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Colville-Andersen’s second goal is to “always sell bicycles positively”. He compared the marketing of bicycles to that of cars:

“You never hear them [car industry] talking negatively about their product at all. Never. They’ll never tell you that driving is considered to be the most difficult task homo sapiens have had to master. This is actually true, hunting mammoths is nothing compared to driving a car. They’ll never tell you that the level of dangerous hydorcarbon particles in the air are actually higher inside the car than if you ride a bike next to them… They never tell you your risk of head injury is higher in a car than on a bicycle and at no point have we ever seen the car industry promote motorist helmets.”

A key to making cycling mainstream, according to Colville-Andersen, is to address the dangers of the automobile. He equated the car with a bull running around a china shop.

“Someone has let a sacred bull in society’s China shop… We can all agree that there is a bull in the china shop, we can all be realistic and think the bull’s not going anywhere (it’s gotten too big to fit out the door now). So we bubble wrap all the pieces of expensive china and meanwhile the bull just knocked over eight shelves in aisle 9 and took a shit on the floor. It’s strange, we’ve developed this fantastic capacity to completely and utterly ignore the bull.”

Continuing with the bull/car comparison, he said that knowing that there’s a bull in the china shop, people should do something to “limit its destructive capabilities” such as “castrate it to make it calmer, tie it down, or build a fence around it.”

Colville-Andersen’s third goal is to simply address “the bull”, meaning, if cities really want to attain high levels of bicycle use, they must begin to acknowledge that the cars are causing havoc and their power and dominance on the urban landscape must be reigned in.

On a similar note, Colville-Andersen said he dreams about a day when cars have warning labels similar to those mandated on cigarette packages:

“Imagine if we woke up and all the cars had warning labels on 30% of their surface area [that's the law for cigs]. Imagine what would happen to the mindsets of our population. After two months you’d have people opening their garage, looking at the car, looking at the bike and saying, ‘I’m not going to risk my life, I’m taking the bike’”.

The role of the bicycling “subculture” was also addressed by Colville-Andersen. He feels that in order to “mainstream bicycling” it needs to be re-branded as a “normal, borderline boring transport option.” To do this he feels like cities should “focus less on subcultures”.

Dear Friends, Thank you for your interest in and support of the Gwynns Falls Trail, Baltimore’s 15 mile linear recreational trail that runs from the I-70 Park & Ride to the Middle Branch of the Patapsco and the Inner Harbor. We call the trail Baltimore’s Greenway to the Chesapeake Bay. The Gwynns Falls Trail Council is an all volunteer organization that works to promote the use of the Trail and plans and implements environmental restoration projects and special events along the Trail. Like many organizations, the Gwynns Falls Trail Council has been affected by the current economic slowdown and our corporate and foundation contributions are less than they have been in past years. Yet, despite a decrease in funding, the Gwynns Falls Trail Council completed some truly exciting projects in 2008-2009. Our Art on the Trail exhibit, which ran from September through early November 2008, was very successful and attracted both more artists and more visitors.  We had over 400 people volunteer this year providing more than 2,000 hours helping maintain and improve the Trail.  In 2009 we completed design and fabrication of the 11 kiosk panels and have contracted to have all sign frames repaired and painted to brighten them up. For 2010, a new Partnership for Parks grant will help us install mileage markers to improve our ability to report site specific problems to the City and improve Trail directional signage.  Also, a recent National Parks Service Chesapeake Bay Gateway grant will assist us to fabricate and install two new kiosk signs at locations where there are alternative trail routes to chose, thus causing confusion for trail users.    The City of Baltimore’s financial problems also have affected the Gwynns Falls Trail. Earlier in 2009, the City combined the oversight of both the Gwynns Falls Trail and Jones Falls Trail under one manager.  Subsequent budget cuts have reduced the staff resources dedicated to both trails, making our work and your support more important than ever.  These trails are important recreation facilities and economic engines for Baltimore, as evidenced by the articles in the New York Times promoting both trails as unique and great places to go when visiting Baltimore.  Despite the challenges presented by the current economic conditions, the Trail Council is committed to making sure that high standards are maintained for both trails. We ask that you demonstrate your support for the Gwynns Falls Trail by becoming a member of the Council for the 2010 calendar year . Your membership will support fun and engaging activities like Art on the Trail and volunteer environmental restoration projects along the Trail. Membership levels for the Gwynns Falls Trails Council range from $20 - $500. We hope you will consider a contribution of at least $50 to support this important work. Contributions can be made easily online at www.gwynnsfallstrail.org or mailed to: Gwynns Falls Trail Council c/o Parks & People Foundation
800 Wyman Park Drive, Suite 010
Baltimore, MD 21211 The Gwynns Falls Trail Council invites you to come to the Parks & People Foundation office at 800 Wyman Park Drive, Suite 010, on Thursday, November 5, between 4:30 and 6:30 PM to see eleven new kiosk panels sized 4 by 5 feet that will soon be installed along the 15-mile Gwynns Falls Trail. This is a great opportunity for you to see all the panels that are truly works of art representing the rich history and unique environment that will enhance the trail experience for trail users.

Thank you for your support.
Best regards,
 
William F. Eberhart, Jr.
Chair