Sponsor the
National Bike Summit
| |
|
|
Join Our List |
 |
|
|
|
Vol. 1, Issue 12 |
November 30/2011 |
|
Greetings!
Tomorrow is December 1, and this means a couple things. This is the twelfth issue of the Headset for 2012, and we hope you have enjoyed this additional insight into the workings of the League - we don't have an official survey form, but if you want to give us your feedback please send me an e-mail with your comments and suggestions for the future! December also brings the League's year end appeal - you should have seen or will soon
be getting a letter in your mailbox. Membership dues and additional contributions beyond those dues remain our largest single source of income, so please take a minute or two to review what we've accomplished this year on your behalf. Learn what we've got ahead of us in 2012 and think about how you can contribute to our success. One way is to donate here.
Our affiliated clubs and advocacy groups are also a vital source of support. Not every club can match the incredible gifts of $5,000
that we recently received from both the Boca Raton Bicycle Club and Narragansett Bay Wheelmen, but every little bit really does help when you have close to 700 local clubs and 200 advocacy group affiliates!
|
What Happens to the Sidepath Law Petition?
|
|
A few days after release of the Senate transportation bill, we  created the online Rights to the Road petiton to give voice to the considerable concerns in the cycling community over the threatened imposition of a mandatory sidepath law on Federal
lands. While this provision of the bill is relatively obscure and hasn't attracted quite the same attention as the significant proposed funding changes, those 46 words would have a profoundly negative effect on the fundamental rights of cyclists to operate on our nation's roadways. The provision only affects Federal lands but the very real fear is that it could reverse a 40-year trend to rid state and local vehicle codes of this kind of restrictive language.
We chose to create an online petition because it gives folks who are angry about this provision a place to express that concern while we figure out where the
language came from and how we can get rid of it most effectively. A letter-writing or e-mail campaign wouldn't have had a real target or purpose - the bill was moved out of Committee within a matter of minutes with absolutely minimal amendment (agreed-upon ahead of time by the Committee leadership) and the bill is now just sitting there waiting for other things to happen before moving to the Senate floor, probably in January. Now we can go to key Senators, or a champion who wants to help us get rid of the provision, armed with more than 11,500 names and a lot of comments -- look to the right of the petition and refresh your
screen to seen new comments! -- on the petition. That's pretty helpful! So, a big thank you to everyone that has signed and circulated the petition - keep it going for now! |
Insurance Review Call -- Join Us
|
|
Join us for the club insurance call this December 8 at 8pm. We're collecting feedback on the 2011 League insurance program for clubs, advocacy organizations and rides. We'll use your comments to help the League improve the 2012 package. Marla Peters of American Specialty and Andy Clarke will join us on the call. Please RSVP to Scott Williams at sc...@bikeleague.org, and he will send you further conference call information.
|
LCI Handbook -- Watch for it!
|
| |
At the start of 2012, League Cycling Instructors (LCIs) will have a new tool -- a LCI Handbook. This handbook will serve as a go-to guide for LCIs who are interested in offering classes and need a refresher or two. In addition to general class info, LCIs will find information on how to market their classes, opportunities on becoming more involved in the Bicycle Friendly America programs, answers to all of their insurance and class posting questions, facilitation techniques, and much more! This piece was developed based on the LCI feedback that was shared this summer - thank you for your input!
|
Bicycle Friendly America Local Reviewers
|
|
Bicycle Friendly America (BFA) applicants span the U.S. from coast to coast and every state in between. We rely on our local reviewers to give us key insight into the communities, businesses, and universities that apply. To keep us organized and to find new reviewers, we are building a local reviewer database for the BFA program. Local insight is a chance for the League to know how bike-friendly initiatives are perceived from the local level. If you have been a local reviewer in the past or are knowledgeable about bike issues and would like to become a new reviewer, please sign-up here! Your input is invaluable. Contact Bill Nesper if you have any questions.
|
League Board Elections -- Candidates Announced
|
|
The Leagues' national board of directors election is a critical responsibility for every League member, and the League is happy to announce a slate of four qualified candidates to fill three vacant spots. We encourage you to help shape the future of the League by reviewing the strong slate of candidates and casting your vote starting January 3, 2012. Visit bikeleague.org/elections for the most up-to-date information on the elections schedule, how the process works and the candidate bios.
|
League Cycling Instructor Seminars 2012
|
|
Over the past few weeks, we have received several inquiries from individuals who are eager to become League Cycling Instructors (LCIs). This may be due to New Year's resolution pre-planning, but we anticipate even more requests for LCI certification as we approach the close of this year. With 2012 just around the corner, we need to post seminars on the calendar as soon as possible so participants can plan accordingly. If you are interested in hosting a seminar (or know someone who is), please contact Alissa Simcox.
|
Tell Us Already!
|
|
Bring it -- the League wants to know what you really think about us, and we mean it. If you are a club or advocacy organization member or an individual member, please take the surveys below. Your answers, combined with feedback from the board, influence the League's direction. From club webinars to the Every Bicyclist Counts Web site, ideas like this are generated from our survey results. See, we do listen! Please take the following surveys as applicable to your membership.
They are online now: Member Survey, Club Survey, and Advocacy Organization Survey.
*If you take the membership survey you are automatically entered to win a cash prize. Isn't it time you bought that new light? |
League Travels
|
|
If you are looking for the chance to see League staff in person, look for us at these events and activities in the coming month:
- Action 2020 Workshop - Dec. 2, Houston, Texas -- Darren Flusche, Matt Wempe, and Brighid O'Keane in attendance.
- Johns Hopkins University Bicycle Friendly Business Awards Presentation - Dec. 7, Laurel, Md. -- Alison Dewey in attendance.
- BFA Listening Session - Dec. 13, Denver, Col. -- Andy Clarke and Bill Nesper in attendance.
- Action 2020 Workshop - Dec. 15, Hartford, Conn. -- Darren Flusche, Matt Wempe, and Brighid O'Keane in attendance.
|
|
Thanks for reading The Headset -- we appreciate your membership. If you need to renew with the new year, you can do so here. Have a great upcoming holiday season.
Sincerely, 
Andy Clarke
League of American Bicyclists |
|
|
