Organize a Car Caravan
Car caravans are among the simplest and most effective ways of expressing a point to the public. A car caravan can be effective with only a few automobiles. Among its other attractions, a car caravan is fun for all participants. Here are some good uses for car caravans:
- Celebrating a holiday
- Visits to “worst” and/or “best” worksites
- Drive-by solidarity with striking workers
- Touring historical sites for educational purposes
- Cruising active worksites during an organizing drive
Organizing a car caravan is really easy, but that doesn’t mean you can’t make mistakes. I once took it for granted that everybody knew what to do, and I lost 4 of the 7 automobiles before we reached the final destination!
Like everything else, planning is critical
Start with the point that you are trying to make and how certain sites may help illustrate the point. Work out a route that can be covered in a reasonable length of time. Make maps and timetables for everyone. Line up participants who have automobiles. Motorcycles and big trucks are even better! Decorate the cars with placards, flags, streamers, tempera paints, and liquid shoe polish. Figure out ways to make noise or otherwise attract attention. It might be appropriate to honk horns or to string cans from the cars’ back bumpers, for example.
If there is highway driving involved, automobile decorations will be severely tested. Crepe paper streamers longer than 3 feet, for example, are sure to tear off in the wind. Placards that aren’t taped down on all sides will tear off. Tin cans, even those secured with the strongest fish line, won’t stay attached at higher speeds. Once torn off, decorations can become a highway menace!
Tell them you're coming!
Let the newspersons know your route, all the stops, and the timetable. Normally, it’s also a good idea to let the police know, but as long as your group observes all traffic laws, there will probably be no problems.
Staying together is a challenge
Put yourself or your most reliable people at the beginning and at the end of the caravan. Use cell phones to stay in contact. It’s likely that the caravan won’t be able to stay completely together, so it’s a good idea to rejoin at every stop.
A car wash is a good place to end the caravan, just to make sure all the paint and decorations get removed.
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