Bicycle Ambassadors & what the program means for Salt Lake City

There is an exciting way we bicycle advocates can share our enthusiasm for bicycling. Bicycle Ambassadors programs are sweeping the country and already exist or are getting started in Seattle, Portland, San Francisco, Santa Barbara, Boulder, Austin, Chicago, Philadelphia, Knoxville, Alexandria, Washington DC, and New York City, just to name a few.

What does a Bike Ambassador do?

NYC Bike Ambassadors team up with Precinct 94
to promote safe bicycling at one of
Williamsburg's most notorious intersections.
(Photo: BikingRules.org)

They attend community and school events, music festivals, farmers markets - engaging people one-on-one about bikes and bicycling, acting as mobile information booths, highlighting best practices and new bike infrastructure, and riding along wherever there are bicyclists out and about.
 

The ambassadors scatter across the city on a mission to encourage bicycling as transportation and promote safe, law-abiding behavior among cyclists and motorists. More than ever before, bicycling is an integral part of the transportation system, and Bike Ambassadors are a key component in bringing the benefits of bicycling—reducing congestion, improving personal and environmental health, saving money, making streets safer—to a broader audience.

Bicycle Ambassadors encourage adult bicyclists to ride more often and ride more safely as well as educate motorists on the rules of the road and provide tips for sharing the road. Ambassadors create their own events to teach bike safety, sharing the road, bike lane and bike path etiquette and how to bike to work and school. Ambassadors work in the neighborhoods, at universities and colleges and visit the workplace.

Commuting workshops are hosted at workplaces, assisting employees in bicycle/transit commuting. Ambassador teams visit workplaces and community groups to teach a one-hour workshop covering laws, skills, basic gear, and basic maintenance. Experienced commuters are encouraged to come and share their tips with fellow riders (and hopefully walk away with new knowledge).

There are in-school programs as well -- ambassadors give bicycle safety demonstrations at day camps, libraries, and schools. They can also be “safe routes” ambassadors for safe routes to school programs.

Ambassadors help others make the choice to try a new travel option and, in many cases, can figuratively hold the hand of each participant through the process. Experienced bike commuters sign up to mentor less confident beginners, and the program matches people by neighborhoods and destinations. There are forums where you can share favored routes, consult with others and get expert advice. You can ask area bicyclists all of your route questions and even find a ride buddy.
 

Most bicycling ambassador programs are comprised of a coalition of sponsors and participants: local bicycle clubs and advocacy groups, cities and counties and departments of transportation. Certified bicycling instructors are an important component of the safety and education outreach effort. The programs can be as diverse and expansive as time and resources will allow. Most programs have evolved over time and add more elements as they progress.

So what does this mean for us? We already have a unique asset upon which to build a mentoring program. UTA’s “RideShare” program offers a bike partner matching service. Unfortunately, few people are aware of this “bike buddy” matching service and it needs experienced bike commuters from the bicycle community to sign up as mentors. Read about it in the Bike Utah Winter Newsletter. 

This is a call for action. If your bicycling club, advocacy group or you as an individual are interested please contact me. We will be working with community organizations and transportation agencies seeking partners and sponsors with the resources to bring Bicycle Ambassadors to our town.

Chad Mullins
Chair, Salt Lake County Bicycle Advisory Committee
SLCBAC website: http://www.bicycle.slco.org/

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