The list: Put out a yard sign! Lock your bike outside

We had a Neighbors Project board meeting last night at Nick's house in Logan Square. Nick is an uber-neighbor -- and the first one to suggest that "say hi to your neighbors" be at the top of our list of ideas -- and he once again inspired me to add two more items to our Neighbors Checklist:

Note: We are not endorsing any candidates, just the signs.

Put out a yard sign: Neighbors Project can't and won't endorse specific candidates so I won't tell you whose sign he had on his mini lawn. But suffice it to say that there is a heated campaign going on leading up to the run-off between Wilma Colom and Ald. Rey Colon (yep, you read those last names right) for 35th Ward alderman election, and Nick had a sign for one of them up on his lawn. He told me that some of his neighbors have signs for the opposing candidate up on their house and he's wondering how he can delicately ask them why they're supporting that person.

My neighborhood, the 32nd Ward, is also being deluged by attack mailers and door knockers from both of the run off candidates, Ald. Ted Matlak and Scott Waguespack (again, two spectacular names), and there are signs everywhere. (I'm linking candidate surveys from the ones who responded to us.) I'm so used to living in places with completely uncontested elections that it's never occurred to me to put out an endorsement sign. But Nick reminded me that it's quite neighborly -- and generally important -- to show that you care about the political leadership of your neighborhood. A sign, and of course a trip to the polls on voting day, is a very simple way to help create a dynamic political culture in your neighborhood. I'm going to request one today for my windows, even though I live in a coach house that can only be seen from the alley. I suppose you could also make your own. Either way, can you tell that I'm giddy about bonafide competitive elections?

Lock your bike in front of your house/apartment: Even though he is blessed with a garage that can easily fit all of his bikes, Nick made a conscious decision to begin locking his Schwinn cruiser commuting bike on a pole in front of his house overnight a while back. He's been leaving it out through the horrible Chicago winter and even when he's on vacation. He thought that it would help create more of a sense of street life and safety if his bike was always on the street, except when in use. I think he's right. When you can leave your bike or stroller out in your front area, whether it be on your porch or in your yard or on the sidewalk, your neighborhood seems safer and friendlier to everyone.

Of course, you do run some risks. When I was living in Ft. Greene, Brooklyn, I started locking my bike to a pole in front of my apartment overnight because I was sick of carrying it up four narrow flights in the sweltering heat of summer every day. It worked out well until I came down one morning and found that someone had stabbed my tire with a knife. That was my only bike at the time and I was pissed. I'm sure that if I had been less attached to it, it wouldn't have bothered me as much. Case in point, my fiance, who is deeply attached to his many attractive bicycles, told Nick that he was "a brave, brave man" when he heard his plan. So you need to be able to stomach the possibility that something could happen to your bike; that said, Nick has yet to have anything happen to his lovely Schwinn Suburban. I should also add that the effect is better when your bike is pleasing to the eye and not one step away from the junk heap, and is not blocking the sidewalk.

UPDATE: Amazingly, someone has been locking their bike to my front fence for the last few days. I assume it's one of my neighbors. Wonderfully coincidental!

Have good examples of either of these ideas? Add them to the Neighbors Project flickr photo pool. We may feature your photos, with full credit to you, on our blog and elsewhere.