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Let's write a letter to a politician a week!

Hey everyone!


As a way to get myself and all of you to flex our bicycle advocacy muscles, I want to organize a simple effort to get more letters (yes, real snail-mail letters, stamped and sealed with a kiss!) over to our politicians about how we want riding bikes in the Pittsburgh area to be safer and better.


What I want is this: For you, aspiring letter-writer, to send me a message or e-mail at rdingfelder at gmail dot com and tell me you're going to write a letter. I will assign to you a week in 2012, and you have the entire week to send that letter. We can negotiate which week it will be. I will e-mail you the week prior and remind you to write your letter, and I'll attach a funny picture of something as your prize. That's all! It's easy.


WHAT TO WRITE?


- keep it simple. Trying to hit a dozen different points can be too much.


- base it around a personal story, especially a story where your or a friend's safety was compromised (i.e I got hit by a car at a spot where the bike lane ended and did not continue into the intersection, so we need more bike lanes.)


- do you want to write about a current event/issue? Write a letter to the editor at the Post-Gazette!


- respectfully call out a politician on something they promised but didn't do!


- general support for connecting trails, complete streets, bike lanes, etc. There are tons of ideas on this website.


WHO TO WRITE TO?


Office of Mayor Luke Ravenstahl

City of Pittsburgh

City-County Building

Fifth Floor

414 Grant Street

Pittsburgh, PA 15219


- Send it to your Councilperson! To find out who that is, click here!


- Writing about a state law? Send your letter to your Senator or Congressperson.


- Money/funding letters should go to the federal gov't!


- You could also send a "Letter to the Editor!"


rachel_ding
2012-01-18 02:14:05

top for the afternoon!


rachel_ding
2012-01-18 17:49:49

This is awesome. Thanks, Rachel, for organizing this!


scott
2012-01-18 18:56:27

I'm in.


Don't forget County Council, which has a geographic rep as well as two at-large seats.


stuinmccandless
2012-01-18 20:54:05

Thanks Stu! We're two letters strong so far. More more more - make it rain!


rachel_ding
2012-01-18 21:02:25

This is such a great idea! So many things to write about!


beccameadow
2012-01-19 19:41:22

you wanna write a letter, becca? :-)


rachel_ding
2012-01-20 23:15:16

Sure, I'm in! :-)


beccameadow
2012-01-26 16:18:24