[Jim Baross]

I am asking CABO people, LCIs and others that are willing to weigh in with a NO vote do so TODAY by joining the San Diego County Bicycle Coalition (free), to register TODAY, and to vote via Zoom on 7/27. See below for links.

How to vote:

If you’re not already a Coalition member, join (for free) TODAY or very soon, here:
https://sdbikecoalition.org/join/

Register on Zoom by 7/25 to VOTE NO on 7/2.
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_5_lr3QtGSaK2IKe1A2lhIA

You will be given a link to aAttend a short 7/27 Zoom meeting to VOTE online at approximately 6:30PM on July 27th.

Here's why I'm asking people to vote no.

Some members of the Coalition are about to "break the chain" of the organization. It all stems from some policy disagreements about infrastructure standards by a few passionate people. The world needs passionate visionaries, but tempers can flare when the visions don't align; keeping a "Bicycle Coalition" requires including all responsible bicyclists' points of view. In the course of this dispute, bicycle clubs in general and "old white males" with a Bicycle Driver (they call it VC/vehicular cycling) background and orientation have been demonized toward ostracization.

One faction now feels ascendant and has decided in a feat of pretzel logic that the way to Save the Coalition is to end the Coalition format. They want to end the long time structure, reduce the size of the Board, and especially limit experienced bicycle clubs and members from having a representative on the board.

Here are quotes from two of the proponents.
"For those unaware, the Bicycle Coalition has been held hostage for years by a group of cyclists who are against building the safe, protected bicycle infrastructure San Diego County needs to get more people riding bikes. These cyclists — mostly older, white men — have held our organization hostage, bullying anyone who disagrees with them and causing massive internal issues in our advocacy work."

"I hope you also know that there are people like me who have been involved for more than 10 years trying to get us to this historic vote. It has been years of struggle to get our board to a place where we could put this before the membership and finally have a chance to eliminate the hold the cycling club / VCs have on this organization."

We now have a true Coalition and the credibility that follows with elected officials, the general public, bicycle transportation planning consultants, and government staff. The Coalition currently has a structure where thousands of people who have a big stake in cycling - bike club members and Bicycle Drivers too - have a direct conduit to the policy via their elected Board representatives. This Coalition experience is an asset; if it's thrown away, it will be hard to recreate.

So please register TODAY to vote No to help us keep it the San Diego Count7 Bicycle Coalition a true Coalition.

 
Thanks.

Jim Baross
Board Member, League of American Bicyclists
President, Calif. Assoc. of Bicycling Organizations
Board Member, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition

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07/25/22, 03:54:16 PM