The League of American Bicyclists has performed yet another signal service to cycling and cyclists by hiring a consultant to conduct anonymous interviews with 30 congressional staffers (half Republican and half Democratic). The report from the consultant, which was released at the National Bike Summit last week, included some very candid, and pointed, advice to cyclists:

#11: “You have some very well meaning, but out of touch and arrogant (bicycling advocates) who come in and turn people off.”

#10: “Bicycling has very much had a cultural aspect predicated on exclusion and identity…they need to get away from talking about themselves to what’s in it for (others).”

#9: “It can’t be about critical mass and kicking ass. It has to be about multimodal, progressive, transportation options.”

#8: “If you’re not speaking (trafﬁc) safety and economic competitiveness then forget it.”

#7: “It has to be about contributing to that bigger picture, and not just associating it with bicycling and bicyclists.”

#6: “The best thing for biking…is that there has been this whole new school of thinking…which says that cities become economically vibrant by attracting young professionals, so mayors want to do that (and) that’s the selling point.”

#5: “If I were a big bicycle guy I would concentrate my efforts much more at the local and state level.”

#4: “If the state and locals think this is such a high priority then they should be able to do it, but we shouldn’t force them to do it.”

#3: “Any mode’s success or failure is going to be based on the local level, as that is where policy is going.”

#2: “Just make it optional and let the states and (locals) decide, and I don’t think you’d have really any push back on that.”

#1: “I thought this shift (to more state and local decision-making) was clear a couple of years ago and they should have shifted already. They’re late, very late.”

Read entire report from LAB’s consultant HERE>>>

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