Perspective on advocacy

Montrose Area Bicycle Alliance is all about bicycle advocacy and improving riding conditions in our community. The very nature of advocacy work can lead to disagreements, arguments, lengthy discussions, misunderstandings, and the need to be educated and educate individuals on both sides of an issue. For those of us that are or want to be actively involved in bicycle advocacy work we need to keep in mind what riding a bicycle is all about. Riding a bicycle is about the wind, the hum of the tires, being healthy and efficient, friends, food, a cold beer at the end of a ride, a well deserved meal, and the freedom of getting from A to B in the absolute best way possible. These fantastic things need to be remembered when discussing policy, bad drivers, bad cyclists, hostile people from the other point of view, and the day to day of getting things changed. At the end of the day bicycles are about fun.