Bicycle Ambassadors' Planning Meeting - Mon. Dec. 8, 2008

Bicycle Ambassador Programs engage community volunteers in promoting bicycling awareness and safety. There are programs currently up and running in communities around the country including Chicago, Illinois; Seattle, Washington; and Boulder, Colorado -- where 20% of commuters go by bike! The Montpelier Bikes Project is seeking input from potential ambassadors in preparation for a Spring 2009 program.

Montpelier Bikes • Bicycle Ambassadors' Brainstorming & Discussion meeting

Monday, December 8 • 6:30 pm
Montpelier High School (room directions will be posted at the front entrance)

The purpose of this meeting is to determine what we as a community need to research or figure out before we launch this program in the spring. You are invited to put on your thinking cap to ask the tough questions now -- so that we can pull together background information and develop a training program in time for the spring. We will conduct our trainings in April, in time to launch the program for Way To Go Week and National Bike Month in May 2009.

Montpelier Bikes would like to have 20-30 Bicycle Ambassador volunteers in Montpelier next summer. Individuals who are not Montpelier residents, but are regularly in Montpelier for work or other reasons are welcome, too.

Here are some ideas so far about what Bicycle Ambassadors might do in Montpelier:

• Assist with bicycle safety education (bike rodeos, or a neighborhood block parties or garage sales).
• Sign up with Onion River Exchange to provide "Bike Buddy" services to help someone rediscover bicycling, or to help a commuter get started - including selecting a route, helping with gear, pedaling a potential route together, or simply providing advice.
• Provide safe bicycling tips to other bicyclists - using outreach materials developed by Montpelier Bikes.
• Serve as a visible Ambassador to motorists - riding responsibly in town and wearing a Bicycle Ambassadors shirt (brightly colored for safety). Be prepared to discuss safe bicycling and bicycling laws with motorists respectfully and politely.
• Distribute flyers to bulletin boards around town with a "bicycle safety tip of the month" from April to October.
• Help staff a potential bicycle parking corral at public events - possibly the Farmer's Market, Independence Day fireworks, etc.
• Lead neighborhood "bicycle trains" for elementary or middle school kids going to school.

Bicycle Ambassadors will receive good karma, plus a bicycle ambassador t-shirt or vest, and a discounted one-year membership in the Onion River Exchange Program, to get you started in being a bike buddy. Each Bicycle Ambassador will be asked to provide a certain number of hours of volunteer service over the course of the 2009 "season."

Questions for meeting attendees to think about:

• What would you need to learn in order to feel confident in doing some or all of the above tasks?
• What materials or training would you need?
• What should the Bicycle Ambassadors policies be about helmet use and sidewalk riding?
• Are there other ways that you would see Bicycle Ambassadors promoting bicycling?
• How many hours of community service should we ask Bicycle Ambassadors to commit to?

You are welcome to send any comments via email, but we also want to have an in-person discussion with input from potential ambassadors. RSVP to info@goinggreenvt.com if you are planning to attend on December 8.