Why would a representative from AAA be the keynote speaker at the National Bike Summit?
"It may seem surprising," admitted Bike League President Andy Clarke. And even AAA PR Director Yolanda Cade acknowledged that the 750 bicyclists in the room may be asking themselves, "'Why is AAA here today?'" After all, she said, "We do have 'Automobile' as our middle name."
AAA and the Bike League have been working to find common ground, and offered this video as an indication that they found some.
Still, this is the same AAA whose chapters have gone on record opposing congestion pricing, blaming the victims for pedestrian injuries, and urging Congress to dedicate all Highway Trust Fund monies to highways.
Time will tell if the new alliance with the Bike League is just a PR move, or if it reflects a shift in AAA's attitudes toward bike/ped policy.