Lead by example
This campaign tip (no. 67) was published on Friday, 8th March 2019
I have campaigned for public transport improvements - getting more people to use existing public transport, getting existing public transport tuned to meet modern requirements, and getting more public transport provided where there is a sustainable case. In doing so, I have had to travel to lots of meetings and I have made a point of travelling on the services that I promote. They may not have been ideal, so why?
1. I'm learning - I get a far better understanding of the system that I'm promoting or looking to improve
2. I get a chance to interact with current users - tell them what's going on and making good use of my time
3. I'm strengthened at meetings - "On the train coming to this meeting ...". "Look - I use the current service and ..."
At times, using public transport can lengthen journeys ... but typically it should still be taken if it's what you're campaigning for. I have work to do, a laptop, internet connection and I can work from a train or from a cafe or waiting room (less easily on a bus that's going around lots of corners) so that the time is not really of the great a concern.
There are limits. Earlier this week, I was at a meeting about 20 miles from my home town of Melksham, with another meeting in Melksham that ended such that I only had an hour to travel. Trains to near the meeting venue involved a change or even two, and arrived there only hourly - at the wrong time in the hour. Buses meant a wriggle along busy roads with lots of stops into the centre of Bath and then the same out again. I drove (but, more fool me, I got stuck in a traffic jam to road works for half an hour and walked in very late ...)
Discussion via Coffee Shop forum
1. I'm learning - I get a far better understanding of the system that I'm promoting or looking to improve
2. I get a chance to interact with current users - tell them what's going on and making good use of my time
3. I'm strengthened at meetings - "On the train coming to this meeting ...". "Look - I use the current service and ..."
At times, using public transport can lengthen journeys ... but typically it should still be taken if it's what you're campaigning for. I have work to do, a laptop, internet connection and I can work from a train or from a cafe or waiting room (less easily on a bus that's going around lots of corners) so that the time is not really of the great a concern.
There are limits. Earlier this week, I was at a meeting about 20 miles from my home town of Melksham, with another meeting in Melksham that ended such that I only had an hour to travel. Trains to near the meeting venue involved a change or even two, and arrived there only hourly - at the wrong time in the hour. Buses meant a wriggle along busy roads with lots of stops into the centre of Bath and then the same out again. I drove (but, more fool me, I got stuck in a traffic jam to road works for half an hour and walked in very late ...)
Discussion via Coffee Shop forum
