“For Better Or Worse, Each Cyclist Represents Cycling to The Community Every Time They Ride. Every Cyclist is an Ambassador and Adds to the Public Perception of Cycling.”
SSEA – CYCLE ADVOCATES PRACTICE:
SSEA Practices Guide Fundamental Safety And Advocacy. Each Element Of SSEA Reinforces Safe Riding That Builds Community Empathy And Support With Simple Actions. The Cycle Of Advocacy and SSEA Riding Practices Reinforce And Increase The Safety of Cycling Conditions and Community Acceptance.
Safe Gear & Safe Riding Practices
Helmets, Lights and a Bicycle in good repair are essential gear for Safe Cycling. Safety gear combined with Safe Riding Practices which respect the rules of the road and path are key elements to successful cycling and advocacy. The lack of Safe gear and riding practices puts the cyclist at risk of serious physical harm on the bike and makes cycling more dangerous when the community sees UNSAFE cycling practices.
Helmets are optional to many cyclists but this critical gear protects the cyclists head and operates as an element to safety through visibility. Helmets provide the best protection to the cyclists greatest risk of serious injury or death.READ MORE
Daytime Lights which flash are the best tools to increase visibility and avoid collisions. Modern Front and Rear lights are durable, rechargeable and great value for miles of enjoyable safe cycling. As detailed under the SEEN section, front and rear lighting makes the cyclist visible to otherwise distracted drivers who often “look but do not see the cyclists.” Cycle Advocates find daytime lights a must for safety.
Bicycles must be in good repair to allow for safe operation. The ABC checklist of Air, Brakes and Chain lay the primary points for riding, but routine check of all bicycle parts at least once a year will ensure miles of enjoyable and trouble free riding. Your local bicycle shop can provide tune-up and inspection, and most likely a free class on simple bicycle maintenance that will keep the cyclist rolling for miles.
Safe riding practices require understanding and observation of local rules of the road, as well as riding in a predictable manner with signaling. Since cycling laws and rules of the road vary significantly, cyclists must rely on local sources including State Departments of Transportation and Motor Vehicles, as well as local Bicycle Clubs and local Bicycle Advocacy Organizations to learn the rights and duties of cyclists. Local Bicycle Clubs, Bicycle Advocacy Organizations and even Bike Shops are a great source of riding instruction and group rides that will expand ride experience and help improve safe Riding Practices.
Visible and Predictable riding is essential to both Safety and Advocacy.
Lights for front and rear along with contrast color gear are the best tools for being Seen. Contrast color gear includes clothing, helmet, and the bike itself, as well as proper road position and ride practices that place the cyclist where other vehicle drivers and pedestrians will see the cyclist without undue risk. Predictability of the cyclists road position and course of travel are paramount for being Seen and Safe.
Most members of the community appreciate the increased visibility of cyclists on the road/path and, in turn, appreciate cycling when it is a visible element in the community.READ MORE
Generally, motorists and pedestrians do not look for or anticipate bicycles on roads and paths. Many bicycle collisions with vehicles and pedestrians result from people distracted by multiple factors who did not see the cyclist until the moment of impact.
Raising Visibility increases Safety by:
- Making people aware of the cyclist on the road/path; and
- Making people aware of and alert for cycling activity around them.
This two-fold visibility sets the foundation to Engage and raise Awareness with drivers and the community. Properly executed with positive Engagement, being Seen and Visible, transforms the community to See cyclists as accepted, desired, and a valued asset.
Engagement is the key to effective Advocacy. Cyclists need to actively ENGAGE with the community both on and off the bike. Engagement means positive communication by signals, acknowledgement, safe riding, sharing roads by exercising right of way, and verbal communication on and off the bicycle. Engaging the community through Positive Communication breaks down the separation that fuels antagonism, misunderstanding, intolerance, and conflict. The community sees the Engaged cyclist as participating with them on the road and path- when Engaged through Positive Communication, Awareness follows.READ MORE
Cycle Advocates use the proven practices of nonviolence which seeks to change ideas rather than oppose or defeat persons. The path to change, acceptance, empathy, value and support lies in positive actions that brings people together through nonviolent practices. Nonviolence practice [link], successful in integrative social change, is a key element of Cycle Advocates.
Under no circumstances should Engagement on the road or path be negative. Few to none are open to a lecture or being corrected while on the road or path. Correction, reprimand, terse remarks, or derogatory exchanges will not convince others drivers or pedestrians to change behaviors, and will more likely raise tension and antagonism against cyclists. Worse yet, this tension and antagonism will likely manifest in ways that make cycling the road and path less safe and cycling viewed negatively. The cyclist seen in an antagonistic exchange will not create a positive or empathetic, and most other non-cyclists will perceive cyclists negatively as a result.
Cycle Advocates seek to set positive examples for integration rather than a reinforcement of negative perceptions and attitudes toward cycling.
Awareness of the mutual Humanity of cyclists and Identification of cycling as an element of the community gives rise empathy and recognized values and qualities that the community will embrace and support. When Seen as Safe and Engaged, the cyclist has the opportunity to raise Awareness that cyclists are a positive element, neighbor, and even an aspirational identity for the community. When Engaged Awareness becomes the example, most observers, by human nature, will want to become a part of the affirmation and support. As a general rule, people are social creatures to prefer to belong to a community construct. Group adherence provides a personal reward and reinforcement for members, and provides a mutual identification that leads to interpersonal support and empathy. Simply put, most people will identify with and want to be a part of a positive action or movement, and as a result they will provide protection for the cause or group which they belong. Community empathy and support provides the basis for political attention and government response that provides legislative sanctions, funding and infrastructure for a better cycling community.