Wednesday, November 19, 2014

Trails community lends little support for on-road advocacy

Rachel Anderson promotes a brand new off-road connection in Pike Creek, between Paper Mill Park and neighboring communities ... on her road bike.

The evidence suggests that mountain bicyclists seldom participate in efforts to improve on-road bicycle safety. Despite this, the League of American Bicyclists has embraced mountain biking as part of the National Bike Summit. Here at home, the Delaware Trails Summit was combined with the Delaware Bike Summit in 2014, creating the first annual "Heels and Wheels" Summit. It all sounds like one big happy family, however ...
  • No evidence of support for a recent petition asking DelDOT to develop a new road sign warning motorists of bicyclists using the roadway. The response so far has been dismal.
  • For the upcoming "Indoor Line Bike Expo", the cost is $300 for 6' exhibitor table. There is no formal discount for non-profits, including those without a paid membership, i.e. 1st State Bikes.
  • 1st State Bikes offered to assist promoting the Indoor Line Bike Expo in exchange for hanging our banner. There was no response from the event Chair, leading one to believe that organizers have little interest in promoting bicycle advocacy, or that which doesn't involve a profit.
It is our hope that Delaware's mountain bike community will one day join forces with bicycling advocates, recognizing the benefits of riding safely from home, for commuting, errands, and other transportation needs. If we cannot work together, divided we will fall.

Amy Wilburn, Chair of the Delaware Bicycle Council, addresses the crowd at the 2014 "Heels and Wheels" Walk/Bike Summit in Newark.

2 comments:

  1. I announced the most recent petition a the last Wilmington in Transition meeting, and there was some interest. I've asked that it get put up on our facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/WilmingtonInTransition

    We put the last two petitions up, and hopefully it helped to cross-promote.

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  2. Thanks so much, Alex! We wish more would do the same. Apparently though, even the low numbers have DelDOT looking into this. Stay tuned!

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