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Bike Summit Preview: Why the Pen (and Tweet) is Mightier
Last year, Susan Meyers went for a tandem bike ride with her husband — blindfolded.
For Meyers (pictured right), cycling without sight was both an experiment and an experience. A contributor for the Boston Globe’s “On Biking” column, Meyers writes to spark debate. So her column on that blindfolded tandem ride, equal parts hilarious and harrowing, wasn’t just a fun read. Her prose had a purpose: Her brother, Andy, had gone blind and given up biking. A call to action and gratitude, she concluded her column with a challenge.
“Sighted bikers… grab a friend, rent a tandem, and tie on a blindfold of your own,” she wrote. “Notice the smells, the sounds, all of the sensations of biking. Then find someone who is blind or low-vision, take them out riding, and see what else you can learn. I promise you, it will be an eye-opener.”
Meyers and her fellow columnist and husband Jonathan Simmons will speak about these personal stories — and the serious effect they have in promoting bicycling — at the 2013 National Bike Summit. Their workshop, “Tell Your Bicycling Story: How to Write Persuasive Stories – and Why!”, will help participants pinpoint their personal stories that can affect change and spark conversation about why biking matters.
The Summit will also feature tips on cranking out provocative content on social media. In “Social Media as an Advocacy Tool,” panelists will breakdown the “do’s and don’ts” on Facebook, Twitter, and more — and highlight how these platforms can be used to promote biking. Even 140 characters alone can have impact, spreading a simple message wide and far with just the click of a button.
Panelists include Barb Chamberlain, of the Bicycle Alliance of Washington; Mary Madden, of Internet and American Life Project at the Pew Research Center; and Mathilde Piard, of Cox Media Group.
Be sure to catch these workshops at the National Bike Summit in March, and learn the ways the pen truly is mightier. Register for the Summit today!
Liz Murphy
Communications Manager
Ms. Murphy joined the League in January 2013. She previously worked as a reporter covering the Justice Department. Liz has journalism and women's studies degrees from Penn State University. She commutes to work on her bright red bike daily.
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February 20th, 2013 at 3:55 am
very nice
February 25th, 2013 at 8:48 am
Just wanted to let everyone know that Bikes To Borrow is a local business that delivers Giant hybrids for rent! Currently we have a winter rate of $40 per day. 50 bikes available!
bikestoborrow.com
February 25th, 2013 at 12:20 pm
After my last bike ride, I think that wearing a blindfold on a tandem would give me a heart attack. My friend and I were in out designated lane and nearly got swerved into 2 or 3 times and honked and yelled at more times than I count. If you wear a blindfold, I’d suggest you do it on a country trail with very little car traffic. It’s a really neat sounding idea for sure.