I have talked to Mitch Hench over the years and he his receptive to data. It is my preference to argue for a balanced transportation system and I have done so a number of times on this forum. If we threaten SOVs then we should not be surprised if they push back. Of course, balanced transportation doesn't have much entertainment value for Mitch or Vicky McKenna.
A number of years ago, Vicky railed against Public Works and the Mayor about her street not being plowed for days after a major storm. But she never reported the problem. Nor did she ever say which street she lived on. I managed to find out the street name from someone who had been in the media and drove out to this short loop street. There were several large pickups/SUV parked haphazardly on both sides of the street preventing a full plow. It wasn't all that bad - I drove through with my staff car, a Honda Fit. A call to parking enforcement to visit the street on two successive nights allowed the plow trucks to clear the street curb to curb. Not much entertainment value there. So.keep on insisting the need for a balanced transportation system. I think we are getting through to folks based on the numbers of increased bike and bus users. From: [email protected] [mailto:[email protected]] On Behalf Of Mark Evans Sent: Tuesday, September 27, 2011 4:53 PM To: [email protected] Subject: Re: [Bikies] Dealing with WIBA and Conservatives regarding bikes etcetera etcetera After a long winter of protests I've found myself withdrawing - not out of disinterest but because of a job loss and a need to recharge way over used emotional 'batteries.' My feeling is the best way to respond to conservatives like the WIBA radio people, is to (as noted below) speak a language they understand. They believe the economy is bad, they agree jobs are needed, they would agree (I hope) promoting business that promotes jobs and economy is a good thing. Send them the UW report of 2009 about the $1.5+ Billion dollars in REAL economic impact that cycling has on Wisconsin. If they promote anti-biking rhetoric, then they are promoting REMOVING jobs, closing businesses, loss of personal income, sales, tax revenue, etc. Sure, you can say all you want about what their emotional argument is (We hate bikers, we love cars) but engaging in that argument gets no one anywhere. It is intentionally framed as an un-winnable argument, intended to get under the skin of liberals/bikers, so we will become irrational and appear to be nutcases on the edge of reality. But if we universally reply with economic facts that are irrefutable, then we force THEM to defend an anti-business, anti-economic, anti-job position. If something ("Biking has an economic impact of $1.5 Bil. per year") is repeated enough, it becomes a known fact. Let's make it a known fact. Money is a big deal these days with the GOP and the right. If they laugh, we can send them John Burke's PH# and maybe he can educate them on economics. Thanks for listening Mark Evans On 9/27/11 4:24 PM, [email protected] wrote: 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. -- Follow Wheels for Winners on FACEBOOK <http://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=734289628&v=wall&ref=profile#%21/pag es/Wheels-for-Winners/168983346461729>
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