The Arlington PAL (Predictable, Alert, Lawful) Ambassador program wants to communicate with everybody who is using Arlington’s roads, whether they are walking, driving, taking the bus or riding Metro. We PALs would like to be everywhere, all the time, reaching out to people and reminding them to be friendly and safe in the streets. However, much like you, we don’t have unlimited time or money! The closest we can come to universal message domination is to have as many ambassadors as possible taking to the streets when we have events, and to have ambassadors pull around the colorful PAL banner trailers behind a bicycle.

We call it “trailering” and it’s done by me–Annmarie, your Arlington PAL Coordinator!–and two new PALs who have joined my team: Evelyn and Ashley. Trailering, though often fun, can definitely  be a bit tricky at times, particularly in high winds or heavy traffic. One trailer-er, who had her trailer-pulling training session on a particularly gusty day observed “It’s like learning to ride my bike again!”

Evelyn, a lifelong Arlingtonian, who graduated from Washington-Lee High School in 2016. Now she’s in school again and working at Pheonix bikes in South Arlington. When asked why she is drawn to the PAL message, she said “I think it’s important for everyone to be aware of cyclists and of each other,”

Ashley, a filmmaker and bicyclist, has been involved in the PAL program for a year as a volunteer. She likes the community building aspect of being a PAL. She was really excited to have the opportunity to pull the trailer, because, as she put it, “when you have a desk job, it’s nice to do something that’s outside and engage with people.”

Curious about how you can #BEaPAL? Come out and join us for our next outreach block party: Saturday, 1/29 at 12:00 PM @ Pentagon City Metro

On a chilly December night, I walked into Spinfire Pizza and ordered a large pizza. Then I ordered another one. And another one. and still another one…large, for here, please. The woman behind the counter raises an eyebrow. I don’t look like I can put away four pizzas, but what she doesn’t know is that I’m actually ordering for a whole lot of PALs.

I’m Annmarie Dinan Hansen and I coordinate the PAL (Predictable, Alert, Lawful) Ambassador program for Arlington County. The PAL program is run by WABA but exclusively operates in Arlington. We aim to keep people safe as they travel to and from work, school, or fun in the nicest way possible. While bikes are a big part of what we do, our messages are just as applicable for drivers, for bicyclists, and for pedestrians.

We want people to be safe and comfortable and to enjoy getting around, no matter which mode they use.

But what about all that pizza? Well, one of the signature strengths of the program is our incredible group of volunteers. We encourage everyone to give us ideas to work directly in the community, to connect with friends and neighbors, and to spread the message. I’m just one person, but I want to cast a wide net, so I buy folks pizza. And we talk, laugh and brainstorm ways to get people to be more mindful and kind as they go around Arlington.

If you want to join the Arlington PALs, we have a lot in store this winter. It’s easy and fun to make the roads and sidewalks nicer place by spreading the Predictable, Alert, and Lawful message.  Volunteering with PAL could even make YOU a better person. As one of my Volunteers, Greg Luce, said, “as somebody that both bikes and walks, I try to be sensitive to the needs of both people on bike and people walking… [as a PAL] this makes me more conscientious.”

Ready to start? Join us:

At our December “block party” this Friday from 5:30pm-7:30pm on the Georgetown side of the Key Bridge.

For the next brainstorming session at January’s Pizza Party.

Well, the days are short and the nights are long. There’s a chill in the air, and if you don’t want to leave your house you’re…completely normal. But as long as you’re out and about–celebrating the various holidays, seeing friends, giving back to your community–we want you to #BEaPAL!

Arlington’s PAL Ambassadors love this time of year. On Halloween, the PALs gathered in Arlington’s Virginia Square neighborhood to give out candy as Arlington’s chapter of Kidical Mass rolled by in all their halloween glory for some bike-or-treating. The PALs handed out not only halloween candy, but also stickers reminding the kids and their ride leaders to be Predictable, Alert, and Lawful. Don’t know Kidical Mass? Well, it’s a monthly bike ride where families get together and go on an organized ride through the streets of Arlington. It’s very kid-friendly and you can find more info here.

As the holiday season marches on, and it gets darker earlier and earlier, the PALs will be giving out lights and reflective vests to people getting around by bike or foot, in order to maximize their visibility and safety.

