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.

Trailering

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.”

Join us

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