Sunday, December 19, 2010

How to talk about bicycling to a conservative

Given the party makeup of our new County Council and the U.S. House of Representatives, I think everyone should go read this eminently sensible post.

I've never had a hard time working with a Council made up primarily of Republicans. Heck, they even know I'm a Donk...

How to Talk About Cycling to a Conservative

by Tom Bowden

Tom Bowden is a bike commuter from Richmond VA, a “suit – a corporate lawyer with an MBA, and a conservative.

A lot of the pushback cycling gets is less about cycling than about some of the ways that the cycling advocacy community has positioned itself on issues not tightly wound around cycling. Surely there are some in Congress who firmly believe bicycles are toys and are therefore hostile to us asserting that we are legitimate transportation. But I suspect plenty of the new crowd can be reached with Tom Bowden's approach.

Some comments on this issue that I left at the LAB blog.
As I recall, we had a Republican majority on our County Council when it passed the 2005 bike plan and when we passed our "complete streets" style ordinance this year. It can be done.

The Gipper and friend on a tandem

1 comment:

Steve A said...: Considering that LAB has only EVER singled out Republicans as "Trash Talk" victims, are they attempting to persuade the incoming congress using the same technique my youngest daughter once tried when I wouldn't buy her a game she wanted - by calling me a "poo poo head?" She never did get that game but we still suggest occasionally that maybe we'll cave in if she repeats the poo poo head technique.

Perhaps your blog should be required reading for the LAB Board!; December 19, 2010 at 2:37 PM