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I can write and read about bicycle advocacy all day long on this site.  I could post 25 times per day and even if I had 40,000 readers per day taking in everything I write, it will never do any good if no one acts on it.

The best advocacy in the world for any issue, not just bicycling, is totally useless if someone doesn’t take action to do something.

There are a lot of ways to take action.  There are a lot of ways to take action, to act, to support bicycling.  Here are just a few examples:

1. Ride your bike
1. The more you ride your bike, the more others will see you riding.  This has a ripple effect of passively encouraging others to do the same.  It has been said that the average cyclist influences at least 3 others to start cycling.  I know that I am directly responsible for at least 5 people getting started.
2. Join a Local Bicycle Club
1. There are local bicycle clubs all over the place.  There are multiple clubs in every major city in the U.S. and clubs in many smaller towns as well.  If there isn’t a club in your town, start one.  Nothing is more effective at changing local laws or growing support in a small are than a local group of active cyclists speaking up for what they want.
3. Contact your local City Council
1. Usually the City Council is who you should contact to get road and signal safety issues addressed within the city limits.  They also influence and under some circumstances can change local laws as well. 
4. Write letters to the editor in your local news paper
1. Writing a letter to the editor of your local news paper is a great way to get your opinion heard.  If there is an issue that you feel isn’t getting enough attention write to the paper about it.  They may publish your letter and/or do a follow up story about it.  This can grow a lot of public intrust about an issue.
5. Join your state bicycle association.
1. Almost every state in the U.S. has a bicycle association of some form.  Here in Missouri there are several different associations that represent road racing, off road racing, and cycling as a whole.  Your state probably has similar groups.
2. These groups can effectively represent cyclists on a state level to state governments to encourage and improve cycling state wide.
6. Join a National Bicycle Association
1. You can also join a association like USA Cycling which represents bicycle racing in the U.S.  An association like USA Cycling has the resources and contacts to get issues heard by the federal government.
7. Contact your State and Federal Representatives
1. Every citizen has the right and the ability to contact your government representatives.  You can call, e-mail, snail mail, and even visit your state and federal representatives.  Each of these representatives have staff members that read these letters and messages.  The most compelling and unique messages get the most attention.  So hand write a letter or get everyone in your bike club to send an e-mail with the same subject or get them all to call their representative on the same day. 

So get out there and start making a difference.  Oh and if you have any other ways to spread the word please leave a comment.