Depends where you live, of course, but in the UK, where this article was published, there are quite a few organisations for cyclists, like the London Cycling Campaign, British Cycling and Sustrans (which advocates for Sustainable Transport generally, hence the name, but I think focuses mainly on cycling).
I think all three are membership organisations, with slightly different focuses (like obviously the LCC focuses on London!). The LCC definitely is partly funded by the bicycle industry.
EDIT: Somehow forgot about the greatest cycling club of all for UK-based cyclists: The National Clarion Cycling Club, which is a socialist cycling club!
Some of these are exactly what I was thinking so will join or see how they can help. However, I do get the sense they have no real say in local politics here given what I’ve seen in proposals and plans from the local and county councils. I noticed new caveats to some of the 20mph and LTN type plans (which are far behind other areas already) with “depending on the wishes of actual residents in that area”, or something along those lines added that sounds like full on NIMBYISM or anti-woke to me. I do reply to consultations with my concerns as a local cyclist but don’t see much changing. Perhaps doing so as part of a group will be better.
Unfortunately I’m just outside London in Surrey where the infrastructure is awful. There is a noticeable drop in quality as soon as you cross the invisible border. It’s worse for cyclists and pedestrians.
For example, the behaviour of car drivers outside my child’s primary school is terrible and they school constantly asks people to be more careful but the council doesn’t seem to care. They have yellow lines on the smallest stretch you can imagine and not even on both sides of a small road, which are ignored anyway. The road is still 30mph, there are no ped crossings, let alone crossing guards. I even requested parking enforcement to come. They said would add it to their list but have seen them once in 6 months.
Sorry, turned into a bit of a rant towards the end!
Sure, there are lots of advocacy groups for good things with positive externalities that exist… but the funding for them tends to be vastly lower than the amounts thrown at lobbyists from industries with negative externalities.
Depends where you live, of course, but in the UK, where this article was published, there are quite a few organisations for cyclists, like the London Cycling Campaign, British Cycling and Sustrans (which advocates for Sustainable Transport generally, hence the name, but I think focuses mainly on cycling).
I think all three are membership organisations, with slightly different focuses (like obviously the LCC focuses on London!). The LCC definitely is partly funded by the bicycle industry.
EDIT: Somehow forgot about the greatest cycling club of all for UK-based cyclists: The National Clarion Cycling Club, which is a socialist cycling club!
Very interesting, thank you for sharing!
Some of these are exactly what I was thinking so will join or see how they can help. However, I do get the sense they have no real say in local politics here given what I’ve seen in proposals and plans from the local and county councils. I noticed new caveats to some of the 20mph and LTN type plans (which are far behind other areas already) with “depending on the wishes of actual residents in that area”, or something along those lines added that sounds like full on NIMBYISM or anti-woke to me. I do reply to consultations with my concerns as a local cyclist but don’t see much changing. Perhaps doing so as part of a group will be better.
Unfortunately I’m just outside London in Surrey where the infrastructure is awful. There is a noticeable drop in quality as soon as you cross the invisible border. It’s worse for cyclists and pedestrians.
For example, the behaviour of car drivers outside my child’s primary school is terrible and they school constantly asks people to be more careful but the council doesn’t seem to care. They have yellow lines on the smallest stretch you can imagine and not even on both sides of a small road, which are ignored anyway. The road is still 30mph, there are no ped crossings, let alone crossing guards. I even requested parking enforcement to come. They said would add it to their list but have seen them once in 6 months.
Sorry, turned into a bit of a rant towards the end!
Sure, there are lots of advocacy groups for good things with positive externalities that exist… but the funding for them tends to be vastly lower than the amounts thrown at lobbyists from industries with negative externalities.