Moving Beyond the ‘Bikelash’

So you’ve got yourself a bike lane. Great. But guess what you might also have? A bikelash! From cranky columnists complaining about scofflaw cyclists to parking-obsessed NIMBYs who never waste an opportunity to remind you that “this isn’t Amsterdam,” the addition of a bike lane to your community can open up a Pandora’s box of bike hate. But fear not!

Using the tools of social media, old and new journalism, and even improv comedy, changing the conversation and moving beyond the bikelash can happen faster than you think. You just have to help it along. 

At the 2014 National Bike Summit, Bike-blogging duo Doug Gordon (BrooklynSpoke.com) and Aaron Naparstek (Streetsblog.org) will use their experiences over the controversy of the Prospect Park bike lane in New York City to show you how to beat the bikelash — and have fun doing it!  

More on our presenters:

• Doug Gordon is a TV producer and writer whose credits include shows for PBS, Discovery, Travel Channel, National Geographic Channel, VH1 and ABC.. His blog, BrooklynSpoke.com, and Twitter feed, @BrooklynSpoke, are dedicated to the cause of safe, livable streets for pedestrians and cyclists across New York City. 
• Aaron Naparstek is the founder of Streetsblog. Launched in 2006, Streetsblog has played a significant role in transforming New York City transportation policy and galvanizing a Livable Streets movement that is pushing for a more people-centered, less automobile-oriented approach to transportation planning and urban design in communities all around the world.

Join us for this exciting panel at the National Bike Summit in March — register today!

(Photo: Prospect Park bike lane. Credit NYC DOT)