Come join the PALs at our monthly “block party” outreach event, where we connect with drivers, pedestrians, and bicyclists: Friday, December 16th from 5:30pm to 7:30pm. We’ll be at Francis Scott Key Park, just across the Key Bridge, in Georgetown. More info here.

There are many ways to enjoy an autumn weekend—yard work, football, washing the car—but now you can add “Reminding bicyclists, motorists, and pedestrians to get along” to the list!

Arlington’s PAL ( Predictable, Alert, Lawful) program aims to keep people safe as they travel to and from work, school, or play in the nicest way possible. Instead of going around yelling “BE CAREFUL!” at one another, the PAL program takes a non-aggressive approach.

Our job isn’t to make people feel bad, it’s to give them tips and info to change their habits, to encourage them to think of their fellow drivers, bikers, and walkers as people, friends, and neighbors.

We all have to get along out there, and being Predictable, Alert, and Lawful (PAL) makes it easy!

We rely on our volunteer PAL Ambassadors to help out and spread the word. Sometimes, we’ll hold up signs, smile, and wave as cars and pedestrians slowly roll by a library in the afternoon. Other times, we’ll give away lights and reflective vests to people jogging and biking at night on a local trail.

It’s hard to feel like a hero sometimes while reminding people to be safe–we’re not running into burning buildings or pushing people out of the way of speeding cars—but we are making a difference. The people of Arlington let us know when they take our advice to heart. Whether that takes the form of a friendly wave from the inside of a car, a conversation in a bike lane, or a smile and nod at a crosswalk, it always feels good to be a PAL.

Upcoming opportunities to #BEaPAL

September Pizza Party!
Thursday, 9/22 from 6:30pm to 9:30pm
Come join us to eat pizza and brainstorm good ideas for future PAL events and outreach.

Sign up here!

September Block Party!
Thursday, 9/29 from 6pm to 8pm.
Once a month, PALs get together to send a message to road users. This month, we’ll be in Pentagon City.

Sign up here!

As the PAL Ambassador, one of my favorite opportunities is assisting with the incredible community organizations here in Arlington. One of the most interesting and innovative groups I’ve discovered is the Bike Club at H-B Woodlawn, a very small magnet secondary school in North Arlington.

H-B Woodlawn is a unique program, with a student’s choice and self-motivation being the values at the core of the institution. I may be a bit biased when I say I’m very proud of this organization, because I am, in fact, an alumni!

Catherine Frum teaches English at Woodlawn most of the time, but after school, she runs the Bike Club. She agreed to tell us about the club and herself.

Annmarie Dinan Hansen: How long Have you been a WABA member for?

Catherine Frum: I’ve been a WABA member for about 5 years.

ADH: And how long have you been at H-B Woodlawn?

CF: I was a student at HB for 6 years and am currently in my 15th year teaching.

ADH: What made you want to start a bike club at HBW?

CF: I’ve been commuting by bike for the last 5 years [Frum lives in Glover Park, DC and commutes 5 miles to Cherrydale, Arlington] … I always try to convince my colleagues to bike to work. They are hesitant for a variety of reasons, but I figure that if I can get kids biking (safely and as advocates) they might become adults who bike more and drive less, and a great way to do this is within the context of a bike club!

ADH: Has it been successful? If so, What do you attribute to its success?

CF: This is its first year and it’s a small but very committed group. I’m surprised that most members show up most of the time!  I think they enjoy the camaraderie and learning about biking. We have one 10th grader who has never biked before and another who bikes everyday, but they are all having fun learning anything from how to change a flat to finding a new route to bike to their friend’s house.

ADH: What do you think is a good way to encourage young adults to be Predictable, Alert, and Lawful (#BEaPAL), while getting around whether it be by bike/metro/driving/walking?

CF: As often as I can, I tell the group about my own biking experiences and demonstrate best practices for cycling. They often don’t know the best ways to be predictable to cars since some of them aren’t drivers yet.  If we can teach this generation to be better PAL’s, then the roads will be full of smarter, safer cyclists in the next few years.

ADH: Awesome, Catherine. Thanks for taking the time to speak with me, and keep up the good work!

CF: Thanks for having me!