For most of my many years cycling, I rode in fear. When a loud motor vehicle came up behind me, I cringed and hoped it wouldn't run me over. Twice, I even rolled off the edge of the road and fell in the ditch.
In March 2007, 9 months after the BB formed, LCI Mark Archibald came down from Grove City and taught us Road I, now called Traffic Skills 101. I will never forget the Sunday afternoon after the class, I went for a ride and the fear was gone.
I used to often have motorists practically run me off the road, blow their horns and give me the finger. That hardly ever happens anymore and surprising numbers of motorists toot and wave at me when they pass even when I've held them up for a while.
I really can't blame motorists and police for having little respect for cyclists when so many cyclists disobey the rules of the road and ride like squirrels. People keep pushing for "facilities" to "make cycling safer" but I found that just getting educated made cycling so much safer for me. Getting educated also showed me that some "facilities" can make cycling dangerous. At least once a month or perhaps even more frequently, I read about some cyclist killed while riding at the right edge of the road or in a bike lane or on the shoulder, e.g. http://bikeportland.org/2012/09/26/da-finds-no-criminal-negligence-in-kathry... . And of course, the police are too busy busting kids for smoking cigarettes and writing laws to ban unicyclists to help educate cyclists on their rights and duties and motorists on how to drive around bicyclists.
I would enjoy facilitating collaboration of a group of educated and experienced mutually respectful cyclists that continuously and diligently expand our body of knowledge for the purpose of ensuring cyclists' equality with motorists, rights to the road, and safe operation. In April 2007, 11 of our members completed Road I or TS101. 5 of our current BB members have completed TS101; 3 from that original group in 2007. 7 of our current regular members have not taken TS101 and none of our ex-officio members have taken it.
I've tried to share my TS101 knowledge and skills with others including BB members but it seems to me we're having more and more of the same conversations over and over again that I don't think we'd be having if everyone embraced TS101 and if we didn't have such high member turnover. Chairing this group has become too much like the burden of Sisyphus or the movie Groundhog Day for me.
I will do what I can to smooth the transition to a new chairperson but I'm not going to chair any more BB meetings. If nobody wants to volunteer to be chairperson, I recommend that at the December meeting, we nominate candidates from the existing membership and vote for them. That's how I got the job.
While I still can, I'm going to ride!
Frank Cyclists fare best when they act and are treated as drivers of vehicles - John Forester, Effective Cycling Lead, follow or get out of the way - Thomas Paine Un opera buona puó avere un solo primadonna - Frank Gmeindl
On Nov 2, 2012, at 6:19 PM, Graber, Stephen wrote:
Frank, Because I feel responsible for pushing you over the edge last night I thought I would comment. I believe you are the best and perhaps the only person who can effectively chair the Bike Board at this time. Everyone in attendance at last nights meeting expressed similar sentiments after you left. If for any reason I am making your role as chair more difficult than it already is I would be happy to resign from the board so you might continue to provide effective leadership to the organization. I am also happy to remain on the board and continue to make the small contributions I am able to offer. I think the most important thing we might accomplish is to have you continue to serve as chair.
That said, I ask you to consider the following regardless of whether I remain on the board or not. I offer this only so some good might come of last nights uncomfortable ending. If you decide to remain as chair (and I and probably everyone else really hopes you do) you might define a term after which you will call for the nomination and election of the next chair AND at the same time agree to serve until the end of this term without resigning or threatening to resign (other than for unforseen mitigating circumstances of course). At the end of that term you can decide to accept your likely nomination and election for another term or not. Your resignation last night is the second or third of which I'm aware and these instances have been uncomfortable, distracting and feel like intimidation.
For myself I need to know that all opinions and free exchange of ideas are welcome at the table. I am happy to accept what ever changes in decorum you and others feel necessary to maintain the effectiveness of our meetings but I do need to know that everyone's opinion is valuable and that decisions on matters of substance will be made by the majority vote.
I hope you will consider my remarks in the positive spirit with which they are offered. More importantly I truly hope that you agree to continue as chair of the bike board with or without my continued membership as best suits your vision.
Cheers, Butch
------ _0 ------ _ <,_ ---- (*)/ (*) ________________________________________ From: bikeboard-bounces@bikemorgantown.com [bikeboard-bounces@bikemorgantown.com] On Behalf Of Frank Gmeindl [fgmeindl@gmail.com] Sent: Friday, November 02, 2012 9:13 AM To: Bicycle Board Subject: [Bikeboard] Resignation
Bicycle Board Members,
Please accept my resignation as Chairman of the Bicycle Board. Thanks for tolerating my somewhat dictatorial meeting management methods. Thanks to all of you present and past members for contributing your valuable time and energy to try to make Morgantown a community in which all citizens can enjoy bicycling safely and fearlessly anywhere, anytime for any reason.
Over the more than 6 years that the BB has existed, we've made some significant achievements but not nearly as much as I think we need to make a significant improvement in cycling here. The Greater Morgantown Bicycle Plan provides the City sufficient guidance to make significant improvements. I hope you will show up to support it at the Nov. 27 City Council meeting. During my time as Chairman, my interests have narrowed, I've lost my enthusiasm and effectiveness as Chairman and I believe that someone else can do a better job.
With your permission, I will represent the Bicycle Board at November Traffic Commission, MPO, City Council and WV Connecting Communities planned activities including next Wednesday's TC meeting, next Thursday's MPO Citizens Advisory Committee meeting, the Nov. 17 MPO Long Range Transportation Plan Technical Advisory Group meeting, the Nov. 27 City Council meeting and the Nov. 10 WV Connecting Communities meeting unless the BB provides a substitute or the heads of those agencies shut me out.
Frank _______________________________________________ Bikeboard mailing list Bikeboard@bikemorgantown.com https://console.mxlogic.com/redir/?8VddBNVVwSUqejhOYYCyYr01C3aWN_P-AU_YWs01M...