The Chainlink

Has anyone looked at the "rules" for a photo contest which appears on the front page of TheChainLink?  This contest is promoted by some Australian publisher who probably doesn't know anything about Chicago.

 

http://www.thechainlink.org/page/where-to-bike-chicago-bicycle

 

The list of "acceptable" places for entries is hardly representative of cycling in Chicago.  Acceptable list includes Elston Ave and a bunch of forest preserve trails, That is hardly a cross section of places where people cycle around the Chicago metropolitan area..

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FYI - The route design, writing and most of the photography in this book is being done by the author, so I assume he picked specific locations where he wanted to get pictures from local cyclists. The Australian publisher chose a local author who is VERY knowledgeable about Chicago.
All I see is a banner that says "Where to Bike."
A few times I wondered what would happen if I clicked on it, but I haven't been quite bored enough . . .
M.A.R.K. said:
While I do believe I know what you are hinting at Gary, I think perhaps you pointed it out wrong.. The publisher(or publishing company)is located in Australia, but the author is local, or at least to my knowledge.. I did look at the rules, and since I do not ride with a helmet, and frankly, have a face for radio, I will not be entering.
...

The "must be wearing a helmet" rule is irksome. But it seems like the end product is something like a travel guide and not an attempt to document reality, so I guess they can stipulate whatever fantasy they'd like to try to convey.

I wear a helmet all the time, but I'm opposed to any mandates requiring them. Helmets perpetuate the false notion that riding a bike is inherently dangerous. In general I boycott events such as Bike the Drive that require helmets.
The format of this book is really cool and will be useful to local people looking to explore a wider area around Chicago, to newbies here in town, and tourists. It will include short and easy routes for families, and longer routes for adults. Existing books in our area focus on trails, not streets. This new book will have lots of on-street routes, and a wide variety of rides throughout the area.
The key to everything is to know your audience.

In the case of the advertisment for the photo contest it sends a very strong message. It never says that "insiders know that a Chicago based writer/photographer is taking photos and that that person is a cyclist". All it does say that they want photos of "these specific trails and Elston avenue" and that the publisher is "from Australia".

My part of the audience says that the ad is not targeting the broad spectrum of the TheChainLink members

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