May 2001 - Issue 2

Education is the Best Advocacy: The Texas Bicycle Coalition On How It Mobilized Constituents Online and Got Legislators to Listen

The Texas Bicycle Coalition on how it mobilized constituents online and got legislators to listen.

Using the Internet to Expand the Constituent Base

Because the TBC tackles the larger issues of land use, urban growth, and federal transportation spending, as well as legislation specific to cyclists, the organization is reaching out to students, parents, teachers, environmentalists, and healthcare providers and administrators. TBC has been reaching its constituents through traditional media such as newsletters, and ride expos, but is finding that the best way to reach cyclists and non-cyclists alike is through technology. According to Preston Tyree, TBC Education Director, "One key benefit of the web site is that it allows for more depth of information." Visitors to the TBC site can link to other web sites to learn more about those issues of interest to them, so TBC can serve as the primary resource and repository of knowledge for all of its constituents.

Online Advocacy: Breakdown of Events

The Issue:
The Texas Bicycle Coalition has generated attention for its advocacy efforts opposing Senate Bill 238, which was sponsored by State Senator Jeff Wentworth. The original bill would have placed severe restrictions on cyclists (requiring them to wear large orange, reflective triangles, forcing them to ride single file, and forbidding groups larger than two from riding together on farm and market roads with unimproved shoulders).

The Action:
Within an hour of learning about the filing of the bill (late on a Friday afternoon), TBC was able to post the information on their web site and listservs.

The Response:
By Tuesday of the following week, TBC had already received hundreds of e-mails, and captured the attention of two-time Tour de France Champion Lance Armstrong, who posted a statement opposing the bill on his web site (http://www.lancearmstrong.com/) as well as a link to the TBC site. Within three weeks, TBC had registered over 100 new members. The counter on its web site reported that even two weeks after the bill was posted, the TBC was receiving 2,000 visits to its site in one week. On April 30th, the Senate State Affairs committee met to review a Committee Substitute bill with new text reducing the number of roads from which a County Commissioners Court can ban bikes. Thanks to the TBC, 60 people testified against the bill while only three testified in favor. The bill was left pending due to the lack of a quorum. The TBC is continuing its efforts to raise awareness about the bill, but is very encouraged by the online response. The organization credits its success in this campaign to the power of viral e-mail forwarding and listservs that enable a small grassroots organization to cheaply and quickly communicate with members all over Texas, the nation and even the world about urgent issues. The power of viral marketing was also tapped during this campaign. Not only did friends refer friends to the site, but seven other web sites, four local Austin television channels and four Texas newspapers are still referring people to the TBC web site.

A Successful Model for Small Grassroots Organizations

Other nonprofits are turning to the TBC for examples on how the Internet can be used to power successful advocacy, education and organizational growth. According to Gayle Cummins, Executive Director of the TBC, as a member of the Thunderhead Alliance of bicycle legislation advocacy groups, TBC has taken the lead in bicycle advocacy and many coalition members are turning to the TBC for advice. Online advocacy gives the TBC the ability to react quickly and generate timely responses from supporters. The expanded capacity to reach a wider and more diverse pool of constituents is another benefit of TBC's online presence. On a very limited budget, this small organization has garnered national attention, impacted state and national legislation, and extended educational efforts to reach a greater number of children, parents, and teachers -- using technology to successfully bring cycling issues into the limelight.

What's Next?

Following its mantra that "education is the best advocacy," TBC is also planning an educational web site as part of the Texas SuperCyclist Project to help train teachers, children and parents regarding the benefits of cycling and bicycle safety.

About The Texas Bicycle Coalition

The Texas Bicycle Coalition was formed in 1990, and now has a membership of over 1,000. Of the 250 bicycle shops in Texas, 70 are members of TBC, making it the country's largest group of bicycle retailers who support a bicycle advocacy organization. Gayle Cummins and Preston Tyree both came to TBC three years ago, and they dramatically reshaped the organization. One of its most recent and high-impact initiatives was the restructuring of the design and functionality of the web site. The current site now includes online registration and donation capabilities, online advocacy resources, and several areas for capturing visitor e-mail addresses, listservs and simple, one-click navigation. For more information on TBC, go to http://www.biketexas.org/.