Frank, You must have been nervous, Kennedy wasn't asking you to get Riverview residents on bikes. He was throwing you a red herring, asking you to find out why they won't walk 2 blocks to a bus stop.
However, your presentation was excellent. The best part was after you'd answered a few questions when you summarized by saying "Well, I don't hear any disagreement." I realized at that point that what everyone was expressing was disbelief and obstruction. Asahel's obstruction amounted to "If we can't get everybody to change completely, then we might as well do nothing."
I talked to Barbara Parsons afterwards, wanting to hear more about her initiative to reverse childhood obesity trends. She couldn't believe that roads would ever be safe for kids to ride on, so she's only considering indoor exercise.
What I kept hearing sounded like people in a toxic relationship with their cars - knowing that the relationship is hurting them, but afraid to let it go.
Not sure where to go from here. Nick
---------- Original Message ---------------------------------- From: Frank Gmeindl fgmeindl@verizon.net Date: Thu, 01 Mar 2007 06:53:59 -0500
Don, Nick, Marilyn, Bill, Tyler, Autumn, Kelly,
Thank you all for attending the MPO meeting last night! If you all weren't there, I know I couldn't have delivered that presentation. As it was, I was so nervous that I can't even remember what I did when I was standing up there. I only remember losing my voice, grasping for words, hearing stupid incorrect ones coming out, and fumbling to find any straight line to take through it all. I should have rehearsed more.
I was so nervous because, of all the bodies that the Bicycle Board deals with: Traffic Commission, City Council, City Manager, the MPO is the first one that really can reshape our cycling environment. For almost 3 years, I've attended MPO meetings (irregularly) and watched them make decisions that I knew would further diminish the quality and safety of cycling in Mon County. After 3 years, last night, I finally had a chance to show them the cyclists' perspective. I don't think I did any damage but I also don't think I had much effect. And, boy do I regret taking on yet another project to get Riverview residents on bikes:(
Well, enough whining. Most of you were involved in helping me create the materials that I presented last night and I think they were excellent. Chet Parsons is going to put them up on the MPO website (plantogether.org) and I'll ask Jeff Mikorski to put them in the Bicycle Board archives at http://www.morgantown.com/bike-board-docs.htm . Maybe you can make better use of them than I did.
Now, let's all get out there an change the culture!
Frank
-- Nick Hein Director, Positive Spin Morgantown, WV ph 304-276-0213 --