Bicycle Action Day

[Terpfan]

@Tim Kelley 39892 wrote:

http://www.riderichmond.net/2013/01/bicycling-action-day-01-29/

“More details to follow, including a Facebook event and a comprehensive list of all bicycling-related bills come up in the 2013 General Assembly session. Stay tuned!”

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I would suggest riding to Richmond, but it is the dead of winter. However, one effective tactic I have seen before is when an advocacy group chooses to circle the state house making noise to attract attention to their cause. For instance, when they debated the service tax in Maryland, yard/lawn companies drove around the State House in circles for a few hours. It made the local news and had the attention of every legislator and staffer. They ought to do it for an hour or two (around session) and meet with the legislators in bike gear, it will be remembered that way. My two cents.

[consularrider]

@Terpfan 39898 wrote:

I would suggest riding to Richmond…

A double metric, come on, let’s go! Google Maps Route

[mstone]

@Terpfan 39898 wrote:

I would suggest riding to Richmond, but it is the dead of winter. However, one effective tactic I have seen before is when an advocacy group chooses to circle the state house making noise to attract attention to their cause. For instance, when they debated the service tax in Maryland, yard/lawn companies drove around the State House in circles for a few hours. It made the local news and had the attention of every legislator and staffer. They ought to do it for an hour or two (around session) and meet with the legislators in bike gear, it will be remembered that way. My two cents.

I think if a bunch of people in “bike gear” show up and pressure the down-state legislators, it’ll pretty certainly kill the bill. Success would require advocates who are harder to demonize and easier for the haters to relate to.

[Steve]

@consularrider 39913 wrote:

A double metric, come on, let’s go! Google Maps Route

That’s 136 freezing saddle points….

[DaveK]

@mstone 39919 wrote:

I think if a bunch of people in “bike gear” show up and pressure the down-state legislators, it’ll pretty certainly kill the bill. Success would require advocates who are harder to demonize and easier for the haters to relate to.

+1

It’s easy for them to ignore Lance Spandex. It’s harder to ignore their fellow humans (but somehow they manage it anyway).

[Amalitza]

@mstone 39919 wrote:

I think if a bunch of people in “bike gear” show up and pressure the down-state legislators, it’ll pretty certainly kill the bill. Success would require advocates who are harder to demonize and easier for the haters to relate to.

Sadly, I agree.

[lordofthemark]

I have emailed my delegate and state senator about this, and also delegate Comstock.

[Terpfan]

@mstone 39919 wrote:

I think if a bunch of people in “bike gear” show up and pressure the down-state legislators, it’ll pretty certainly kill the bill. Success would require advocates who are harder to demonize and easier for the haters to relate to.

I see where you’re coming from, but I disagree for two reasons. One, those same legislators are going to work to kill your bill regardless. You peel them away by showing force (in their districts and in the capitol), being memorable (in a good way) and sticking to your proverbial guns. They should be invited to join a ride that day and asked to do a scenic ride in their district with their constituents.

Otherwise you go in there dressed nicely with a few talking points in hand and something to pass out, probably a bicycle pin or maybe a water bottle. For about 10 minutes, they will remember you and the cause and then the next group will walk in passing out a chocolate shaped mountain or university plush toy. Then another group and so on. It’s easy to be forgotten and once you’re forgotten, what’s the point?

Maybe it’s saved for a bigger fight like the transportation package the governor is working on, but if you act like the whole then we can’t expect to be distinguished (I mean I highly doubt there will be bike-funded receptions, PAC contributions, bike-centric candidates, etc).

[Terpfan]

@consularrider 39913 wrote:

A double metric, come on, let’s go! Google Maps Route

If only they met during some warmer time of year. I can just imagine a wind chill of 20 coming from the south-southwest the whole time. However, it would make for great earned media.

[jwetzel]

@Terpfan 39982 wrote:

I see where you’re coming from, but I disagree for two reasons. One, those same legislators are going to work to kill your bill regardless. You peel them away by showing force (in their districts and in the capitol), being memorable (in a good way) and sticking to your proverbial guns. They should be invited to join a ride that day and asked to do a scenic ride in their district with their constituents.

Otherwise you go in there dressed nicely with a few talking points in hand and something to pass out, probably a bicycle pin or maybe a water bottle. For about 10 minutes, they will remember you and the cause and then the next group will walk in passing out a chocolate shaped mountain or university plush toy. Then another group and so on. It’s easy to be forgotten and once you’re forgotten, what’s the point?

Maybe it’s saved for a bigger fight like the transportation package the governor is working on, but if you act like the whole then we can’t expect to be distinguished (I mean I highly doubt there will be bike-funded receptions, PAC contributions, bike-centric candidates, etc).

You probably won’t even get to see the legislator, you will get a staffer, who will assure you that the legislator is concerned about your issue and that he or she will bring your concerns to the legislators attention.

[mstone]

@Terpfan 39982 wrote:

I see where you’re coming from, but I disagree for two reasons. One, those same legislators are going to work to kill your bill regardless. You peel them away by showing force (in their districts and in the capitol), being memorable (in a good way) and sticking to your proverbial guns. They should be invited to join a ride that day and asked to do a scenic ride in their district with their constituents.

Otherwise you go in there dressed nicely with a few talking points in hand and something to pass out, probably a bicycle pin or maybe a water bottle. For about 10 minutes, they will remember you and the cause and then the next group will walk in passing out a chocolate shaped mountain or university plush toy. Then another group and so on. It’s easy to be forgotten and once you’re forgotten, what’s the point?

Maybe it’s saved for a bigger fight like the transportation package the governor is working on, but if you act like the whole then we can’t expect to be distinguished (I mean I highly doubt there will be bike-funded receptions, PAC contributions, bike-centric candidates, etc).

People with bikes, fine. People spandexed up and playing into anti-bike stereotypes, is just not a winning strategy. I think there’s a lot more chance that a message that ordinary people just want to ride ordinary bicycles and not die will go further than putting on a special bike outfit and emphasizing “the other”.

[Terpfan]

@jwetzel 39985 wrote:

You probably won’t even get to see the legislator, you will get a staffer, who will assure you that the legislator is concerned about your issue and that he or she will bring your concerns to the legislators attention.

I should probably preface my comments as I worked in the state legislative community for several years. I don’t miss it at all. And yes, that’s accurate assessment, hence the need for some sort of demonstration outside. It’s a little different depending on the subject matter, committee of jurisdiction, whether you’re from his or her district, etc, but generally, yes.

[Terpfan]

@mstone 39987 wrote:

People with bikes, fine. People spandexed up and playing into anti-bike stereotypes, is just not a winning strategy. I think there’s a lot more chance that a message that ordinary people just want to ride ordinary bicycles and not die will go further than putting on a special bike outfit and emphasizing “the other”.

It’s a fair point about playing away from stereotypes. I think being memorable is important. It’s a short time frame with a lot of interest groups vying for attention.

If the goal is normalizing it then it should be coming from normalized groups together like PTAs, owners of LBSs, county rec directors, etc etc. Otherwise, it’s lost in the sea of commotion.

That and inviting them to ride again in their neighborhoods. If they almost get hit by some car or someone screams some obscenity at them then they’ll naturally gyrate toward common sense legislation.

[lordofthemark]

@mstone 39987 wrote:

People with bikes, fine. People spandexed up and playing into anti-bike stereotypes, is just not a winning strategy. I think there’s a lot more chance that a message that ordinary people just want to ride ordinary bicycles and not die will go further than putting on a special bike outfit and emphasizing “the other”.

I don’t even own any spandex – unfortunately I probably will not be be able to get to Richmond.

[Author]

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