What's Up with the All-White Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee

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TheTannerBandit's picture

Victoria Hudson created Thu, 29 Jul at 9:50am

After my first visit to the Oakland Bicycle Pedestrian Advisory Committee I came away thinking that's one place where The City definitely could save money. Get rid of these people - if my tax dollars are funding their salaries.

The Committee minutes were nothing more than a "highlight" narrative of the presentations given; moreover, they failed to even mention any public input (why have a committee and minutes if the committee minutes never reflect what ACTUALLY happened). The minutes were a joke - a disgrace and a waste of time to read.

Most interesting, however, was this pseudo-committee's response to my questions about ISTEA funds and the SF Bay Area Trail.

1) didn't even understand what ISTEA funds were.

2) acted as if they had never heard of the SF Bay Trail - or its link to the national path efforts

3) failed to explain about the new bike lanes down Bancroft (from like 49th to San Leandro) when I shared what had been a dangerous biking experience (a black man who ran me off the road w/his car because he didn't look where he was going, then threatened me - I thought he was going to shoot me in the back) riding on Foothill Boulevard. Furthermore, they seemed to NOT EVEN CARE.

Only one member knew the Web site address when I asked if there was some place to read about its mission, etc. Oakland needs better, stronger representatives. People who act "AFRAID" to talk to someone because of their skin color have no business being on any city board or committee in any state in this nation.

#1
maiki's picture

Thu, 2010-08-26 05:29

The Oakland BPAC has five members who are representatives from various departments in the city government. The other four are from advocacy groups, a school rep, and one at-large member.

The non-City staff serve three year terms, and are on a schedule to cycle through each year. If you would like to be involved, I am sure you could be nominated to be the at-large member, or perhaps join the EBBC (http://ebbc.org/). They are a nice group of cycling advocates, and I am sure they could use more help in their efforts.

I can't really respond to the minutes observation. I personally only skim them when I attend meetings. They are supposed to be brief, but it may be that they are lacking in useful information. I would let them know, since they seem to care about it (their site says they follow Robert's Rules of Order).

I am just trying to get all this stuff out of the way, because I want to be constructively critical of your topic. This isn't a judgment, it is an observation: it sounds racist.

If you know more about ISTEA funds or the Bay Trail, that is because you are informed; it doesn't have to do with the BPAC being composed of white people. Also, it is not important that you had an altercation with a black man, the point is that they were a motorist and you were a cyclist, and they didn't understand your rights.

I wasn't at the meeting, and I don't know how people acted. However, your credibility is lacking because it sounds like you are writing while still angry, and incompetence in a committee needs to be observed and reported with calm and resolve.