Bike hang for Richard Rush

If you cycle or walk or transit in Spokane,  and you think the city can do more to make these transportation modes safer, more efficient, and easier, then you should do a bit to keep Richard Rush in his council seat.

Even if you don't live in District 2, where Richard is running for re-election, you benefit from Richard's sitting on city council.

My years on the Bicycle Advisory Board taught me a whole bunch about how city bureaucracy works. And without carrying on about it, cause I can you know, let me say this: having a consistent, rational, knowledgeable advocate like Richard for active transportation at the table is critical.

Until recently, our entire history of urban development, from a transportation perspective, has been focused on volume: how many cars can we cram through a given space and how to we make sure there's adequate parking for them. This perspective is super entrenched and hard to change, since it's not even recognized by those who dictate and drive (pud dum pum) implementation of policy.

(Btw: you can always tell when the big blow off is coming when a traffic engineer starts his/her argument with, "I love riding bikes. And in fact, many of the engineers on our team ride bikes too, but...")

Drifting. Sorry.

The point: Richard is there every day with these guys pushing an alternate and more rational view of how we can move people in an urban environment. He's a super policy nerd and understands how efficiently and safely moving people with various modes of transportation can only improve the economic vitality of urban areas. He's elequent, repectful, and respected by staff. We all need him to stay and continue pushing. And we know how this works: it takes money and volunteers to win elections.

To that end, we're throwing a bike hang at our house next Thursday, Sept 22. It's in our back yard at 6:30.

Pat Rick and Elissa will be here scooping ice cream. They're moving to Japan a week later, so if you consider your self "apolitical," then attend this hang to say your goodbyes and goodwishes to them.

I'll have a few jugs of beer too. Coffee Joe says he has a bit of homebrew he may bring. If you brew (ahem, Chris Lattin, ahem) and you are coming, feel free to bring a jug.

The money-hope is that each person can throw in $25 towards Richard's campaign. But if you can't, that's ok, come by and offer to help out on the campaign instead.

I'll have a handful of shirts left. I'll donate the money sales from shirts sold at this party to Richard.

RSVP to john at phred dot org would be so lovely.