DOCSLIB.ORG

IPMBA News Vol. 29 No. 2 2020 Conference Retrospective

Total Page：16

File Type：pdf, Size：1020Kb

Download full-text PDF Read full-text
IPMBA News Vol. 29 No. 2 2020 Conference Retrospective Newsletter of the International Police Mountain Bike Association On Pandemics and Protests From ECI to PCI by Maureen Becker Executive Director by Allan Howard, PCI#001T don’t think anyone expected that when we changed the clocks back in Dayton (OH) Police Department (ret.) “I March, we would go from Standard Time to the Twilight Zone”. The above meme started to permeate the internet as news of the COVID-19 John Forester, born in Dulwich, England, October 7, pandemic began to dominate the airwaves. At first, the consensus was that it 1929; died in San Diego, California, April 14, 2020. would only be a matter of weeks before it was over, and there was much got this news via email a few days after John levity, including music video parodies and plays on words. The “quarantini” Forester departed this life. Despite the fact was declared the “drink of the month”. that John was 90 years old, I somehow thought Months later, COVID-19 is no longer a laughing matter. It has taken many I he’d live forever. Alas! No one does, but I do lives, exposed public safety personnel to additional risks, and upended all want to take a moment to explain why he will always aspects of life. Cancelling the conference seemed like an opportunity to fast- be a part of IPMBA. track the Complete Guide and other projects, but it was just the catalyst for In the early days of the Dayton Police Bike Patrol, hours spent on notifications, mitigation, rescheduling, refunding, and prior to the formation of IPMBA, I realized that exploring ways to replace lost revenue. training would have to be a priority. To that end, I And then came the protests. Calls to defund the police. Calls to defund bike searched out local cycling advocates Jerry police. Negative images of bicycle response teams. Bicycle brands and shops Hopfengardner (Educational Specialist and professor ceasing sales to police departments. Petitions calling for the bicycle industry at the University of Dayton) and Carl Bishop, both of to divest from police. Words like “weaponize”, “abhorrent”, and “racist” whom were cycling advocates and League of being bandied about. Words that required carefully crafted responses. American Wheelmen (L.A.W.; now the League of American Bicyclists) Effective Cycling Instructors. As some members of an industry that has long benefitted from its association (Continued on page 35) with the police turned against them, many in the cycling community responded in kind. It was gratifying that a significant percentage of those who read (and comment on) cycling publications voiced support for police in general and bicycle patrols in particular. Like IPMBA members, many stand ready to jettison even favorite brands as a matter of principle. Some may wonder why IPMBA has not organized a boycott. The reason is quite simple: collateral damage. The companies which sided with protesters failed to consider the harm they would inflict on dealers that serve the public safety sector, who have long-standing relationships with police departments and, in some cases, sell exclusively to public safety providers. This is not the time for an emotional response. We need to stand with our industry partners. They support our mission and our members. They need time to reconnect with their customers. They need time to sell off their remaining stock and pivot to other brands if they so choose. For some, this will be an opportunity to launch something new. For those that have clung to the term “police model”, this may spur them to finally shift their marketing to the more inclusive “public safety model”. IPMBA was asked a series of questions for an article that appeared in Bicycle Retailer and Industry News. The article, entitled “Use of Police Bikes Creates Debate within the Industry”, provided a more balanced view than many. The author, Dean Yobbi, ended with this quote from IPMBA: Companies which cease sales to police will lose these opportunities for creating goodwill and inspiring others to ride. And there are far more of those than there are incidents like the ones that have just occurred. We encourage the cycling industry to engage their public safety customers in constructive dialogues to promote positive change. We continue to believe that bicycles break down barriers and will play an important role in the 1 healingIPMBA process.NEWS, VOL. 29, NO. 2 2020 PRESIDENT’S COLUMN Dear Chief, Looking through past President’s disappointing, to say the least. The No one was more Columns, I found Bernie IPMBA Board made our displeasure surprised than I when… Hogancamp’s 2016 article Guardian known through an article published in vs Warrior: The Call to Transform Bicycle Retailer and Industry News …I took an IPMBA Policing,1 as well as 2015’s The Call (BRAIN) and the June 13 Outspoken Police Cyclist Course to Demilitarize the Police – Equipment Cyclist podcast (https:// and fell in love with the or