bikes, etc., such that they either began cycling or got a lot more serious about cycling because of your involvement.

Although I really know that I've inspired between 6-8 people who are seriously involved in bicycling,
in my social circle, there are numerous others outside it who are in some way as well.

The latest person was my apartment manager. After learning of my bicycling experiences while contending with the various disabilities I live with, she was rather impressed. As time went on, she received a bicycle for Christmas and has recently asked me how she could obtain information so that she will be able to participate in the Trek Across Maine this year!


IF YOU DON'T DO IT, YOU WON'T DO IT

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.


Oh come on, you are definitely arrogant enough. Don't short change yourself.

I think I inspired my boyfriend, but it didn't stick. His job just requires too much of him to have a life outside the weekend, and even then the weekend isn't all his either.

If I personally inspired anybody else I have no idea. Many unnamed people have inspired me to do things. Many others with names have too, but I never told them it was them that inspired me. Then there are probably some people who feel inspired to keep cycling because they know they've got me to talk about it with. You never know.

Otherwise, my financial contribution to the Bicycle Coalition hopefully helps keep cycling attractive and inspiring to others even if it's not me personally doing the inspiring.

Oh come on, you are definitely arrogant enough. Don't short change yourself.

Don't confuse being a big-mouthed, opinionated jack donkey with being arrogant. ;)

Don't confuse being a big-mouthed, opinionated jack donkey with being arrogant. ;)


You forgot to add how you get away with everything you moderator's pet. ;)

If every cyclist inspired just one more person to become a cyclist in the next 6 months, the number of cyclists would double in that time period.

If every cyclist inspired just one more person to become a cyclist in the following 6 months, the number of cyclists would quadruple in one year.

Do that two years in a row and you have sixteen times as many cyclists as you had when you started.

For two years, inspire one cyclist every 6 months, each of whom will inspire one more cyclist every 6 months, ...

That's all it takes to increase the number of cyclists by a factor of 16!

So one million cyclists would become sixteen million cyclists. Now, that would be advocacy success!

Other advocacy programs measure success in terms of increasing ridership by 5 or 10%, at most.

1:1 advocacy.... get on it, today.

My heart attack at 43 "inspired" a buddy to buy a bike and an trainer. Not that he uses it but he does now own one.

My heart attack at 43 "inspired" a buddy to buy a bike and an trainer. Not that he uses it but he does now own one.
Nice try, but I don't think we can count that one! ;)

If every cyclist inspired just one more person to become a cyclist in the next 6 months, the number of cyclists would double in that time period. soooo, that's working pretty well in San Diego, eh, mr. armchair rider? Right....

any more bright and spunky textbook ideas, mr head?

What no negative numbers? I am trying my best to uninspire as many as I can, but no one is giving me any credit. :(

I Guess my feelings about 'inspiring' other potential cyclists, being that we are out there almost daily; we are sort of a colorful roving advertisement. At various age levels we look fit and happy. They see us in the outdoor bistros during our breaks, having deserved our beers and talking of today's achievement. We all look happy in our accomplishments. That might be enough for much of the population. Of course, hope they don't see our expressions of pain on some of the climbs around here.

OK, slightly OT, but I expected the histogram to have two peaks...one around 3, for the majority of riders that inspire a few close friends and family, and one at 20+, for the zealots such as myself.

If every cyclist inspired just one more person to become a cyclist in the next 6 months, the number of cyclists would double in that time period.

If every cyclist inspired just one more person to become a cyclist in the following 6 months, the number of cyclists would quadruple in one year.

Do that two years in a row and you have sixteen times as many cyclists as you had when you started.

For two years, inspire one cyclist every 6 months, each of whom will inspire one more cyclist every 6 months, ...

That's all it takes to increase the number of cyclists by a factor of 16!

So one million cyclists would become sixteen million cyclists. Now, that would be advocacy success!

Other advocacy programs measure success in terms of increasing ridership by 5 or 10%, at most.

1:1 advocacy.... get on it, today.


Sounds like you are trying to creates some very annoying bike traffic jams on the MUPs.

I'm not arrogant enough to think that simply providing information and/or instruction has inspired anyone to do something that they didn't already want to do in the first place.
This is true. However, I think it is the example people provide that probably makes the real difference. Everyone wants to do the right thing, but they need to get excited enough before they start. Sometimes watching the right person helps.

Over the years, I've had several people come up to me and literally use the exact words "you inspired me." Sometimes if they see you do something, they figure they can do 10% of that.

An incident like this occurred with me most recently only a few weeks ago. I saw a cyclist on the highway (only the second one I've seen this winter, though I'm starting to see a few in town). I caught up with him and as I passed, he asked "hey, are you that guy I see every day?"

I rode with him a few miles. Military guy about 10 years younger than me. He told that the reason he was out there was because he'd been watching me and thought that if I can be out there in everything, he can ride a shorter (though actually quite respectable) distance when the weather isn't horrible. I have also have had strangers approach me in the store and ask if I am that guy they see on the roads.

I ride for myself only, but we all try to emulate people we admire. My own cycling inspiration is 93 years old now. He went blind when he was about 60, and in one of the more unusual jobs I had, I rode the front of a tandem with him when he was in his upper 60's. When he hired me, I thought I was tough, but he opened my eyes to what cycling really is. He rode on the roads until he was severely injured a terrible crash two years ago. We still keep track of each other and I think of him often. My cycling goal is to be as good as him in 20 years.

Oh, I just remembered a guy in IT who bought a Strida folding bike (from a Candadian used, I don't think they sell in the US anymore.) It has a drivebelt instead of a chain, and a very unique folding geometry.

I think he only rides about a mile or so on the sidewalk, but if you live so close to work, it beats walkin'. (He said, "I'd rather be cold for 5 minutes than cold for 10.")

I'm not arrogant enough...

:rolleyes: yeah, whatever (http://www.vandruff.com/art_converse.html).... I guess that makes those who claim otherwise 'arrogant.'

I've had a small handful of co-workers tell me that I inspired/motivated them to commute by bike, including my previous manager. I don't lecture or bombast or anything, I just bike to work and have an open invitation that I'll ride along with anybody and help them with route finding.

RFM

Im gonna have to go with zero.....