 first things first stirrings of change coming together getting things done links to marketing campaigns |
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First Things First
The truth is that most people DON'T think of themselves as pedestrians. This low awareness is one of the biggest obstacles that anyone who promotes walkable communities face.
Low awareness comes at a high price. In the case of walkability, that means there are few advocates for a cause that is misunderstood—largely because most people do not see themselves as pedestrians. And when they don't recognize that they are pedestrians, they have low or no expectations of what their rights as pedestrians are.
There is no question that conditions for bicycling and walking need to be improved in every community in the United States. It is no longer acceptable that 6,000 bicyclists and pedestrians are killed in traffic every year, that we have the most sedentary generation of young people in history, that people with disabilities cannot travel without encountering barriers, that the two cleanest, most desirable and efficient modes of travel—walking and bicycling—have been made difficult and uncomfortable.
But, first things first — before we can make any real change in our communities, we must first make people aware of the need for change, and the potential for improvement. And in order to get that message across to the public, outreach and promotion groups must first make two things clear:
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1. Whether you're climbing a rugged peak or just the steps to
the corner coffeeshop, you are a pedestrian.
2. We're all pedestrians to some degree and so pedestrian issues affect us all.
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| As pedestrians, we all have certain rights and responsibilities. |
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| When pedestrians demand their rights (to walkable streets, for example) and uphold their responsibilities (to obeying traffic laws, for instance), they are doing their part to create and maintain walkable communities. |
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| More walkable communities, in turn, foster more livable communities. |