Bike to Work Day in the Press Telegram

Near the eve of Bike to Work Day, Tim Grobaty of our finest local news source wrote a piece on why he's poopooing Bike to Work Day. You can read it here.

Executive Summary:
-What!? I have to ride my bike to work again?
-We're the media and I can make a big deal out of nothing cause that's my job.
-Lots of whiny quotes by cyclists.
-A positive story about cycling is just boooring.

With friends like these...

My response to Tim with some writing to tips to enliven a bike story.

Dear Tim,
Well, the offer to give you a personally guided bike ride around the city still stands. An enjoyable bike ride of the "oh look at the birdie" sort probably would make an uninteresting piece. But maybe one where we dispel the myths of how difficult and dangerous it is (see above comments) would be more interesting.

Or perhaps a piece on how cyclists have the the same rights on the road but are treated as 2nd class road users would be more interesting. Or more interesting still, how about the fact that the police in our city aren't aware that bikes can ride lawfully on the street and ticket cyclists for a right that is clearly spelled out in the California Vehicle Code. Or how they ride on the sidewalk and against traffic violating the CVC, while lawful and educated cyclists get harangued for trying to do a little good.

Or perhaps you could frame the piece in such a way that it points out the fact that the plight of the urban cyclist is a transporation civil rights issue (+1 for historical references), where a group of people going about their lawful business are constantly harassed, illegally ticketed and besmirched in the media.

That wouldn't be SO boring and closer to the mark, no? So let's take Orangey for a ride.

Russ