Strength in Numbers: Join Our Bicycle Advocacy Committee

By Gary J. Boulanger

July 2001 Spoke `N' Link (DCC newsletter)

Recently, a friend told me she isn’t a bicyclist because she only rode her bike a few times a week in the neighborhood with her kids. In her mind, one isn’t a bicyclist unless they’re putting in mega-miles training and racing, or long-distance touring. 

Not so! In my opinion, anyone who throws a leg over a bike seat is a bicyclist, no matter how far or how fast they ride.

It’s for this very reason all Miami Valley bicyclists, regardless of their bicycle riding experience, need to become advocates for our endeavor. Safer streets, clean and connected bike trails and facilities, and an educated community take effort, time and money. There’s strength in numbers, and your voice can be heard.

Bike Miami Valley is forming a Citizen’s Advocacy Committee, and we need your help. We’re looking for men and women to represent the good cause of bicycling at city and county council meetings, which typically gather once a month. This is where opportunities to speak up for bicycles are greatest, and where seeds of hope are planted with policy makers. When the topic of safer streets, allocated monies for recreation and/or transportation projects, or additional “quality of life” projects pop up, we need bicyclists to be present.

My goal is to have every village, city, and county represented by at least two or three bicyclists. Each member of the Bike Miami Valley Citizen’s Advocacy Committee will provide status reports to this office, and we’ll follow up with the proper administration. Your presence and participation is paramount; the forward momentum and future of bicycling in the Miami Valley depends on it.

I think it’s awesome that we have 125 miles of bike trails, bike racks on our RTA buses, and stellar organizations like Dayton Cycling Club, the Ohio Bicycle Federation, and Bike Miami Valley. No one can take any of this away from us, but it’s up to us as bicyclists to continue pushing and working toward a Miami Valley where everyone is tuned in to the benefits of bicycling as recreation, transportation, and exercise.

If you believe strongly in standing up for what you believe, have a deep passion for bicycling, and want to contribute to an effort that enhances the lives of thousands, let me know right away. The socio-economic ramifications of our efforts today aren’t always readily apparent, but future rewards are endless.

Contact me by calling 937-463-2707 or e-mailing bikevangelist@hotmail.com today. As a current or prospective Dayton Cycling Club member, you’re the best foot soldier for the task at hand.

© Copyright 2001 Dayton Cycling Club