Liz,
I wouldn’t characterize my intention as “taking you to task”, it was more of raising everyone’s awareness that there is value in understanding where the resistance is coming from to improving our bicycling infrastructure. Most people I know choose not to listen to WIBA because of its caustic nature, but I believe you can learn a lot about how to speak in public by listening to how the WIBA folks (mis)interpret the messages that bicycle advocates have put out there. I am sorry I didn’t follow up sooner. The big things I have learned: · There’s no point in bringing up the fact that bicycles pollute less or contribute less to global warming. The liberal officials are already on your side, and the conservatives hear it as you suggesting you are a superior human being for polluting less and tune you out. · Conservatives believe that what us bikies really want is to force them out of their cars and into a lifestyle they don’t want. Look up “Agenda 21” on google sometime to see how they describe it. · Conservatives (or most people for that matter) are not going to be reasonable until you frame your discussion in terms of things that they already value. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Liz Zelandais Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 3:39 PM To: 'Bikies' Subject: [Bikies] WIBA carps on Ride The Drive: Hi, I seek to understand. When I made a comment about henceforth choosing with purpose not to listen to WIBA, Matt Logan sent me an email (thread below) through this group seemingly taking me to task and advising me about the "great mistake" of ignoring the voices expressing the Madison majority opinion about cyclists. The point he seemed to make was that since Robbie Webber had gotten ugly letters & email as an alder, she had paid her dues so should get a pass. But apparently I should listen. And he knows Mitch Henck personally. Huh? I'm not as seasoned as many of you, and I don't get it. What the heck am I supposed to do? Listen to Mitch Henck to educate myself? And if you're going to show a newbie the error of his/her ways, wouldn't you bother to inform, educate, instruct--rather than ignore when asked for clarification? I really would appreciate if someone could explain this. Thank you. Liz Zélandais ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Hi Matt (and other Bikies), I agree with your stance, including that WIBA dialogue probably does reflect the majority Madison view. I ask this sincerely, not with snark: will my listening to WIBA diatribes that leave me feeling slightly sick be of benefit somehow? My current thoughts are that choosing not to listen to Mitch Henck, et al does not mean I'm closing my eyes and mind to the realities. But I'm open to new understanding of why that would be a good thing for me to do if that is what you're suggesting. I would love to call in just to ask why they don't dish on the driver who blew a red light on Monroe this morning and almost mowed me down, but 1) I doubt I would get on and 2) even if I did, it doesn't seem productive. I am gradually doing more commuting by bike; and I'm one of those cyclists who used to cross against the light if the way was clear. I don't do that anymore. I try to be religiously observant of traffic laws and signs, even more for the reflection it brings on the cycling community than for safety. (Although being uber survival-centric, I focus on safety as well.) I try to be courteous to autos--as well as to other cyclists & pedestrians. This is to say that I am aware of the often-tarnished reputation cyclists have in the eyes of the populace, and besides wanting to be a decent human being, I also go out of my way to be a good representative of our ilk. In light of your opening statement, Matt, what would you propose I do? I am here to learn. Thanks for your thoughtful remarks and input. I appreciate the dialogue. Liz _____ From: Matt Logan <[email protected]> To: 'Liz Zelandais' <[email protected]>; 'Bikies' <[email protected]> Sent: Monday, September 26, 2011 12:04 PM Subject: RE: [Bikies] WIBA carps on Ride The Drive: Liz, It is a great mistake to ignore the voices of what I believe to be the majority of people in the Madison Area. Ignorance about bicycling issues is to be expected in our car-dominated culture. Generalizations cannot be avoided when you are talking about human beings. And hate? Actor-Observer bias is a well-documented tendency we all have to attribute perceived differences in behavior as the fault of the person’s inner nature, and ignore environmental factors, which often are the true source of our differences. Many of the attitudes opinions you heard on WIBA are widely held. Let me give you an example: After I attended the “Mayor’s Vision on Bicycling” event a couple weeks ago, I headed to band practice at my Church – Lake Edge UCC. Lake Edge prides itself on being inclusive, calling itself “open and affirming” of different viewpoints and lifestyles. As I was helping set up, I mentioned to one of the band members that I had just attended a city meeting on bicycling. The band member’s first reaction was to ask when bicyclists were going to obey all traffic controls. The band member then recited a number of anecdotes similar to what I have heard on WIBA. In addition to that, I have heard people complain about the wasted money on the Aberg overpass (which kicks ass by the way), and there has been some skepticism about the need for bike boxes. I have also been monitoring comments in the media on bike stories for a number of years, and general ignorant opposition to improving the bicycling experience is widespread. Maybe you already are connected to these voices somehow. I know Robbie used to get a steady stream of anti-bicycle e-mail when she was an alder, so I can understand that listening to WIBA would be redundant for some people. For what its worth: Mitch Henck has invited me to be on his show, and I even spent ½ hour one day talking about some of the bad information out there regarding the now-defunct RTA and the commuter rail proposal. I have contacted him numerous times about the content of his bicycling shows. His view seems to be that we should only build infrastructure for the majority, and that whining about bicyclists is “fun”. From: Liz Zelandais [mailto:[email protected]] Sent: Saturday, September 24, 2011 6:35 PM To: Matt Logan; Bikies Subject: Re: [Bikies] WIBA carps on Ride The Drive: Those couple of "thoughtful callers" gave a tiny respite from the ignorance, generalizations, and hate. I hadn't really listened to WIBA before (although I once interviewed Henck for an Isthmus article), but now I join Robbie in not listening to it on purpose. Liz _____ From: Matt Logan <[email protected]> To: Bikies <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, September 23, 2011 3:03 PM Subject: [Bikies] WIBA carps on Ride The Drive: Mitch Henck trotted out the usual anti-bike talking points this morning – but a couple thoughtful callers managed to get in: http://bit.ly/pweA0t _______________________________________________ Bikies mailing list [email protected] http://lists.danenet.org/listinfo.cgi/bikies-danenet.org
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