Mentality?2. In 2000, Kirby Beck outspokencyclist.com/), during which high-caliber and wrote Protestors Discover[ed] a Vice President and PIO Michael Wear standardized training; Formidable Foe3, about the inclusion shared our long tradition of high …I was encouraged to of Bicycle Response Teams during training standards as well as the start a bike patrol unit that year’s presidential nominating benefits of cops on bikes. in my small department; conventions in Los Angeles and IPMBA was founded as a training …I was recommended to take the Philadelphia. In 1995, Beck also association for police cyclists, and as it Instructor Course at the 2010 IPMBA penned an article titled Police Bikes has expanded to encompass all Conference in Chesterfield, Missouri, Bicycles and the Use of Force, in branches of public safety, it has which had Mike Wear as the lead which he advocates, “a bicycle was not remained true to its original mission. Instructor-Trainer; designed as an impact weapon; neither The training products we develop are …I was encouraged by then-President were metal flashlights. Both can be subjected to a rigorous review process used as impact tools in an Bernie Hogancamp to apply to the 4 in an attempt to board; emergency.” anticipate every Twenty-plus eventuality in order to …I actually made it onto the board years later and and served as secretary for seven keep our standards of the discussions training at the highest years; continue. …I volunteered to coordinate the third caliber possible. Past edition of the Complete Guide to Currently, the presidents’ columns have Public Safety Cycling; and media has emphasized training over chosen to the years, and not one of …I was elected president of the single out them ever suggested IPMBA Board of Directors. specific and relaxing the original I am flattered and extremely grateful rare incidents principles. In fact, they to be working with a group of involving all have a common theme incredibly dedicated and intelligent police bicycles of holding the board of directors, most recently led which created controversy for bike organization to the goals of being the by outgoing President Wren Nealy. manufacturers and retailers alike. The preeminent developer of the highest I sincerely hope I am up to the resultant outcry resulted in Fuji and quality public safety cyclist training. challenges currently faced by public Trek responding in dissimilar ways: In the first-ever newsletter, published safety personnel – especially law the former disparaging the police; the in 1992, Allan Howard wrote in enforcement. My plan to succeed latter supporting police on bikes while Setting an Agenda for IPMBA, “We relies heavily on the board members, denouncing the infrequent incidents must unify ourselves to create [and the membership, and – most certainly they described as “abhorrent and maintain] a standard training – on Maureen, who is the backbone of vastly different from their [bikes] 7 5 method.” This mission has our association. intended use.” consistently been upheld time and As public safety personnel, we were IPMBA has addressed controversies again by successive presidents. In all celebrated as frontline workers and with corporations in the past, as early 2001, Kathleen Vonk wrote Be Your first responders as recently as the as 1995, when Allan Howard wrote Best: Train, Train, Train8; in 2002, beginnings of the COVID-19 about Schwinn stereotyping police Don Hudson noted, “bicycle skills are pandemic earlier this year. Almost officers with its advertising slogan, very perishable and, therefore, you overnight, we were reviled as racist, “Stops you quicker than a divorced need to constantly train”9. In 2003, murdering thugs. While the cop on steroids”6. IPMBA responded T.J. Richardson explained, “failure to Minneapolis incident was the spark with direct communication with train is one of the greatest liabilities a that started the blaze, the media/social Schwinn and eventually the ad was department can face”10; and 2011, media-highlighted incidents around the discontinued. David Hildebrand shared this dire country soon became fodder for more While Fuji and other corporations warning, “without our instructors reactionary and emotional responses. certainly have freedom of speech and teaching to the highest standards and IPMBA has addressed similar issues in the right to form their own opinions, without our instructors proclaiming the the past, which unfortunately means the fact that they so quickly disparaged benefits of IPMBA to potential the changes that were deemed members, we would wither up and the entire field of law enforcement by 11 necessary years ago have not taken suspending all sales of police bikes die” . shape as many citizens (and public based on protestors’ demands is (Continued on page 3) safety officials) desired. 2 INTERNATIONAL POLICE MOUNTAIN BIKE ASSOCIATION PRESIDENT’S COLUMN (Continued from page 2) It is incumbent on all of us in public I will end with a quote from one of In 2012, in Training as an Investment, safety cycling to be community Kirby Beck’s 2001 columns.
