"3 Feet Please" Campaign

[jmizereck]

Thank you Mimi, it's not enough for me either, but it's a start in changing the way motorists interact with cyclists. Most motorists are very respectful of cyclists' need for space. Clearly 70-80 percent of those who pass me move over well beyond 3 feet. I'm not worried about them, in fact I am deeply grateful that they "get it". It's the others that need enlightenment, need guidance, and need to be reminded to give cyclists space...at least 3 feet. If we can get them to think and give us 3 feet, then there is a good chance that someday they will understand why they need to and should give more.

Thank you Mimi,
Joe

[jmizereck]

Lisa, forgive me. I said earlier that I am NOT a not-for-profit organization. Sorry for the confusion. And yes, I do plan to make a profit and I also plan to do some good things with those profits and I'm hoping that fellow cyclists will help me decide where some of those profits will go. My thinking at this point is to contribute 25% of profits to the kinds of programs I mentioned earlier. And I hope to do more.

I know there are a lot of details that need to be worked out, but I wasn't going to let that slow me down for fear that in taking my time to get everything in order another cyclist might be injured or killed.

Currently the campaign is being run under my Joseph B. Mizereck & Associates, Inc. (a for-profit corporation) I plan to establish an umbrella corporation (for-profit) named CycleMedia the first of January underwhich I will operate this campaign. The address will be, as it is now 916 Shadowlawn Drive Tallahassee, FL 32312 and you are welcome to call me at 1.800.761.0907.

Hope this clarifies things,
Joe

[OakLeaf]

Yeah, I have the same concerns as Lisa... but only in the marketing.

I have to say though, I think calling them "$65 T-shirts" is a bit unkind. Voler jerseys are a nice technical fabric, fit me pretty well, have features I like such as a short zipper and three back pockets. With the largest volume discount, custom printed jerseys are $59.95 each. So he's netting $5 per jersey, which is a lot less than "$65 T-shirt" suggests, and that's not taking into account shipping (from Velowear to him, I'm sure the individual shipping is extra if we order one), his time or the little bit of overhead for his work.

I'm guessing that if he does bring out a hi-viz reflective model, they'll be correspondingly more expensive, since a solid color unprinted jersey is $30 on Voler's site while the Night-Brights are $60 (and well worth it IMO). I'd gladly buy one of them with the slogan, too, but I'd be MORE glad if it was honestly represented as a for-profit enterprise rather than a "campaign."

Like, I bought some "peace sign" socks too, but I had no illusions that Sock Guy was donating any of the proceeds to peace-related causes. It was just a way for me to express an opinion and just a way for them to make money.

Mimi, 3 feet may not be enough, but it IS the law. I don't think wearing the jerseys is going to encourage anyone to buzz us any CLOSER than they already do. But maybe, just maybe, it will get some of those who buzz us to move over. Florida in particular is full of people who just have no clue what the law is, and would rather come within inches of a cyclist than touch the yellow line. Personally, I wish the "It's the Law" part was on the back, too.

Heck, my own DH said to me not a month ago, "Did you know that [some state where neither one of us has ever lived] has a law that says you have to give bicyclists 3 feet?" I just about punched him.... ("I don't ride a bicycle, why would I know that?" he says. "Do you drive a school bus? Do you know you're supposed to stop for them?!")


EDIT: And ya know, I give the guy credit for coming back here and taking our heat. A lot of spammers would simply put up their post and leave.

[BleeckerSt_Girl]

My concern here is that this is not a charity or non-profit organization, yet is using TE to sell shirts for a profit.
Yes it is a positive pro-cycling pro-safety message on the shirts. However, at that point anyone can put "Share the Road" or "Fight Cancer" for example on a shirt/jersey and then promote them for sale here, under the protective umbrella of "spreading the word to save lives". If it's a private for-profit business, then this is a commercial sales post, regardless of intentions.

[jmizereck]

OakLeaf, thank you. I hope I'm not perceived as a spammer because I really have come here to share and to learn....if members end up buying jerseys, great. The impact of message gets stronger. If not, that's ok too because I'm also educating. For example, had a friend not talked to her friend about the 3 foot law in Florida a couple of weeks ago, he wouldn't have known about it when he was hit by a truck in Ft. Lauderdale and had to explain it to the four police officers who were at the scene and NONE of them knew about the law. They were going to charge the CYCLIST with some violation. As far as I know they didn't.

I appreciate all the comments...and I have learned some things...so I'm grateful for that. And I got you thinking, with me, about this issue, and maybe something good will come out of it. That's my hope.


Joe

[jmizereck]

Lisa, I appreciate that. Please forgive me and forget I mentioned the jersey at all. Let's focus on this: Motorists are injuring and killing cyclists. What do we do to save ourselves and each other?

Help me answer this question. Share with me your ideas on how I can accomplish my goal of saving cyclists' lives.

Thank you,

Joe

[maillotpois]

Sounds like a great campaign. Good luck!

And as a cycle coach for Team in Training, good luck to you with your leukemia. I am going to put your name on our honoree banner for next season - if that is ok with you??

[Biciclista]

Oakleaf, it's not the law here in the state of washington because it was deemed unenforceable.