PeopleForBikes.org petition/pledge

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Permalink Reply by rik on March 12, 2010 at 11:47am

you are a man of few words.
what is the point?

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 12, 2010 at 12:50pm

Maybe Alan meant to push the "what's the point" question?
Because when I look at that site, "what's the point" is what I keep coming back to.
"People for bikes"-- sounds kind of unhealthy, but then my own journey has been away from interest in bicycles and towards interest in bicycling and getting people to do it, so if it seems like a step backwards it's probably just a personal perception.
The stats are kind of useful, although not well organized. It's a pleasant website and I certainly like it better than visiting an international Hummer enthusiasts' website. My gut feeling looking at it is that there was a meeting, someone said "we need a website", someone else agreed, money was budgeted, and a website went up.
Maybe someone in advocacy can give some background?
To the best of my knowledge the Bikes Belong thing is a new-ish effort that is supported by American bike industry leaders-- I vaguely recall that SRAM and Randy Neufeld have some sort of role in it.


rik said:

you are a man of few words.
what is the point?

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 12, 2010 at 1:14pm

I think it's just a personal perception. My impression is that the heart of this effort is in the right place - encouraging more people to ride and push for better bike facilities. Isn't that what most (if not all) of us want?

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Permalink Reply by Tony Adams on March 12, 2010 at 2:35pm

Anne Alt said:

I think it's just a personal perception. My impression is that the heart of this effort is in the right place - encouraging more people to ride and push for better bike facilities. Isn't that what most (if not all) of us want?

It is certainly (one of the many things) what I want. And there is no contradiction between advocating for better bike facilities and bicycling and getting people to ride. Don't better bike facilities encourage more people to bike?

Getting people on a bike is one thing, but once onboard if they find that they can't easily drink, shop and commute (or whatever), then they may be less likely to keep riding. If they stop riding because it is too much of a PITA, then that is the message passed along to their whole circle of family, friends and acquaintances - that biking is a PITA.

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Permalink Reply by Anne Alt on March 12, 2010 at 5:05pm

I absolutely agree. If it's hard for people to get around on bikes and hard to find good places to park them, then the percentage of trips taken by bike *won't* grow. Broadening support for better bike infrastructure is likely to take us in the right direction faster.

Tony Adams said:

Anne Alt said:

I think it's just a personal perception. My impression is that the heart of this effort is in the right place - encouraging more people to ride and push for better bike facilities. Isn't that what most (if not all) of us want?

It is certainly (one of the many things) what I want. And there is no contradiction between advocating for better bike facilities and bicycling and getting people to ride. Don't better bike facilities encourage more people to bike?

Getting people on a bike is one thing, but once onboard if they find that they can't easily drink, shop and commute (or whatever), then they may be less likely to keep riding. If they stop riding because it is too much of a PITA, then that is the message passed along to their whole circle of family, friends and acquaintances - that biking is a PITA.

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Permalink Reply by h' Zerocats on March 12, 2010 at 5:41pm

This discussion has taken on the same nebulousness as the "People for Bikes" website.
Coincidence, or subtle genious?

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