> I don't think anyone would stop and take notice that there was a bike boycott on the square. If they did, I doubt the response would be to remove the new parking, or terminate the experiment, as you say. Quite the contrary, I suspect. If we want to be taken seriously, we need more bicycling, not less. >
Usually a boycott is accompanied by picketing and signs, etc.. It gets in the newspaper or and TV that way, and others take notice. It's a way to get a message out to the masses. The whole idea of a boycott would be to show bicyclists' disgust about the decision to promote more automobile use in the city - OUR Capitol Square of all places! Why should bicyclists and others who are against Government's excessive catering to car and oil burning dependency lay down and accept that decision? As I attempted to point out in my initial posts, this issue is bigger than physical safety considerations for bicyclists who use the square, it's a opportunity to make our more general concerns about increased automobile pollution and traffic congestion and its effects on homo sapiens's use of the out-of-doors and out-of-cars. http://www.mail-archive.com/bikies%40danenet.org/msg05995.html http://www.mail-archive.com/bikies%40danenet.org/msg06007.html http://www.mail-archive.com/bikies%40danenet.org/msg06014.html BTW, has anyone bothered to go to any of the City's meetings this month on its Draft "Comprehensive" Plan for Madison's future? Any reports? I have not seen anything about the turnout or issues discussed anywhere in the media. The last of these meetings are next week, and it would be a shame if the bicycling community did not make their concerns with increasing motor vehicle traffic known at these meeting. It would be especially good if the BFW would take a position on the plan from the standpoint of protecting the out-of-car environment in which we all bike through, live and are constantly exposed to. Degradation of the Wisconsin's and Madison's environment, especially air quality and the climate, will discourage future bicycling outdoors a lot more than can be countered by bicycling promotions or new bike trails and paths. Mike Neuman "If you live within walking or bicycling distance of work, you can reduce the global warming impact of your commute to zero." - Denis Hayes, 1970 Earth Day Coordinator _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://www.danenet.org/mailman/listinfo/bikies
