mattotoole

Bike commuting has been featured a lot in the mainstream media lately but we know it's on everyone's radar when it hits the Today Show:

https://www.vabike.org/today-show-bik...th-gas-prices/

Now that we have everyone's ear, the time is ripe for bike advocates to deliver our message. Let’s get busy, whether we're working nationally, statewide, locally, or person to person.

randya

and what message would that be?

mattotoole

We all have our own issues to address, programs to promote, and various things to work on. What advocacy projects are you involved in?

randya

trying to keep unsafe and experimental bike lanes from being built, repealing mandatory bike lane use statutes. Otherwise I'm retired from active advocacy, and just riding my bike.

BlueDevil

And try to keep from having reports like the one on CNN.com right now, which depicts a guy bike-commuting with no helmet, while listening to an iPod. Watching it I kept thinking, "Is this guy trying to get himself killed?"

genec

Cyclists have the same rights to the road as motorists! Should be the number one message.

Sub message: motorists don't own the road.

That's it... it is that simple.

st0ut

my message is stop calling your self a patriot because you drive a hummer and call me a tree hugger cause i ride a bike. which of us is funding the bad guys?

LittleBigMan

Don't forget the industries that are actively discouraging bicycling, such as the auto insurance industry. One recent ad shows some poor guy wearing his tie and sport coat parking his bike, whining about why he can't drive, wearing black socks and RED cycling shorts.

To make matters worse, a female coworker walks by and says something like, "Nice shorts, Broderick."



The good news is that ads like these only show that some are afraid of the trend towards bicycling.

Bikepacker67

Do the safety nannies EVER miss an opportunity to preach?

adamtki

That lady says she saves at least $200/month. On gas alone, if you use 20 cents per mile (20 mpg at $4/gal), that means she bikes 1000 miles a month. Add 30 cents for wear and tear, that's 50 cents per mile which comes out to 400 miles a month. I would bet the majority of us on this forum don't bike that much in a month. there's probably a little exaggeration there, but I guess that's good to get others into bike commuting.

[added later] It's probably from the parking fees!

Bikepacker67

And insurance.

ATAC49er

At present, I don't ride that much, but I did, just in commuting, for about 6 years; and, if things work out over the next couple weeks with the job, I'll be back to it again!

I'm not consulting anyone's list here for what I'd like to see in a cycling utopia....

1. Wide outside lanes.
2. Traffic lights that bikes activate (none where I live).
3. The commuter tax credit.
4. Road rage classed as a hate crime.
5. Enforcement of the present bike/car traffic laws (3' gap in passing, etc.), coupled with education starting with DRIVER'S ED!! Every written test, every time, has at least 10% of the questions about bike interaction on the road.
6. Media PSA's about bike safety.
7. Bike theft carries the same penalties as GTA.
8. "Share The Road" signs on every speed limit signpost. Ditto for stop & yield.
9. Hi-viz gear required (& reasonably priced & universally available) for cyclists. That way, no more "I didn't see the bike!" excuses!
10. Secure racks all over the frickin' place.

Right now, with oatmeal for a brain at this hour, I can't think of more....

Bikepacker67

11. Strict enforcement of speed limits and permanent license revocation for repeat offenders.

ATAC49er

11a: add disruptive lasik eye surgery for people who drive on revoked licenses.

Bikepacker67

Ohh 4ck it.
While were being Old Testament, let's just go for all out eyeball gouging.

Afterall. disruptive lasik surgery can't be much different that what blitzed DUI'ers experience.

Let's make the jackholes pilot a white cane!

Blue Order

I wear hi-viz, and I've still been right hooked.

On my list, I'd change this to: Driver is presumed negligent and held liable in a car-on-bike collision, and "I didn't see the bike" is no longer a defense, unless the driver can rebut that presumption of liability with evidence that the cyclist was negligent (in the case of "I didn't see the cyclist," by showing that the cyclist was not using lights at night), and that negligence contributed to the collision.

StrangeWill

^This.

randya

when hi-viz clothing and helmets are required, that's when I stop riding. I've got plenty of reflective material, but it's all limited to the bike itself. and a mirror is a more essential piece of equipment than a helmet, IMO.

donnamb 

Every time you fill your gas tank, a terrorist smiles.

bmclaughlin807

I got another good comment today about being smart and riding a bike... I was at Lowes picking up some tomato plants, standing at the register and loading them into my grocery panniers...

I love the looks.

invisiblehand

In many ways I agree.

I think that a lot of our international decisions are "driven" by our dependence on crude oil as an energy source. I won't bother talking about inside the beltway rumours regarding Cheney's plans for Iraq, but -- IMO -- we could be much more objective and honest to our values if our personal interests were not at stake.

Uh oh ... is this in the wrong forum?

caloso

Fees in the parking structure attached to my building are $200 per month.

San Rensho 

250 mile weeks? I don't think so. Most cat 1/2/3 racers don't put in that many miles a week.

caloso

The thing about parking fees is that, as much as people ***** about $4 gas, I've never heard a peep about parking fees. Which amount to the equivalent of renting a little apartment for your car to sleep in for 8-10 hours a day.

randya

many employers offer free parking to their employees

that's a fringe benefit cyclists don't receive