Load more

Recommended publications
  • Cycling Safety: Shifting from an Individual to a Social Responsibility Model
    Cycling Safety: Shifting from an Individual to a Social Responsibility Model Nancy Smith Lea A thesis subrnitted in conformity wR the requirements for the degree of Masters of Arts Sociology and Equity Studies in Education Ontario lnstitute for Studies in Education of the University of Toronto @ Copyright by Nancy Smith Lea, 2001 National Library Bibliothbque nationale ofCanada du Canada Aoquieit-el services MbJiographiques The author has granted a non- L'auteur a accordé une licence non exclusive licence allowing the exclusive pemiettant P. la National Library of Canada to BiblioWque nationale du Canada de reproduce, loan, distribute or oeîî reproduire, prêter, distribuer ou copies of this thesis in microfom, vendre des copies de cette dièse sous paper or electronic formats. la forme de microfiche/fihn, de reproduction sur papier ou sur format électronique. The author retains ownership of the L'auteur conserve la propndté du copyright in this thesis. Neither the droit d'auteur qui protège cette thése. thesis nor substantial exûacts fiom it Ni la thèse ni des extraits substantiels may be printed or otherwise de celîe-ci ne doivent être imprimés reproduced without the author's ou autrement. reproduits sans son pemiission. almmaîlnn. Cycling Satety: Shifting from an Indhrldual to a Social Reaponribillty Modal Malter of Arts, 2001 Sociology and ~qultyStudie8 in Education Ontario Inrtltute for *die8 in- ducati ion ot the University of Toronto ABSTRACT Two approaches to urban cycling safety were studied. In the irrdividual responsibility rnodel, the onus is on the individual for cycling safety. The social responsibiiii model takes a more coliecthrist approach as it argues for st~cturallyenabling distriûuted respansibility.
    [Show full text]
  • Chapter 6. Bicycling Infrastructure for Mass Cycling: a Transatlantic Comparison
    Chapter 6. Bicycling Infrastructure for Mass Cycling: A Transatlantic Comparison Peter G. Furth Introduction For the bicycle to be useful for transportation, bicyclists need adequate route infrastructure – roads and paths on which to get places. In the 1890’s, when bicycling first became popular, bicyclists’ chief need was better paved roads. In the present era, however, it is not poor pavement but fast and heavy motor traffic that restricts cyclists’ ability to get places safely (Jacobsen 2009), as discussed in chapter 7. European and American policy has strongly diverged on how to address this challenge. In many European countries including the Netherlands, Germany, Denmark, and Sweden, cyclists’ need for separation from fast, heavy traffic is considered a fundamental principle of road safety. This has led to systematic traffic calming on local streets and, along busier streets, the provision of a vast network of “cycle tracks” – bicycle paths that are physically separated from motor traffic and distinct from the sidewalk. Cycle tracks (see Figures 6.1-6.3) may be at street level, separated from moving traffic by a raised median, a parking lane, or candlestick bollards; at sidewalk level, separated from the sidewalk by vertical elements (e.g., light poles), hardscape, a change in pavement or a painted line; or at an intermediate level, a curb step above the street, but also s small curb step below the sidewalk. [Figure 6.1 here] [Figure 6.2 here] [Figure 6.3 goes here] The success of this combination of traffic calming and cycle tracks has been well documented; for example, chapter 2 shows that the percentage of trips taken by bicycle, while less than one percent in the U.S., exceeds 10 percent in several European countries, reaching 27% in the Netherlands, while at the same time their bicycling fatality rate (fatalities per 1,000,000 km of bicycling) is several times less than in the U.S.
