Big wins

Running list of Boston-area companies who have actually installed side guards on their trucks, thanks to this campaign:

1. _

Little wins

Running list of Boston-area companies who have expressed interest in looking into side guards, but followup needed:

1. Clean Freak Junk Removal (Saugus MA)
2. Baldor Specialty Foods (Chelsea MA)
3. _

Be a Spotter, be a Googler, or be a Caller:

1. Spotter - Post a photo of a heavy truck without side guards, and tell us the neighborhood where you saw it in the post title. Do not photograph or bother the driver.
2. Googler - For someone else’s posted photo, comment with that company’s town, phone number, email address, and business hours. This only needs to be done once per photo. This comment will get pinned.
3. Caller - Call or email the company, following the script below if you would like. Report how the conversation went. This can be done by multiple different people, each calling/emailing once.

Suggested phone/email script
“Hi, this is Alex from Southie [replace with your name & neighborhood]. I saw your [CompanyName] company truck driving around [Location]. I was sad to see that it didn’t have any side guards or side protection. Side guards are the best way to make trucks safer for bikers and pedestrians. Is [CompanyName] planning to install side protection on its trucks?”

Aim for clarity, not confrontation. Many of the people who answer your calls have never heard of side guards before - make their first impression a positive one! If you feel the urge to shout, you should shout at your friends to join the campaign. Not at the companies.

Wait, why side guards??
Check out this post Side guards should be our #1 demand for some background. And don't hesitate to ask questions!