september 2010 advocate newsletter, bicycle alliance of washington

8/8/2019 SEPTEMBER 2010 Advocate Newsletter, Bicycle Alliance of Washington

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The Bicycle AlliAnceAdvocATesfor BicyclisTsAndA Bicycle-friendlyWAshingTon

The

AdvocateSEPTEMBER 2010

Bicycle AlliAnce expAnds Bike

sAfety educAtion stAtewide

Thirty-five school districtsacross the state will nowbenefit from the BicycleAlliance of Washingtonshighly successful pilot bikeeducation program, which

was introduced during the2008-09 school year.

That original $76,000 granthas resulted in two new grantsbeing awarded to the BicycleAlliance that total nearly$500,000! This is a wonderfulinvestment towards bikesafety education for studentsacross Washington.

The Bicycle Alliance is proudto be one of 59 recipients of

a Seattle King County PublicHealth: Communities PuttingPrevention to Work grant. This grant will take the bike safety educationprogram (Basics of Bicycling) to the Auburn, Highline, Kent, Renton,Seattle, and Tukwila school districts. Trailers and bikes will be purchasedfor the districts to share, so all the students have a bicycle to use duringclass. In addition, Feet First will teach pedestrian safety.

The Non-Prot Assistance Center will help with community organizingand language translations. While we have worked with several schoolsin these districts, it will be the Bike Alliances rst time working withmany of these districts.

We also received a grant from the Ofce of Superintendent of PublicInstruction (OSPI) to train teachers in 29 school districts around the statein the Basics of Bicycling, thanks to a Washington State Departmentof Transportations Safe Routes to School Program grant. Schools thathave received safe routes to school grants from WSDOT will be invitedto apply for the training.

I am absolutely thrilled, exclaimed Barbara Culp, Executive Directorof the Bicycle Alliance. These two awards are the result of years ofknocking on the doors of policy makers and legislators to talk aboutthe obesity epidemic and the importance of active transportation. Theseawards validate that work, and will impact the lives of thousands ofchildren and adults!

Board adopts 2011

LegisLative pr iorit ies

The Bicycle Alliance Board adopted its 2011legislative priorities at its August meeting.Recommended by our legislative committee,with representatives from around the state,the priorities include:

Traffic safety educationrequire driving

schools to teach the Department of Licensingsapproved curriculum for safe driving aroundcyclists and pedestrians.

Mutual courtesy and safe passingclarify thelaws that dene safe and courteous behaviorfor cyclists and motorists, including legislationgoverning how much space motorists shouldgive cyclists when passing.

Complete streetscreate a grant program forcommunities that adopt a complete streetspolicy to ensure that their streets are designedand built to accommodate cycling and walking.

Lower speed limitsGive communities broaderauthority to lower speed limits to 20 miles anhour in neighborhoods with high pedestrianand bicycle trafc. Studies have shown thatlower speed limits sharply reduce the rate ofinjuries and deaths.

LiabilityImpose reasonable limits on theliability of communities that sign bicycleroutes or produce bike maps. Currently, somecommunities do not mark or map routesbecause they fear they will be found liable forinjuries suffered by cyclists who use the routes.

The Bicycle Alliance will also support legislationto better protect vulnerable road users suchas cyclists and pedestrians, require the StateDepartment of Transportation to assess theexternal costs of driving when assessing thecosts and benets of its projects, and provideadequate transportation funding for cyclingand walking in general.

Visit our Legislation page at bicyclealliance.orgfor more background and updates.

Students learn to stop at an intersection.


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The Advocate (2) September 2010

news from around the state

On the weekend of July 31, our Outreach Corps members did an extraordinary job:They made it possible for the Bicycle Alliance to have a presence at three separateeventsthe Great Peninsula Future Festival, Tour de Fat, and South Sound VelosIndividual Time Trial Championshipover two days. Along the way, the Corpssucceeded in educating over 500 people about the Bicycle Alliances efforts, gatheringover 200 new contacts, and giving away a free messenger bag and Share the Roadjersey to a couple of lucky winners.

These exceptional volunteers spent a combined total of over 45 hours representingthe Bicycle Alliance to everybody from beach cruiser-riders to hard-core bike racersto even the occasional motorist. A special thank you to Barb Wilkie and John

Whitlow for their above-and-beyond contributions, and to all the other volunteerswho staffed a table for us that weekend. Thank you may sound inadequate, butIll say it anyway, on behalf of the entire Bicycle Alliance staff and membership.

For those of you interested in spending your time making a difference, considerapplying for the Bicycle Alliances Outreach Corps. This is a group of people who lovetalking to others about bicycling, who nd initiating conversations with strangersstimulating, and who are willing to learn how to serve as a good representative forthe Bicycle Alliance. Contact me, Katie Ferguson, at [email protected] torequest an application and schedule an interview. Im excited for the change thatwe can make together.

Heels on Wheels bike with styleIf women in Georgia can do it, so can women in Seattle,Vancouver, and all over Washington State. Women onbicycles are coming together to turn heads and enjoy dinnerout on the town, giving a more approachable face to whatit means to ride a bike. Special bike gear is not required or

even encouraged, but a friendly attitude and a willingnessto pedal in "going out to dinner" clothes is. The goal is toshow that riding a bike can be an extension of everydaylife and not just an athletic sideshow.

Sparked by a "Heels on Wheels" ride in Atlanta, Seattlecyclist Kat Marriner joined with Barbara Culp, Juliette Delfand Rebecca Staffel to start a monthly meet-up invitingwomen friends who were willing to shed the "I am a cyclist"look for a more urban chic night on the town. The guestlist expanded to encourage women who rarely ride beyondtheir neighborhood to pedal to restaurants downtown and

different neighborhood centers.

