Thoughts After Bike Union Volunteer Orientation

The newly formed Toronto Cyclists Union had a volunteer orientation meeting last night. It was an informative experience. They are looking for volunteers in two roles:

1. Outreach
2. Bike Valet

I signed up to do some valet duties at the upcoming criterium race, as my outreach capabilities would be more of a detriment than a feather in the union's cap. The meeting mostly focused on techniques dealing with (mostly antagonistic or lonely) members of the public. It should be fun, and I hope they are able to influence council enough that their Paint the Plan campaign is a success.

I was a bit concerned that the first campaign of the union was determined non-democratically, before any significant number of members have joined. I agree that it is important to start with a focus, and that the Paint the Plan campaign is a good goal, but it seems strange that a supposedly member driven organization did not let the members decide the first campaign. We'll have to wait and see how the focus of the union changes with time.

Hopefully the cyclists union will be a success and we will see cycling treated as a valid form of transportation by the municipal government.