Sandwich Boards and Politics

My wife (DW) and I occasionally cycle from our home, in Barrhaven, to Stittsville. It's a relatively short ride, for the two of us, at about 38 kilometers, round-trip, but it's worth it for a very good reason.

Quitters.

This coffee shop, owned by singer-songwriter Kathleen Edwards, is a gem of a spot. A haven for cyclists, you'll often find a few bikes around back. They have great coffee, great treats, and the best breakfast sandwich in the city.

DW and I stick to roads, for the most part, obeying the rules all the way. As we approach Stittsville, we spend a bit of time on the Trans-Canada Trail, the old railway line that passes very close to Quitters. As we approach Village Square Park, we dismount and walk our bikes around the corner, onto Main Street, and park our bikes behind the coffee shop.

On the last couple of trips out to Stittsville, DW and I have noticed a few sandwich boards along the path and in the park. These signs remind cyclists to stay below 20 kph while on the path (we slow down whenever we see other people on the path) and to walk your bikes when crossing the road. Messages accompany the images.

At the bottom of the signs, in the largest font size on the sandwich board, is the name of Stittsville's municipal councillor, Glen Gower.

Glen and I have been social-media friends for a number of years (long before he ran for public office) and have met on a few occasions. As the former owner of the Ottawa blog, OttawaStart, Glen has shared some of my photos and even, at one time, copied my Where In Ottawa photo challenge. He's a decent guy, so when I saw these signs, I reached out to him through Twitter and asked why his name was on the signs.

Glen told me that he had used his office's budget to have the signs made up. His constituents love them and have told him so, he said.

But why is his name so prominent, I asked. Glen told me, through a tweet, "Everything a municipal councillor does involves some level of promotion - from our email newsletters to Facebook videos to mailers to tents or banners at the local picnic. Part of the job is making sure residents know who we are and what we do. You may disagree on this!"

My initial reaction to the sandwich board was that the messages were good. Cyclist should slow down and share the path with other cyclists, pedestrians, and runners. I agree that walking your bike across a roadway at a pedestrian crossing is not only safe for everybody but is also the law. Glen's signs have reiterated what is already legislated. Good for him.

But why is his name larger than the message that he wants to convey? To me, his name draws more attention than anything else.

With the federal election underway, we see campaign signs all over, with candidates splashing their names all over front lawns and public spaces. Whenever I see a politician's name on a sign, I think that they are campaigning.

Save that for election time.

I asked Glen if anybody can put signs up with their name on them. To this, he replied, "Also - yes, if an individual or community group wants to come forward to fund a campaign that promotes community safety and courtesy, I am all ears!"

I'm tempted to make some signs that remind motorists that cyclists have an equal right to be on the road. The message would be under THE BROWN KNOWSER, in a font size that's twice as large.

Thoughts?

It's a shame that Glen's name is on these signs. Because his title is also on them, they're only good for as long as he's in office. While I wish him much success, there's no guarantee that those signs will be around after the next municipal election.