Comments on: On Deck for Next Week: Bike Themed City Council Meeting http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/11/14/on-deck-for-next-week-bike-themed-city-concil-meeting/ Covering Los Angeles's livable streets movement Sat, 21 Nov 2009 21:23:58 -0800 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8 hourly 1 By: ubrayj02 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/11/14/on-deck-for-next-week-bike-themed-city-concil-meeting/comment-page-1/#comment-3087 ubrayj02 Wed, 19 Nov 2008 06:42:55 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1390#comment-3087 I only ask because I know from experience that without a pre-game runup to the council meeting, and a direct, intelligible, message from a named advocacy group, a room full of "concerned citizens" typically get jack and squat done in a public hearing in L.A. After public speaker number 4 complains about dogs on the bike path, and number five urges the council to do what they are doing already (place an emphasis on bikes), council people's eyes glaze over and they know that this is mickey mouse politics as usual. If any of our paid advocacy staffers in L.A. could put together a small platform of issues on each of these items, contact council staff and constituents in each relevant councilperson's district, call council people to cull votes in a certain direction, and then show up on game day with a solid crowd of knowledeable people to help the council make an informed decision - then you're talking about rapid change in L.A. It really doesn't take much more than that, unless you run into some vested interests or start a political kerfuffle of some sort. Barring the above, I really don't know how effective a large group of bike people will be (sadly), though our shared "concern" might push the council members to bloviate more than usual about how pro our issue they are. What can I say? I'm a lousy cynic. If only I had a salary behind me to do this kind of work :( If only those who do get paid to do this kind of work DID this kind of work! I only ask because I know from experience that without a pre-game runup to the council meeting, and a direct, intelligible, message from a named advocacy group, a room full of "concerned citizens" typically get jack and squat done in a public hearing in L.A.

After public speaker number 4 complains about dogs on the bike path, and number five urges the council to do what they are doing already (place an emphasis on bikes), council people's eyes glaze over and they know that this is mickey mouse politics as usual.

If any of our paid advocacy staffers in L.A. could put together a small platform of issues on each of these items, contact council staff and constituents in each relevant councilperson's district, call council people to cull votes in a certain direction, and then show up on game day with a solid crowd of knowledeable people to help the council make an informed decision - then you're talking about rapid change in L.A.

It really doesn't take much more than that, unless you run into some vested interests or start a political kerfuffle of some sort.

Barring the above, I really don't know how effective a large group of bike people will be (sadly), though our shared "concern" might push the council members to bloviate more than usual about how pro our issue they are.

What can I say? I'm a lousy cynic. If only I had a salary behind me to do this kind of work :( If only those who do get paid to do this kind of work DID this kind of work!

]]> By: Gary Kavanagh http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/11/14/on-deck-for-next-week-bike-themed-city-concil-meeting/comment-page-1/#comment-3069 Gary Kavanagh Tue, 18 Nov 2008 18:21:36 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1390#comment-3069 I think anyone who cares about cycling who can go should go. Even if you don't personally say a word, each person there as part of the cyclist group will add weight to those who speak. We need these people to feel our presence as a real constituency that demands respect. I think anyone who cares about cycling who can go should go. Even if you don't personally say a word, each person there as part of the cyclist group will add weight to those who speak. We need these people to feel our presence as a real constituency that demands respect.

]]> By: ubrayj02 http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/11/14/on-deck-for-next-week-bike-themed-city-concil-meeting/comment-page-1/#comment-3064 ubrayj02 Tue, 18 Nov 2008 07:00:16 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1390#comment-3064 If we go, will we have any effect on the decisions made? I doubt it, but I'm going to try and be there anyway. If we go, will we have any effect on the decisions made?

I doubt it, but I'm going to try and be there anyway.

]]> By: Alex Thompson http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/11/14/on-deck-for-next-week-bike-themed-city-concil-meeting/comment-page-1/#comment-3031 Alex Thompson Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:35:43 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1390#comment-3031 It's at 1pm, Panasonic. How are you doing? Everyone was/is worried about you. It's at 1pm, Panasonic. How are you doing? Everyone was/is worried about you.

]]> By: Panasonicyouth http://la.streetsblog.org/2008/11/14/on-deck-for-next-week-bike-themed-city-concil-meeting/comment-page-1/#comment-3030 Panasonicyouth Sat, 15 Nov 2008 00:23:45 +0000 http://la.streetsblog.org/?p=1390#comment-3030 Awesome! What time is the City Council Meeting? I want to go! Also, you misspelled "council" in the headline. :P Awesome! What time is the City Council Meeting? I want to go!

Also, you misspelled "council" in the headline. :P

]]>