    [Show full text]
  • Vehicular Cycling Advocacy a Case Study of Chapel Hill
    Vehicular Cycling Advocacy A Case Study of Chapel Hill By Robin Louis Michler A Masters Project submitted to the faculty of the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Master of City and Regional Planning in the Department of City and Regional Planning. Chapel Hill 2010 Approved by: j Table of Contents 1. Abstract 2 2. Introduction 3 3. Methods 4 4. History 6 4.1. Cycling from the late 1800s to 1970 6 4.2. The beginning of the vehicular cycling movement 10 5. Positions 10 5.1. View of the vehicular cyclists 10 5.2. Arguments for separate facilities 12 5.3. The Dutch model 13 6. Chapel Hill Interviews 14 6.1. Reframing history 15 6.2. Travel purpose 16 6.3. User characteristics 18 6.4. Types of separation 19 6.4.1. Paths 20 6.4.2. Tracks 23 6.4.3. Lanes 24 6.4.4. Sharrows 26 6.5. Environmental and economic considerations 28 6.6. Enforcement 29 6.7. Promotion of cycling 31 7. Conclusions 32 Works Cited 34 Appendix A 36 Appendix B 38 Images Picture 1: Bolin Creek Trail in Chapel Hill, NC 20 Picture 2: Bicycle tracks in Delft, the Netherlands 23 Picture 3: Bicycle lanes in Carrboro and Chapel Hill, NC 24 Picture 4: Sharrow along Martin Luther King Blvd, Chapel Hill, NC 26 1 1. Abstract Since bicycles first became popular in the late 1800s there has been significant debate about the appropriate way to integrate them into the transportation system.
    [Show full text]
  • Guidebook on Methods to Estimate Non-Motorized Travel: Supporting Documentation
    Guidebook on Methods to Estimate Non-Motorized Travel: Supporting Documentation Publication No.: FHWA-RD-98-166 July 1999 Federal Highway Administration Turner-Fairbank Highway Research Center 6300 Georgetown Pike, McLean, VA 22101 The original format of this document was an active HTML page(s). The Federal Highway Administration converted the HTML page(s) into an Adobe® Acrobat® PDF file to preserve and support reuse of the information it contained. The intellectual content of this PDF is an authentic capture of the original HTML file. Hyperlinks and other functions of the HTML webpage may have been lost, and this version of the content may not fully work with screen reading software. 2 Foreword This two-volume guidebook describes and compares the various methods and tools that can be used to forecast non-motorized travel demand or that otherwise support the prioritization and analyses of bicycle and pedestrian facilities. The guidebook is intended to be used by bicycle and pedestrian planners, technical staff, researchers, advocates, and others who may wish to estimate bicycle and pedestrian travel demand or to prioritize bicycle and pedestrian projects. This second volume, Supporting Documentation, gives details on each method, including purpose, structure, input / data needs, assumptions, and real-world applications. This volume contains an extensive annotated bibliography of references on demand forecasting methods, supporting tools and techniques, and factors influencing the choice to walk or bicycle, as well as potential contacts in this field. The other volume, Overview of Methods, provides an overview of each of nineteen methods appropriate for forecasting and/or understanding pedestrian and bicycle travel demand.
    [Show full text]
  • Cycling, Transportation, and Evil.Fm
    John Forester, M.S., P.E. Cycling Transportation Engineer Consulting Engineer, Expert Witness, and Educator in Effective Cycling, Bicycles, Highways and Bikeways, Traffic Laws 7585 Church St., Lemon Grove, CA 91945-2306 619-644-5481 [email protected] Monday, October 22, 2007 Bicycling, Transportation and the Problem of Evil 1 Introduction interurban lines, and the ferry steamers, (we car- ried out our plan to ride every line that then As some of you know, I have a reputation as existed), the switch to buses was being produced an expert in bicycle transportation. In that respect, by economic factors. Shortly thereafter, we recog- I was asked by Santa Barbara Safe Streets to nized that the switch to private motoring was being speak at a meeting organized to oppose certain driven by the combination of wealth and urban traffic-calming methods being proposed for that growth. Our youthful interests bore fruit: my best city. One argument presented by the proponents friend came from an Espee family, spent much of of these methods was that they protected cyclists his professional life as a civil engineer for them, against traffic dangers, and I was asked if I would then later as an international rail consultant. present an opposing argument. I did so, arguing I started cycling in 1936 in London, England, that cyclists are better off with good roads of stan- a member of the fourth cycling generation in my dard design than the traffic-calming methods family, and was raised in the standard view that being proposed, which increase the danger for cyclists, as legitimate road users, had to obey the cyclists.
    [Show full text]