What is CUK now?

[Bmblbzzz]

Tl;dr.

A one sentence answer to the question: It's the same as CTC but with a crappy logo and a meaningless name.

[Heltor Chasca]

I was part of the whole mud slinging band wagon when things changed, but all the negative stuff with regards to the 'CUK upgrade', it started to wear me down.

I voted with my feet and decided not to join (just in time) Since then I have teamed up with another charity and I'm pleased as punch. I've already been on a half day induction day with them.

I'm much happier now I feel I am 'giving something back' to improve our cycling infrastructure. I'll continue to enjoy the forum here though...b

[NickM]

[quote="Paulatic"]We have a campaign for Presumed Liability here in Scotland
http://www.roadshare.co.uk[/quote]

And I wish you the very best of luck with it - in your more enlightened country perhaps it will get somewhere. In England politicians appear to believe that they must at all costs keep the motoring lobby happy, or risk losing the votes upon which their seats on the gravy train depend.

However, CUK is not listed among that campaign's supporters. I expect that the CUK charity-sector management are afraid of upsetting the politicians who dish out the funding which beefs up their CVs.

[Paulatic]

Nail on the head there Nick

[RickH]

Tl;dr.

A one sentence answer to the question: It's the same as CTC but with a crappy logo and a meaningless name.

No comment on the logo but one friend, who has recently joined up, said to me that they know what the organisation is now not some initials that they couldn't remember what they stood for and that didn't seem particularly relevant to them.

I expect that the CUK charity-sector management are afraid of upsetting the politicians who dish out the funding which beefs up their CVs.

Cycling UK have been campaigning - one recent one was the recent "more than milk" getting members to lobby MPs to back funding for CWIS (I sent a letter to my MP urging him to support funding for cycling, have you?). This was covered by the Guardian last week and supported by the All Party Parliamentary Cycling Group with over 50 MPs writing a letter to the Times this week urging the government to support Cycling UK's 5 key targets in this (more info).

Rick.

[Philip Benstead]

I was part of the whole mud slinging band wagon when things changed, but all the negative stuff with regards to the 'CUK upgrade', it started to wear me down.

I voted with my feet and decided not to join (just in time) Since then I have teamed up with another charity and I'm pleased as punch. I've already been on a half day induction day with them.

I'm much happier now I feel I am 'giving something back' to improve our cycling infrastructure. I'll continue to enjoy the forum here though...b

Which charity names names please

[Heltor Chasca]

I was part of the whole mud slinging band wagon when things changed, but all the negative stuff with regards to the 'CUK upgrade', it started to wear me down.

I voted with my feet and decided not to join (just in time) Since then I have teamed up with another charity and I'm pleased as punch. I've already been on a half day induction day with them.

I'm much happier now I feel I am 'giving something back' to improve our cycling infrastructure. I'll continue to enjoy the forum here though...b

Which charity names names please

As my volunteer work is during my free time and covers personal interests and a little disposable income, I choose not to share this information. Possible conflict of interests? My own data protection? I'm also a new volunteer and I am still learning the ropes, internal politics and etiquette.

I trust you understand and respect my position Phillip. Thank you.

[marvinandroid]

As someone who isn't a regular on the forum I was surprised to see CTC replaced by CUK. Surprised and massively dismayed. Why would you ditch a strong brand with a slightly random, forgettable and not quite complete sentence? The pitch of the new website seems to be aimed at a metropolitan and new-to-cycling audience not the existing membership - it looks and feels very similar to something you'd expect a local authority to do. Is this the intended strategy?

Who advised the board - some minor league marketing company?

I can't imaging the league of American bicyclists making the same mistake so why has the CTC taken this regrettable decision?

[Si]

Why would you ditch a strong brand

Speaking as someone who works on some reasonably large cycling projects (not for the CTC) I do find that I keep having to explain to people (including lots of cyclists) what CTC is and why it has any relevance to the projects or them. It might be a strong brand amongst the CTC die-hards but to the rest of the world it's a bit of an enigma.

Whereas when I say to anyone "I work for British Cycling"....for a surprisingly high number, they instantly know what I'm on about.....even if they don't know exactly what BC does they just assume that it does what it says on the tin: looks after cycling in Britain.

[Bmblbzzz]

UK trumps Britain!

And seriously but not at all urgently, some 'passive provision' might be made for the eventuality of the UK splitting up (Scottish independence etc). But as the CTC predates the Irish Free State let alone the Irish Republic, I guess there might be historic precedent!

[Philip Benstead]

Brave new world of the CUKERS
I know some on this forum welcomes the change to the composition of the board of trustee Cycling UK, would you welcome the following:

From past experience I expect all committee meeting except full council to take place on a week day.
Who would you appoint as the independent Chair of the nominations committee they do not need to be a CTC member or cyclist.
I expect that there may be a revision of the memorandum of association and the standing order to be renamed rules, has the CTC lost their sense of history.

What qualities would you think are need to be a trustee.

[mjr]

Whereas when I say to anyone "I work for British Cycling"....for a surprisingly high number, they instantly know what I'm on about.....even if they don't know exactly what BC does they just assume that it does what it says on the tin: looks after cycling in Britain.

In other words, you prefer a brand that misleads people to your benefit?

[Si]

Whereas when I say to anyone "I work for British Cycling"....for a surprisingly high number, they instantly know what I'm on about.....even if they don't know exactly what BC does they just assume that it does what it says on the tin: looks after cycling in Britain.

In other words, you prefer a brand that misleads people to your benefit?

No.
But it would interest me to know why you feel the need to twist what people say in this way.

[mjr]

In other words, you prefer a brand that misleads people to your benefit?

No.
But it would interest me to know why you feel the need to twist what people say in this way.

You wrote that "they just assume that it...looks after cycling in Britain" which British Cycling most definitely does not do, in my opinion, as explained previously on these boards. CUK has some problems, but they are tiny compared to BC's.

[Bmblbzzz]

Looking at that from a different angle, would it be beneficial if there were one single organisation to "look after" all sorts of cycling, from track racing to commuting, in the whole UK?