A large community ride-along is a public event designed to demonstrate broad support for bicycling and to give residents a fun, informal way to interact with candidates. Unlike a strategic ride, the goal here is visibility, community building, and fun. It's less of a classroom and more of a parade.
Step 1: The Invitation & Collaboration
This type of event is often a partnership between your organization and a candidate's campaign. You can either organize the ride and invite candidates to join, or you can offer your assistance to candidates who want to host their own ride.
Offering Assistance: A great approach is to send an email to all candidates offering your expertise. Your email can state:
"Our organization is offering free assistance to any candidates interested in hosting a public bike ride. We can provide experienced ride marshals, a pre-ride safety orientation, route planning assistance to ensure a safe and comfortable experience for all, and promotion to the local cycling community."
This collaborative approach positions you as a helpful, nonpartisan resource.
Step 2: Planning a Fun and Accessible Route
The route for a community ride should be designed for riders of all ages and abilities. Safety and comfort are the top priorities.
- Keep it Simple and Safe: Choose a route that uses low-traffic streets, protected bike lanes, and multi-use trails as much as possible.
- Aim for a Short Loop: A 3-5 mile route is a good length. It's long enough to feel like a real ride, but short enough to be accessible to everyone.
- Pick a Great Starting/Ending Point: Start and end at a place that encourages socializing, like a park, a local coffee shop, or a family-friendly brewery. This provides a natural space for the candidate to chat with residents before and after the ride.
Step 3: Promotion, Promotion, Promotion
Since this is a public event, turnout is everything. You need to get the word out through multiple channels.
- Create a Flyer and Event Page: Design a simple, eye-catching flyer and a dedicated event page on your website or Facebook.
- Use All Your Channels: Promote the ride through your email newsletter, social media, and by submitting it to local community calendars.
- Coordinate with the Campaign: Work with the candidate's campaign to ensure they are also heavily promoting the event to their own supporters.
Step 4: Day-Of Logistics and Safety
A smooth, safe event will leave a positive impression on everyone.
- Pre-Ride Safety Briefing: Before the ride, gather everyone for a brief safety talk. Go over basic rules of the road, hand signals, and how the group will stay together.
- Use Volunteer Ride Marshals: As offered in your invitation, have experienced volunteers act as ride marshals. They can help guide the group, manage intersections, and provide assistance to riders who need it. This is the single most important thing you can do to ensure a safe ride.
- Plan a Candidate Stop: Designate one scenic or relevant spot along the route for the candidate to stop and briefly address the group.
- Keep it Fun: The vibe should be positive and celebratory. Play some music from a portable speaker. Encourage people to decorate their bikes.
Step 5: The Social Hour
Often, the most valuable part of the event is the informal conversation that happens before and after the ride. Encourage the candidate to stick around and chat with voters. This is where connections are made. By creating a fun, safe, and well-organized event, you demonstrate the strength of the bicycling constituency and create a memorable experience for candidates and voters alike.