While there is probably some commonality across the three, neither BB nor ABW is dedicated to people who actually ride their bicycles. LAB needs to be that entity.

I took an eight hour Motorcycle Safety Foundation Skilled Rider Course yesterday, since last fall I bought a motorcycle after a 24 year layoff. I was absolutely wasted after the class, seven of which was spent putting our own motorcycles (not the “learner motorcycles” but the ones we ride every day) through low and mid speed maneuvers. Many of the maneuvers were similar to the ones we teach in TS101 and some more elaborate. In my case, it meant learning to really KNOW how to ride a 600 lb BMW sport touring bike in traffic. The other hour, along with short discussions between drills, was spent on topics such as situational awareness, alcohol vs. riding, and SEE.

Imagine LAB getting students on their own bikes for seven hours straight of bike handling skills designed to keep you outa trouble in the real world rather than spending so much time trying to invent utopia! I’ve not seen the new TS Curriculum, but wonder what it looks like. Would be nice if LAB rolled it out to LCIs before we actually have to use it.

Got up this morning and my shoulders still are sore. Now THAT was teaching! Thank you, MSF.

As far as the goals, the devils will be in the details. The best thing to happen for a mode share increase is a rise in the price of gasoline because I doubt seriously that a punitive gas tax will ever make it through Congress, regardless of who is in power. Decreasing traffic fatalities has been a goal some of us have argued for a decade (and would also tend to get more people on bikes), as discussed in the Traffic Justice Institute (Madison, 2006) and will take close work with legislatures, prosecutors, and auto organizations like the AAA. As far as goal 3, I don’t know what percentage of people already have such access, but its a goal that will run contrary to the last half century’s development patterns of “arterial and cul de sac” suburban development. This too will be a sea change of sorts.

Aside from these grand goals, some of which are not entirely in our power, how about some League goals that are within our power? For example, expanding our educational mission, regenerating local advocacy, and reaching out to the poor and minorities with affordable transportation bicycling so that there are voices other than the usual ones at the table? The current model of bicycling in America tends to be dominated by high priced stuff sold to the affluent. As a recent LAB blog piece on Portland showed, there is a better model.

To some degree I am relieved. It wasn’t clear to me how a member-based organization of bicyclists would survive this merger with our identity intact. I was excited to think that it could be done by some pretty smart people in the three organizations, but the main job of our LAB leadership was first, do no harm.