Signed off of dropped out, how ever you want to consider it.
 

I sent an email to the president & the sec. of the Siouxland Trails Foundation stating I will not be able to attend any more meetings for anything. I also stated what I have so far this year to help with the ride & what I will continue to help with & not be able to help with & that this is my last year that I will be able to do anything with STF.

Part of the reason is I feel they have alienated me in certain respects. One example is when I was ride director the first 2 years. I also disagree with the compromises that were made to get the bridge built & that they have no interest in helping with Complete Streets.

I wish them no ill-will, in fact I wish them all the success & hope they accomplish what they set out to do. After all I helped create the organization & received an award for that. But things have changed within it that I do not like. & despite my best efforts it was to no avail. So I am through.

Has anyone ever had this happen to them? Where they dropped out because they were alienated or there were problems within the organization or compromises should have been made when they should not have been.

You will always have more power and influence in an organization than out of it. But if you want to take your ball and go home, that is your perogative. You didn't really expect them to agree with you on everything all the time did you?

Of course not. It was fine that they didn't. That is not why I have dropped out. I was ride director the 1st 2 yrs of the fundraising trails ride. The 2nd year I was undermined by the president of the foundation. Now this has nothing to do with my pride being hurt. Some of the decisions I made were questioned & changed by him with out discussing it with me. He contacted the rest of the committee & made changes to things undermining my ability to be the ride director. So I said no more to doing that & focused my energies elsewhere within STF.

One of the things I was asked to do by the president was a survey of the existing on street bike route/facilities. The reason I asked was so it would be determined if the existing routes would remain the same & if there is potential for new routes. I did as much as I could but could not finish because I ran out of time last year. Then I find out STF is not going to have anything to do with any of the on street routes or facilities, trail only. My question is why would they assign me the task of doing a survey when the focus is only going to be on the trails.

So I am through.

It must feel bad to see an organization that you helped found take a different direction. Personally, I agree with you. The streets and bike routes should get a higher priority in advocacy. Once things on that front have been improved, there's plenty of time to expand the trail system. (Of course I'm talking in general terms since I don't know anything about your local situation.)

Did you drive them nuts?

The first priority is to finish the trail system & address the issue of connectivity. Other then the new bridge, which is the current priority, the other things have been addressed & are either finished or are on hold for right now. I thought it would be best for those that could to focus their energy on the on street facilities.

FWIW I struggled a bit before I joined up with Baltimore Spokes as we already have the Baltimore Bicycling Club and One Less Car for bicycling advocates but a lot of things were falling through the cracks with just these organizations. But the reality is on issues where we come together we are a lot more powerful as three organizations then just one as well as being separate we can cover more ground then what just one organization can do. So I have seen nothing but positive bringing Baltimore Spokes into the fray of bicycle advocacy. Of course I try and keep all relations positive and give the other organizations press when they are on an issue and it sounds like you are in a similar track.

Of course my position is a bit different as I was not apart of either organizations bicycle advocacy before getting involved with Baltimore Spokes but initially there was some talk on the lists that I was insulting and undermining the other organizational efforts but demonstrating (and stating this as the purpose) that a chorus of bicycle advocates work better then just a solo voice has really helped strengthen all organizations.

I really wish you the best in all your endeavors,

-=Barry=-

PS. One issue that got me involved is while we do have some great trails in the area people who live a half mile from them can’t utilize them without use of a car so on-road accommodations has been one of my key points as well.

have i ever dropped out because an organization went an (unacceptable) way?
yes -- society!

Perhaps the powers that be had a mind to change the name of the organization to Siouxland Trails Foundation Unlimited. If that's the case, it's not unlikely that they might not have invited you to that meeting (thus overruling your participation). Rude? Sure, but not unlikely.