Ideas from others
From Dietrich Pfeifer, Arizona
In March 2007 Dietrich sent this email:
Just wanted to let you know I found your site today and used some of the info to send out a little email campaign in my office. This week kicks off Arizona Bike Week where I live, so I wanted to give the drivers a little reminder to look out. Our Health & Safety officer even offered to let me do a Lunch 7 Learn in our office to help raise awareness (of course I punctuated my email with the thought of the office losing one of their mechanical designers, me!).
Wow! What a simple and easy thing to do. Imagine the effect it could have if more riders would do something like that. Here is a MS word copy of the flyer he emailed to the office staff.
From Wendy Moon
- Write a letter to the editor of the local paper—small papers have readers, too.
- Write an article for the local paper or a newsletter you receive.
- Contact the news at your local channel and present the issues you feel are important.
- Write a post on a list or on-line forum you belong to that has nothing to do with motorcycling (of course, following their posting rules).
- If you have a blog, a web page, etc. that has nothing to do with motorcycling, add a box or banner asking them to watch out for the motorcyclist.
- Conversely, if you have a website or blog that has to do with motorcycling, ask your readers to participate in The Power of One.
- Find the opportunity to bring up motorcycling issues to co-workers or family or friends.
- Make up and hand out business-cards or flyers with a short message on them.
From anonymous
One of Wendy Moon’s readers who wrote anonymously had a good idea. Make all your non-rider friends and acquaintances familiar with Motorcycle Awareness month. Send them an email asking them to increase their awareness of motorcyclists. And include a link to the THINK safety campaign promotional video that was produced in the UK. The video is on Google videos and I created a "tiny URL" that points to it.http://tinyurl.com/e52hs will bring up the video. If you haven’t yet seen it, it is very attention getting. It should make drivers sit up and think!
From BAND Bikers Against Negligent Drivers
BAND is a Texas grassroots organization. They produce PSA videos that can be used by local TV stations, audio PSA's for radio stations, print ads and posters. They will help organizations in other states.
From Suds and Butterfly
This Texas couple has embarked on a campaign to get communities to erect “Share the Road” road signs. They have managed to get 42 signs placed thus far! There is a lot of information on the above web page that will be helpful to those wanting to embark on a road sign campaign in other states.
While you may not be willing or able to start a share the road sign campaign, there are other less time consuming and costly actions you as an individual can take. Their 2006 proclamations page has information about getting cities and counties to issue proclamations recognizing the month of May as Motorcycle Awareness Month. If no person or organization in your area has already undertaken the job, this is something than can be done by a single individual. It just takes some time and effort in advance of May to identify the appropriate city/country official to contact and then make the contact and “lobby” for the proclamation.
There are also articles on the proclamations page about motorcycle awareness you can use to help you get your local newspaper to write an article. Or you can write an article and submit it to the newspaper.
From Biker Bits
A large collection of signs, billboards, flyers, bumper stickers and ads that have been produced by many organizations. Plus links.From ABATE of Illinois
The organization has developed a classroom awareness course including video for young, new drivers.
