Why I am voting NO on the Bylaws + We Need Your Help

[karlos]

Everyone received an email from your NCCC rep on the Board at the San Diego County Bike Coalition (SDCBC), Ken Chin-Purcell. He makes compelling logical arguments why you should take 15 minutes of your time to vote NO on July 27th at 6:30pm. Please register to vote here. If you are not receiving SDCBC newsletters, please join for free here to ensure your right to vote.

I am going to keep this simple to provide the truth about the hidden agenda that is behind this and give even more reason to vote NO. Don't be bamboozled by the words diversity, democracy, "progressive intersectional bicycle advocacy." This is truly about removing experienced (sometimes willing to speak their minds) individuals from the Board. Without naming names these are direct quotes from two of the folks leading the charge for these new Bylaws.

1. "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."

2. "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."

Without providing all the reasons that #1 is nonsense, be assured that all these experienced club Board members / VCs are all in favor of building SAFE, WELL-designed bicycle infrastructure to get more butts on bikes and have always held that position.

If "VC" is new to you, it is shorthand for vehicular cyclist, a cyclist who is following all the things taught in Smart Cycling; people who bike in traffic like most NCCC members whether you have a Smart Cycling diploma or not. The term VC has become a derogatory term used by certain bicycle advocates on social media. You and I are most likely a VC and proud of it. I certainly am also an older white male, out of my hands.

Can you also see the hidden agenda? You must register to vote NO by July 25th. The people with the hidden agenda have access to who has registered and they feel they need ~300 to vote Yes by signing up new "members" for free. Every NCCC member is also a SDCBC member by virtue of Ken representing you on the SDCBC Board. Help NCCC, yourself, Ken, me because if all 200 NCCC members vote NO, it only takes a couple of other clubs to squash this unnecessary restructuring of the SDCBC Board. Then SDCBC can settle down and get back to the business of making cycling better for everyone, including those who are yet to become bicycle riders.

Thanks - Karl

[Steve Fox]

So, what happened with the vote?

[karlos]

Yes carried: 213 to 188. NCCC held up its end with NCCC members making up more than their share of (I presume) the No vote. Sadly, one of the clubs with more than 500 members couldn't round up just 25 more votes. The Yes contingent had a big social media campaign to get new people, with no prior support of SDCBC, to join for free at the last minute and vote yes. No harm in doing that. Just like elections everywhere, you lose if you can't get out the vote for your side.