It was a bumpy start for me today as I rode my bicycle to work. I attempted to kick a brown paper bag off my front tire, got my foot stuck in the wheel, and flew forward onto my hands and feet, while I watched my bike do a Ghost Rider 360. Nonetheless, I made it to the park on time, smacked on a few bandages, and happily greeted my fellow Youth Advocates. Jessie delighted us with some trendy t-shirts that had the TA logo on the front and read "One Less Car" on the back. We also received another t-shirt from the recent Tour de Brooklyn, and also our postcards to Mayor Bloomberg! This is the golden key to our master plan for a car-free Prospect Park. Be sure to check them out, and sign one online.

So off we went and split up. I decided to explore the Long Meadow, while Kelena chose the Lake, and Oswald searched the Nethermead. Literally seconds after we separated, I met my first supporter, who signed a postcard. A happy feeling brushed my mind as I thanked the friendly mother and child, and bid farewell. A minute later, I also received my first, no thanks. My jaw dropped. I couldn't believe it happened; I guess I wasn't prepared for such a brutal rejection. I had to dust it off and continue on my path to the Long Meadow. Along the way, I met many pleasant folks who unhesitatingly signed the postcard and wish me luck. However, when I walked into a playground and continued the same routine, a sitting nanny agreed to sign a postcard but informed me that I was not allowed in the playground unaccompanied by children during this time. Well that made sense, because I obviously look like a person out to kidnap children and form a mini-army of Youth Advocates for a Car-Free Park. But, since I did not want any trouble, I heeded her advice and continued my path to the Long Meadow.

Then, I entered a baseball fields where a dozens of campers and their counselors were playing softball in the cool breeze and beaming sunshine. Thankfully, the counselors agreed to sign, and pressured their coworkers to sign too. For a split second I thought about asking the campers too, but it didn't seem like a good idea to ask those adorable first-graders give away their addresses without parental consent. Afterwards, I saw people from the same camp playing soccer in the distance, and it was then I realized that I had entered the Long Meadow -- my destination. I had high hopes for more supporters. I approached a counselor with a smile, and was frowned upon. Then the rest followed suit. It was distressing, but interesting at the same time, because I began to notice a trend. Groups of people tend to respond to the request for a signature for a car-free park with either all yeses or all nos. The people I encountered tend to follow what others were doing: either signing or not signing. So from then on, I hoped for the first person to say yes, because if they didn't, I'd lose hope for the rest.

My little theory was supported when I met the next group of teenagers playing kickball. The first person seemed highly keen for a car-free park. When I asked the second person to sign, he didn't want to, but then the first person stepped in and pressured him to do so. I can't say that I didn't feel bad for the second person, but this was psychology at work, and I couldn't interfere.

In the midst of all the action, I rested my tired legs on a green bench, and gazed at the surreal beauty of endless trees packed against a hazy blue sky on that warm summer day. Sounds of birds chirping and children playing filled the air. I felt sleepy; but I could not tell if I was tired from walking, or if my mind was immersed in that peaceful moment and did not want to leave.

Soon after, I heard the unpleasant but familiar roar of an airplane engine, and decided it was time to go back to work. But I came back with a stronger desire to ensure that Prospect Park becomes car-free.

For the second part of the day, we conducted our own Automobile Speed Study on the Loop Drive. I headed back to meet our crew near the lake and luckily found a couple more supporters. Jessie devised a system for the study so that all four of us were involved. One person used our handy-dandy radar gun to clock the cars speeds, while a second person recorded the speeds, and a third person held up a sign a few feet away from the radar that read "You Are Speeding," while the fourth person stood on cyclist and pedestrian side of the Loop Drive to attract support from the joggers and bikers experiencing the wrath of cars invading their road space. Each of us took a turn doing each job for roughly half an hour, so that the total time was two hours. Coincidentally, this was the same amount of time that the Loop Drive is open to cars in the evening. Isn't Jessie an awesome planner?

The gates were open, and the games began! Farah led the team by clocking the speeds of the first approaching cars (most of which, by the way, were speeding) while Kelena quickly recorded data and Oswald proudly held up the "You Are Speeding" sign. I stood on the pedestrian side and asked interested onlookers to join our race to make our park car-free. It was interesting to notice how a majority of the drivers (including police cars. yes, police cars) failed to follow the 25 mph speed limit in the park. It is also notable that many cars did not slow down after reading our sign, but did slow down when cop cars were nearby.

However, some cars did decelerate when they realized that a speed gun was pointed at them. So the general driver's mentality was to obey the laws only when they might get caught, which is understandable, but unacceptable. Concerns about safety would vanish once the cars are gone, and we will try our best to make that happen.

It was difficult to talk normally to the joggers, so I decided to shout chants such as "No More Cars, Sign a Card!" It was a bit trickier to get signatures on the road because supporters and bikers who wanted to sign couldn't because they did not want to stop. Also, many more were listening to their iPods on full blast so that they couldn't hear anything else. Still, we kept going. Kelena attracted more people with her friendly face, Oswald flattered the crowds with his bright white smile, and Farah pumped those legs and made joggers happy to sign since they didn't have to stop. Eager bikers and joggers even came up to Jessie expressing their strong desire to help get rid of cars in the park, and demanded that they receive their postcard to send to Mayor Bloomberg, to become a part of our great movement.

It was one tremendously successful day. In the end, all of us were panting and exhausted, but it was well-worth the effort. We were able to collect over 110 signed postcards, and conclude our study with staggering, and saddening results. We surveyed over 570 automobiles and found that on the Loop Drive 9 out of 10 drivers were speeding! 90% of people who drive their cars through Prospect Park exceed the posted 25mph limit. We even clocked a school bus driving 42mph and some drivers going as fast as 50mph. How unsafe is that!

It was a difficult day, but things will get easier, and we will win a car-free park for everyone… and I will try not to fall off my bike anymore! There will be more studies to come and eventually the publication of all the data we discovered in the park. Look out for it!