Retroactive 101 (or Everything You Wanted to Know about Your New Scooter Club But Were Afraid to Ask)
History: RetroActive got their start in the fall of 2006 when 2 Boise scooterists thought it would be a neat idea to have their own scooter club. There aren't many scooter clubs in the Boise area, none of them really addressed our needs. A good idea tends to attract like minds, and like Infection, Retroactive has spread. We do not limit membership to Boise scooterists. Retroactive is as much a state of mind as a question of geography. As 2008, the Retroactive has over 20 members, and enjoy a fairly active riding and social schedule. This document was prepared to help new Retroactive members get to know the Club, and how we do things.
What We’re Like: We are into scooting, food, friends, music and fun. We are a family-friendly organization that is open-minded and accepting of all people of good will; in other words, the ‘golden rule’ applies here. We love to get together, party and have fun, but believe in moderation and common sense when it comes to alcohol and riding. In other words, you can drink and scoot if you wish, but be careful and responsible. We do expect every Retroactive member to be a safe and responsible rider who uses good judgment and ride discipline when group riding. We are a , no drama’ kind of crowd. We have a very basic leadership structure: a ‘president’ chairs meetings and serves as a general moderator and facilitator; decisions are made by consensus.
Membership is by invitation. While we don’t mean to come across as cliquish or exclusive, this policy is made with good reason. We have a good thing going here with the Retroactive Scooter club, and we have seen examples where the chemistry in a group is spoiled by the sudden appearance of an abrasive personality or a reckless/inconsiderate rider. We expect all members to be able to assume financial responsibility for their actions, and expect them to carry appropriate liability insurance and any required riding endorsements as specified by the State of Idaho. We encourage all prospective members to first be a member in good standing of the Vespa Club of Idaho. Joining VCOI demonstrates one’s commitment to the greater scooter community. Any current Retroactive member can recommend a prospect for membership. A prospective member should be someone who (1) is fairly well known to the person recommending, (2) be a safe and responsible rider, and (3) be the kind of person the member recommending would want to do things and hang out with (we call this the ‘guilt by association rule’; if this isn’t someone you’d personally like to be with, don’t recommend them).
How We Communicate: We have two main venues of communication. One is our website (www.retroactivescooterclub.com), and associated Forum. The website provides information on upcoming events, and links to our Photo Gallery. The Forum is used for members and non mebers to communication. We encourage all members and guests to visit or subscribe to the forum to keep abreast of upcoming fun events. We also have a MySpace page, We use this site to, among, other things, share what’s going on with the Retroactive Scooter Club, with the scooter community and public at large. We also have a mailing list to keep members updated on time-sensitive events and announcements.
Meetings: Currently, the Retroactive scooter club meets every fist thursday. This is flexible, based on what may be coming up on the agenda that needs to be discussed. Upcoming meetings will be posted at least two weeks in advance in the “Club Announcements & Info” forum.
How Rides are Planned: As mentioned before, there is no formal leadership structure. That means anyone can plan a ride/event! Here’s an easy step-by-step:
Have an idea. It can be as simple as meet and ride for a while, or as complex as a jaunt to go do something fun (movie, dinner at an interesting place, bowling, Treasure Valley Rollergirls, whatever).
Make up a plan. Be sure to include:
a. Date and time
b. Meeting place
c. Brief description of the plan
Post your ride proposal on the Forum Be sure to ask if anyone is interested. Be sure to note alternative plans (if any) due to weather.
Unless this ride is a ‘members-only’ event, the Web/master will post it on the Website, and enter it on the calendar.
After the ride, prepare (or have someone do it for you) a brief summary of the ride to post on the website, so that others can know what they missed.
Don’t be disappointed if there are no takers for your ride idea. We all have very busy lives and sometimes we all have to pass on a riding opportunity, no matter how nifty it sounds. Keep those ride ideas coming! The Club believes in the idea of member empowerment. Any member can be a leader; all it takes is an idea, and the initiative to make it happen.
In closing, please remember that like the Club, this document is a living document, and subject to evolution and amendment as our group grows and evolves. We encourage you to take an active role in making the Retroactive Scooter Club an even better and more fun group than it already is.
thanks: Rob Nelson (Minister of Propaganda).
