[SDCBC] Has the SDCBC ever done outrieach at college transportation offic...

[JonIsaacs at aol.com]

In a message dated 2/12/07 4:05:52 AM Pacific Standard Time, 
rob_leone at earthlink.net writes:

> Dear All:
>   Hi! Has the SDCBC ever done outreach throught either college bike shops 
> or college transportation and parking offices? Not that college 
> freshpeople ever learn anything from classes....
> 
> Robert Leone
-----
Hi Robert et. al.

There is an effort at UCSD through the Pedal Club to provide training and 
access to RIde for Life Classes.  So far it is still in the planning stages but 
it is going to happen.  This is primarily the result of efforts by Brain Parent 
at the monthly Pedal Club meetings.  These meetings consist of just a few 
people, myself, Brian, the two campus bicycle officers, a person from campus 
planning and the cycling advocate from the campus RideShare office.

It has been interesting to watch Brian at work.  When the Pedal club was 
revived last year after several years of inactivity, there was refusal by the 
campus community to accept that efforts towards education and training were worth 
persuing.   More bike paths, more bike lanes, keep bikes separate was the 
push.  Kathy some of the first meetings, I am sure she remembers...

But slowly there has been a shift and now everyone seems in full agreement 
the importance of training and classes.  Brian has carefully taken every 
opportunity to educate this group so that now they see the importance and usefulness 
of education.

At the last meeting, adding bike lanes to Gilman was discussed and Brian 
pointed out that Sharrows would be more effective and that Bike Lanes were 
actually a poor choice for the area because the speed limit is 25mph and there 
several right turns that would invite right hooking.  The point person for the Bike 
Lanes was glad to hear Brian because the bike lanes would require removal of 
trees and about $650,000.   The tree is was the biggie.. 

Another advance is that in order to be a member of the Pedal Club and get 
your 10days a quarter Free Parking Pass, you will have to pass a simple test.  
This test will hopefully actually teach the basic concepts of safe cycling.  
This test serves two purposes, it helps eliminate non-cyclists from securing a 
Free Parking Pass and it provides some education.  There now monthly Pedal CLub 
breakfasts on Campus where cyclists can eat some free food, stand around and 
talk, and learn a bit about RIde for Life and the training available.  As 
always, I see Brian there.

And too, the two officers are now spending a good deal of time stopping 
cyclists who run stops signs or speed in pedestian areas and warning them, maybe 
even ticketing them.  

Bottom line:  Brian has been subtle but effective in shifting this group's 
attitude so that they see the many advantages that education offers.  I think he 
has done by showing that as a tool to resolve individual issues, education is 
the most effective and most economical.

It is happening at UCSD and it is going to HAPPEN in a much bigger way quite 
soon.

Best to all, have a good ride this morning

Jon 
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://www.bikesandiego.org/pipermail/sdcbc/attachments/20070212/5206ff2e/attachment.html