You can make your own bike or transit advocacy group.
You don’t need permission, and no one can stop you.
Whether you want a protected bike lane, zero traffic deaths in your community or better bus service– it all starts with a hope. Wanting some change and hoping that it is possible. That hope is the tinder that lets the spark of an idea catch. With some nourishment, it will become a flame. But, the flame of an idea, no matter how good, can go out if only one person holds it. For an idea to grow strong enough to change a community, it needs a lot of people adding their fuel to the fire. It needs a group behind it.
In the world of transportation advocacy, almost every change you might want needs a group of people behind it to make it real. It takes a lot of people to get a new bus route or rail service. Even installing a guerrilla bike lane takes a team of people (or at least so I’m told by friends of friends). It takes more than one person to make it a reality, so the spark of the idea has to grow past being only “yours.” It must take on a life of its own if it is to grow sufficiently. That is one of the many reasons it is helpful to have a group champion the idea.
Maybe one of the 300 bike or transit advocacy groups across America would be a fit for your idea? Find the most relevant one (topically and geographically) and ask them about collaborating on the idea. However, almost all of these organizations are overworked, underpaid, at capacity, and a huge chunk of them are all-volunteer organizations. They might support your idea but not have the bandwidth to help you push for it. Or there might not be a bike or transit advocacy group in your town. But guess what– you are somebody. You can start a group and politically organize for your idea.
All it takes is an idea for people to rally behind and the energy to spread that idea to others. It doesn’t take money, an official charter, a logo, a website or any of those other dressings. A group can just be you and some like-minded people collaborating to advance a shared idea. Things like name, logo, code of conduct, titles, organization chart, campaign strategy, official legal status– that can all come later (and some you might never need).
To get started, create something you can invite people to. Something people can join. That could be an upcoming event, like a general interest meeting, or a Slack “workplace.” Both are great! I’m a fan of Slack since it makes it easier to collaborate a-synchronously and create a bit of a written record about the idea. Similar to how Mythbuster, Adam Savage said, “the difference between screwing around and science is writing it down!” The difference between talking about an idea and organizing for it is writing it down.!
You don’t even need a second person to get started. The group can just be you at the beginning. Right now could be your first meeting. If that is the case though, I do recommend that one of your first orders of business is trying to get more people to join. As you build the group and get more people involved, the idea will continue to get refined and spread. The idea and your group will get stronger. Keep feeding them energy, tend to them, and give them space to grow. Eventually you will win that change you seek and have built something strong enough to win all sorts of other changes, too.
Need help winning transportation changes in your community? I’m here to help! Whether you want a 1-on-1 training session or a group workshop, let’s talk. Email me at Carter@carterlavin.com to set something up. Here’s a bit about what training sessions are like.
Free upcoming online events
“How to use cargo bikes to improve your life and how to use them to win protected bike lanes.” With special co-host, “Cargo Bike Momma” Maddy Novich! Learn more and register here. **Sponsored by Flanzig and Flanzig, LLP, New York's Leading Bicycle Crash Attorneys.** 4/23/24 @ 5:30pm PT
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Interested in sponsoring the training of an activist working on an issue you’re passionate about? Let’s chat. Carter@carterlavin.com