Great Letter! In keeping with the "we're all in this together" theme, who is already going to the conference and who might be interested in going?
I am newly registered for and was invited to be on a mayors panel at the pro walk pro bike pro place conference in Pittsburgh the beginning of September.
I would like to see as much Morgantown participation as possible. Please let me know how I can help to accomplish this.
I would also like to meet with a coalition before and after the meeting to see what we can implement here.
I like this theme of bikers as your neighbors and friends. It is a practical issue with practical solutions to make people aware and more safe.
I also notice from an economic development stand point that having walking and biking amenities is a sign of a modern, desirable place to live.
Could, as we all know, help us to attract and retain desirable employees, businesses and institutions. Make Morgantown live up to its reputation as a fine place to live.
Jenny Selin
Cell 304-685-6569
Well put Christiaan !!!
---- Original Message ----
From: "Christiaan Abildso" <
cabildso@yahoo.com>
Sent: 7/23/2014 9:43:49 AM
To: "Frank Gmeindl" <
fgmeindl@gmail.com>, "Jonathan Rosenbaum" <
jr@wvcompletestreets.org>, "Bike Board - Morgantown" <
bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com>
Subject: [Bikeboard] Fw: Letter: "We're All in this Together"
FYI...just sent to DP
I am your friend, your neighbor, a patron of your business, a volunteer in the community. I am a father, a husband, a son, an uncle, a brother. I live and work in Morgantown, and believe it is a great place with great people.
I have chosen to raise my family here. I also ride a bike to get to work. You have probably seen me in town wearing my orange jacket. I am so thankful that my fellow Morgantown residents and WVU students that share our community treat me so well. I don't ride to slow drivers down but I know that waiting to pass me can sometimes be a brief inconvenience.
Regardless of what you think about people that ride bicycles, please remember we are humans, we have families, and we are just trying to get somewhere. We know every time we ride that one inattentive driver or one pothole could lead to a potentially fatal situation. Please be patient just like you would be behind a large truck or a
friend riding a bike, the
5-10 second potential delay won’t kill anyone, but an impulsive, impatient move may kill me or you. It's not "us against you." We're all in this together. We're all residents of this great community and users of the transportation system.
The next time we as drivers are deciding whether to pass a bicyclist we should think "I wonder if he or she has kids," it may help us decide how to treat the person on the bike. My family and I thank you.
Christiaan Abildso
233 Wagner Road
Morgantown