The utility cyclist wrote:Changing matters to benefit the charity which in turn benefits us all is what I'm suggesting, 75 is an arbitrary number as a compromise, as I said I'd rather it be removed completely. We know, on average more pensioners are wealthier than the unwaged, this is why I think the unwaged should continue to get a discount.
Perhaps CUK are out of touch and don't realise that charging a flat fee won't lose many, how many unwaged members I wouldn't know but I suspect that there are many times the numbers of those in the 'OAP' category, thus charging a flat fee aside from the unwaged/young student would gain more for the charity in the long run even if some decided to give up being a member. If the 'old uns' want to leave the charity then that's their right to do so.
To be clear I wasn’t questioning why you had taken unwaged membership. I think that is a very good aspect, something I agree entirely with, of CUK membership and should be encouraged. I was wanting you to think why had you chosen aged 75?
So as you say for no good reason at all and yes I agree the avg pensioner will be far wealthier than the unwaged. So moving on from there if the average worker is more wealthier than a pensioner?
I’ve read that a pension is 30% of the average wage in the UK. On that basis I’d suggest why isn’t standard membership proportionally dearer for those working? Why not keep discounts and raise membership cost? If CUK were seen to be doing, facilitating, providing benefits to cyclists I would see no problem with a raise.
As a comparison for £54/ yr my squash club membership I get access 24/7 52 weeks a year to three heated courts and changing/ shower facilities. Yes I’ve more costs while playing but owning and using a bicycle isn’t cost free either. With a CUK membership the benefits I might be able to use are insurance, I’ve got, a regular magazine, access to cycling holidays I can’t afford, a discount to a shop I never use and a long drive to join in any club cycling. So maybe they can’t raise membership costs by much until they come across something to offer which makes it worthwhile.
That something for me was always the Birthday Rides but they are now less than a shadow of their former selves. As for the glow of helping 'hardship' projects I now give my money direct to local cycling needs.