Act to help San Diego bicycling... even from afar.
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Jim Baross
Jul 22, 2022, 8:06:57 PM7/22/22
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The San Diego County Bike Coalition will have a bylaw vote next week, July 17th. I am asking CABO people, LCIs and others that are willing to weigh in with a NO vote Do so by joining SDCBC (free), register by 7/25, and vote via Zoom on 7/27. See below for links.
I would not normally ask people to vote that have no local connection, but I have learned that the YES side has been recruiting voters from non-bicyclists and people not in the area. So, I'm asking you.
Here's a short message about 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 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 persons with a Bicycle Driver (they call it VC) 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 bicycle clubs from having a representative on the board.
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, and if it's thrown away, it will be hard to recreate.
Without the current two-tier "organization of organizations" Coalition structure, the Coalition is very likely to morph into a group of self-absorbed, inwardly single-focused activists with a mailing list. Nothing wrong with that per se, but elected officials and gov't staff aren't fools. They will know who's speaking, and who they represent. And there's nothing as powerful as being able to say that the Coalition represents not just a handful of people who like to go to transportation policy meetings but thousands of active cyclists via their representatives.
So please vote No to help us keep it the San Diego Count7 Bicycle Coalition a true Coalition.
How to vote:
- If you’re not already a Coalition member, join (for free) TODAY or very soon, here:
- Register on Zoom by 7/25 to VOTE NO on 7/2.
- Attend a short 7/27 Zoom meeting to VOTE NO online at approximately 6:30PM
Some members of the Coalition are about to "break the chain" of the organization. It all stems from some policy disagreements 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 persons with a Bicycle Driver (they call it VC) 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 bicycle clubs from having a representative on the board.
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, and if it's thrown away, it will be hard to recreate.
Without the current two-tier "organization of organizations" Coalition structure, the Coalition is very likely to morph into a group of self-absorbed, inwardly single-focused activists with a mailing list. Nothing wrong with that per se, but elected officials and gov't staff aren't fools. They will know who's speaking, and who they represent. And there's nothing as powerful as being able to say that the Coalition represents not just a handful of people who like to go to transportation policy meetings but thousands of active cyclists via their representatives.
So please vote No to help us keep it the San Diego Count7 Bicycle Coalition a true Coalition.
Thanks.
Jim Baross
President, Calif. Assoc. of Bicycling Organizations
Board Member, San Diego County Bicycle Coalition
League Cycling Instructor Coach
CyclingSavvy Instructor
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Sender notified by Mailtrack | 07/22/22, 04:35:57 PM |
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