Arsenal of Democracy: Bike Boxes

Go to a bike store and get some bike boxes.


Cut off one side and lay flat.


Paint with roller. (One quick coat with watered down latex is fine.)


Allow to dry. (about ten minutes in the sun)


Cut and/or tape boxes to sizes/shapes desired. For large canvases, tape boxes/flaps together, for smaller ones, cut. One of the beauties of this medium is how little it takes in terms of equipment: with paint, duct tape and a boxcutter you can do pretty much anything.

Bike boxes are made with heavy gauge cardboard and are a good size to work with: big, but not too big. If you're using an overhead projecter, it's easiest to trace the lettering first, then cut the signs. If you don't have an overhead projecter, use your imagination. The important thing is to have dark letters on a light background. So long as your message is large enough and readable, it'll get read.

There are, of course, a variety of ways to post signs so they'll get read, but this one is by far the easiest. It requires no walking, guarantees privacy, and pulls you out of your comfort zone for about 30 seconds. Give it a try if you haven't yet. Make it a resolution.