Vancouver-based mother, business owner and cyclist LeahJackson organized Heels on Wheels in her community. Theirrst meet-up was held in August and there are plans to dothis monthly.

Read more about the Seattle Heels on Wheels at www.yellowtentadventures.com/heels-on-wheels . Then inviteyour friends to join you pedaling to a night out on thetown. Check the events section of bikeportland.org or theBike Me! Vancouver Facebook page for the Vancouver Heelson Wheels announcements.

Outreach Corps SuccessBy Katie Ferguson

Actual heels are not requiredbut a willingness to shed

the "I am a cyclist" look is.


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The Bicycle Alliance of Washington(3)

YES! Iwouldliketobecomeamemberof

theBicycleAllianceofWashington

Name

Address

City, State, Zip

Phone

E-mail

Please charge my:

American Express Visa MasterCard

Card # Expires

Signature

My check is enclosed

My gift will be matched by my employer:

Employer form included.

$35 Individual

$60 Family

$100 Patron

$250 Sustaining

$500 Life $15 Student/Senior or Living Lightly

Your preferred amount $

$150 Afliate (clubs, businesses, organizations)

I am already a member this is a renewal.

I am interested in monthly giving.

I would like to volunteer.

I would like to receive e-mail alerts.

I would like information on commuting by bicycle.

Send checks payable to:

Bicycle Alliance of Washington

309A Third Ave S

Seattle, WA 98104

Thank you! The BicycleAlliance of Washington isa 501(c)(3) organization.Your donation is 100% tax-deductible.

The Bicycle Alliance occasionally

exchanges its mailing list with

organizations involved in similar

issues. If you DO NOT want to

have your name exchanged,

please check here.

Sharethe roadlicenSeplateSavailableatanyvehiclelicenSingofficeorgetamail-inapplicationat bicyclealliance.org

September 2010

Bicycle AlliAnce strAtegic

plAnning effort underwAy

If you dont care where youre going, then any path

will take you there. But if you want to reach a goal,then youd better have both a destination in mind and

a map to guide you.

Organizations are like people: they cant reach a goalunless they know what they want and how to achieve it.Last spring, with this in mind, the Bicycle Alliance Board ofDirectors began a strategic planning process to rene ourgoals and sharpen our focus as an advocacy and educationorganization during the next several years.

The strategic planning process, which is being facilitated byJeremy Grandstaff of the Washington, D.C.-based Alliancefor Biking and Walking (formerly the Thunderhead Alliance),

began with a full-day retreat last spring, at which boardmembers discussed issues facing the Bike Alliance andshared their goals for the organization. These goals includedraising our prole, improving our marketing, clarifying ourmission, increasing our membership, and broadening ourconstituency.

This fall, a Board committee will draft a proposed strategicplan to accomplish the goals discussed at the retreat. Earlynext year, the Board and other interested people will meetagain to rene and adopt the plan.

Look for updates on the strategic planning process on theBicycle Alliance website, bicyclealliance.org

Jeremy Vrablik (L), celebrates another successful auction

with other volunteers.

J o i n M e aT T h e

1 8 T h a n n u a L a u C T i o n !By Jeremy Vrablik

Fall is here. Or is it? Who can tell the way this year has gone?One thing is for sure thoughthe Bicycle Alliances annualauction is coming up next month, and it will be an excitingand fun-lled evening.

My name is Jeremy and Im a co-chair for this years auction.If youve attended past auctions, you may have seen meriding the conference bike around the fountain at break-neck speeds, standing guard over some of the most amazingdesserts ever made, accidentally bidding on a sh shapedsoap box derby ride thinking I was buying a big sh, or justhaving a great time. I hope youll join me for this yearsevent! (Continued on page 4. See box for details)


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The Advocate (4) September 2010

October 23, 2010, 5:30-9:30 PM

Seattle Center Fisher Pavilion

Tickets: $75 each or $750 for a table of 10

Be proactive!$70/$700 if purchased by September 30.

Use the online ticket form, mail in,or call Donna Govro at 206.224.9252 x300.

Make a donation to the auction using our onlinedonation form at bicyclealliance.org/auctionor call

Louise McGrody at 206.224.9252 x303.

Thanks to our Sponsors!

Non-PofOgUSPosag

PAIDSal,WAPmNo.4826

AddreSSServicereqUeSted

StayConnectedWithUs!

Facebook:www.facebook.com/bicyclealliance

Readourblog:http://bicyclealliance.blogspot.com

SignupforourE-Newsletter:[email protected]

309A3RDAvenueS

Seattle,WA98104

BicycleAlliance.org

Continued from page 3

The auction is a great chance to come out and show yourappreciation for the Bicycle Alliance. We are all unitedunder the banner of bicycle rights, and the fundraisingthat happens at the auction is key to maintaining our workthroughout the year. Its also a great place to meet up

with like-minded people and share ideas. And the auctionitems are great too! They range from unique getawaysand experiences to event entries and outdoor gearandif youre lucky, a sh-shaped bike.

The event features a few other things to make it a specialevening. The wine grab bag is back by popular demand.

Now raise your hand if you love beer. Ok, now that everyonehas their hands up, well add a beer grab bag also. Andafter youve had your dinner, wine, and beer, youll needdessert. Thats where the dessert dash comes in. Trust me,the desserts will be worth dashing for, even in bike shoes.

I look forward to seeing you there and to sharing a pinttogether, to toast the night and the seeds of change thatare being sown for the benet of all Washington bicyclists!

Joinusforour 18th

AnnuAlAuction!

Sowing the SeedsStatewide

GRAPHIC DESIGN

september 2010 advocate newsletter, bicycle alliance of washington

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