#comeridewithus Twitter Campaign to @marty_walsh as well as any elected officials

So Dotriderblog has been evolving in our involvement in Twitter. It has been about six months or a year of being in the Twittersphere and we’re learning our way. The other social media format is fun but it is more social to this writer than Twitter. Twitter is more news and political, as much as the other primary option has its fill of politics.

Where Twitter has revealed itself to be effective is in drawing a response. You can send e-mails to government officials, elected or appointed, and it is as though there is not a return button on their e-mail. Off into the digital abyss of unreplied to e-mails. Meanwhile on Twitter, the very public nature of it tends to stimulate some form of response.

So, we are here today to promote our new hash tag. #comeridewithus.

The original inspiration to #comeridewithus was the last Boston Bikes ride of the season on August 29th. We remembered when Mayor Walsh had indicated he would go for a bike ride with Alston Bike guru Galen Mook. We checked and Marty has yet to go for his ride. What a perfect way to get him to ride? Invite him to his own event? Offer to pick him up at the door?

The invite went out via several digital modes and by golly we got a response. “Sorry Marty’s down the Cape on vacation. Perhaps another time.”

Well Saarrrright! Fired up by that the general membership of Dot Bike got fired up and invited City Councilors, State Reps and Senators to join us. Dot Bike has been joined by Rep Russell Homes before, so this isn’t unprecedented. However given the recent slide back on improving transportation alternatives for non-automobile users in the city, it’s time to get organized and raise our voices to remind our elected officials of the commitments made by their predecessors and current associates.

We got another “out of town” response from a local City Councilor. Now if we only knew where Marty is and who is hosting the Labor Day party down the Cape. What a hoot to crash that one on a bicycle? Nahhh… may be next year if we really need to get his attention. We’re hopeful that won’t be necessary.

For now we troll our Twitter feed daily to find a piece or link that argues for the efficacy of bicycles in terms of being a viable transportation alternative and a vehicle for economic development and growth. #comeridewithus graces every Tweet to @marty_walsh or other local politicians and transportation groups. If you’re there and you see them, please Favorite them and Retweet them with abandon. Thanks!

So folks, if you’re on the Twitter thing, #comeridewithus!!!! Beyond my daily Tweet use it with anyone who we send a cycle informative related Tweet. We only have like 300 followers, so we aren’t going to generate Shaq-like results, but hey! let’s try it!  If our local elected officials want to come join us for a ride, please do! We want you to see first hand what it is like to ride a bike in Dorchester. You can see for yourself how recent paving projects have not included any bike or improved pedestrian infrastructure. Instead we get new turn lanes.

I was noticing a new turn lane on Granite Ave this morning and had right arrows with ONLY underneath. I imagined CARS to be painted in the space between the arrows and the ONLY as looking at it that’s about ALL the arrows were intended to instruct. Bikes? Nothing.

It’s time we speak to our local officials and point out how that undermines a lot of their visions for a better, healthier, wealthier and less polluted city. They need to direct their planners and engineers to go back to the drawing board and use their brains to include more bicycle and pedestrian accommodation in EVERY road project!

Oh yeah, if you want to follow us @Lindsaywoolguy is my Twitter Handle… See you there!

 

#comeridewithus!!!!!!

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