After reaching out to the American Heart Association and receiving encouraging feedback, I (J. Mike Kaiser) decided to reach out to a large bicycle coalition group -- the Alliance for Biking and Walking. These people as I found out (after reading more on their site) are a huge resource for advocates of either bicycling or walking--promoting a healthier lifestyle. I highly recommend visiting their website: www.bikewalkalliance.org.
Below is the letter of request for information/support that I sent originally to the Alliance for Biking and Walking. Here is the response with answers by the organization with website links--click here -- to access--SUPER INFORMATIVE--Thank you Brighid and Christy!!!
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On Mon, Nov 24, 2014 at 2:48 PM, Kaiser, John M <john.kaiser@csun.edu> wrote:
Dear Advocacy Director Brighid O'Keane,
I am very happy to have found and signed up for the newsletter for the Alliance for Biking & Walking. Bicycling has become a passion and way of commuting for my wife and myself. My wife and I have over the last year and a half -- have started commuting to work by a blended system--by bicycle and light rail (Metrolink Train). We have been trying to advocate a healthier lifestyle through ourwebsite--www.kaiserwellnesscenter.com. Part of those efforts has been tracking our progress at (blogging, maps, recipes, etc.) reducing our weight and attaining better health--which we have seen. Out of the excitement that we have seen in our own improvement of health, we have managed to motivate others (slow process though).
My question to you is how to overcome an obstacle that we have gone up against in our advocacy efforts. A month ago, my mother (who is a nurse and promotes preventative measures -- such as healthy living -- to reduce cardiovascular disease) sent me two wonderful documents released by the American Heart Association AHA which I have attached in the e-mail. The statistics blew my mind away and caused me to start advocating at the local level for bicycle infrastructure improvements. We are trying to reduce obesity and diabetes which lead to cardiovascular disease by motivating others to start incorporating a blended commute into their lives as well. We have been successful (a few other professionals have started riding the train and bicycle) with our efforts. One major problem is the bicycle infrastructure on our local light rail train -- Metrolink Train. There is no consistent or dedicated bicycle car on each train. Periodically, a train will come with two dedicated bicycle cars and then one with none??? Over the last few months I have started to gather some pictures and organize them into a "power point presentation" which I have also attached to illustrate the point--there needs to be a dedicated bicycle car on each train to motivate current passengers and future passengers the assurance of space allocated on each train to accompany the new (and healthy) lifestyle.
A couple of weeks ago, I sent a letter to Mayor Eric Garcetti and Los Angeles City Council Members with all of the information that I have included as attachments (minus the response from Metrolink that I just received last Monday). I was wondering the following questions from your organization:
1) What type of grant (not necessarily from your organization but from the government health agencies) would one "apply for" in order to fund the type of bicycle infrastructure changes discussed in our presentation -- a dedicated bicycle car on each train (which increase the quality of health by reducing obesity and stress)?
2) More specifically, what type of grant can we suggest (or pass onto) to the Metrolink in order to get this change implemented?
3) How do we promote this change more effectively by utilizing the data contained in the American Heart Association reports along with wonderful data from the "2014 benchmark report" found on your site (and other advocacy organizations for increased bicycle infrastructure improvements)?
I recently (last--Monday) received a response from the Metrolink Train association that I have attached also. What can we (my wife Kayla and I) do to get a change implemented? Further, in the Metrolink's response, the indication of a demand request is present. The problem as stated in my letter to politicians is that the argument for demand is circular in nature. Over the last year, people with whom we have spoken with said they would ride the train if there was a dedicated car. Currently, the allotted spaces fill and then no further room is available (as shown in our power point presentation -- attached).
I must admit that I just found the report that was released by your organization--Alliance for Biking & Walking--titled "Bicycling and Walking in the United States 2014: benchmark report." I will read through the report. We are new to the advocacy for bicycle infrastructure improvement movement even though we have always held a passion for bicycling and running.
I hope that the Alliance for Biking and Walking can help us pursue this change. Maybe by helping us with an endorsement ( a letter?) which we can pass on with the current statistics to our local Congressman Adam Schiff? Maybe another form of help that we are unaware of? I appreciate any help available. Thank you in advance for suggestions. Have a great day.
Sincerely,
J. Mike Kaiser
John Michael Kaiser
Instrument Manager
Department of Chemistry and Biochemistry
California State University at Northridge
18111 Nordhoff St.
Northridge, CA 91330-8262
Ph: (818)677-6887