2009 AGM

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qdos
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2009 AGM

Postby qdos » Sat May 09, 2009 8:31 am

errr isn't the AGM this weekend?

Why has no one posted anything about it online ? Are the committee hoping that they can quietly do what they want without having the membership aware or present to air thier opinions and wants of the Society?

Several people spoke to me at the show I was at last weekend saying how they were disappointed with the direction the BVS is going back to. We had a new electric car we were displaying (along with a very evil road and track car for pure motoring indulgence :twisted: )and would have been happy to point people to the BVS indeed I suggested to several people that they join the forum here.

Isn't it important that the committee listen to it's members. The AGM is one of the very few occasions that the membership are invited to speak to the committee and say what they want of the Society. It's where the members vote for who and what they want on the committee and the policies/directions

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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Sat May 09, 2009 8:18 pm

I'm not saying nought :wink:

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floydster
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Re: 2009 AGM

Postby floydster » Sat May 09, 2009 9:16 pm

qdos wrote:Several people spoke to me at the show I was at last weekend saying how they were disappointed with the direction the BVS is going back to.


I've left the BVS two three times now, this really is the last chance. I pay a similar amount to a couple of other organisations and receive a much better mag and a tad more stability up top.

qdos wrote:along with a very evil road and track car for pure motoring indulgence


You're such a tease :D

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MB
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Postby MB » Sun May 10, 2009 8:06 am

There is a new European electric vehicle society which has a much stronger direction than the BVS. It's called the European Association for Battery Electric Vehicles, it's based in Brussels and their remit is far wider and far more interesting than the BVS.

http://www.going-electric.org

I haven't bothered to renew my membership of the Battery Vehicle Society as I quite simply don't see the point. If the group was going to change and become a proper society to promote electric vehicles properly, it would have done it years ago.
My new book is out: The 2011 Electric Car Guide is available from Amazon and all good bookshops.

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ChrisB
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Postby ChrisB » Sun May 10, 2009 10:29 am

To be fair I dont think the BVS has ever been a promotional type vehicle, its been the place for like minded souls to share the knowledge and expertise on what makes a Electric Vehicle tick :wink:
Although I do think that its not kept up with the times :cry: and hence all the current little problems, we have a fair amount of new members who are desperately trying to accelerate the BVS into the 21st Century which is causing a few problems along the way.

As for the
European Association for Battery Electric Vehicles, it's based in Brussels
I personally think anything based in Brussels says it all :roll: yet another bunch of idiots that will make up a load of daft rules that us poor sods in the UK will have to follow when no one else in the world will :roll:

(the above statement is a personal one and is in no way representative of the BVS)
.............and the fact I have to say the bit in brackets in my view is a shame :cry:

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Postby FlossyThePig » Mon May 11, 2009 12:07 pm

There were two items from the last issue of the BVR

The first was an amendment to the constitution to make it easier to expel members. A very welcoming message for new members.

The second was a nomination for BVR editor. Wasn't there a vote at the last AGM where the BVR was to be dropped totally and be replaced by "Plugged in"?

ChrisB wrote:As for the
European Association for Battery Electric Vehicles, it's based in Brussels
I personally think anything based in Brussels says it all :roll: yet another bunch of idiots that will make up a load of daft rules that us poor sods in the UK will have to follow when no one else in the world will

If you want to influence the Brussels bureaucrats I can't think of a better location.

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Postby ChrisB » Mon May 11, 2009 7:20 pm

FlossyThePig wrote:If you want to influence the Brussels bureaucrats I can't think of a better location.


I know what you mean but I've yet to see anything come out of there that any other bod follows so why should EV legislation be any different :roll:

Perhaps my view is jaded due to all the Euro trash I have had to endure at work, that no other country seems to bother with :roll:

I'm just waiting for the first major issue with an EV where someone ends up hurting themselves or worse and we'll all be banned from doing anything on a EV unless you've been "on the course" or have a "ticket" to be able to work on an EV, either that or you'll only be able to take your EV to "registered" places to have any work on the electrical system done :cry:
Sounds all doom and gloom I know but it will happen, I bet ya a new set of blingo batteries it will happen.


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Postby floydster » Mon May 11, 2009 10:16 pm

ChrisB wrote:Perhaps my view is jaded due to all the Euro trash I have had to endure at work, that no other country seems to bother with :roll:
ChrisB


I'm the same. I have so much cr*p to deal with from Europe that days can go by without any real work being done. Ahhh!

floydster wrote:........I pay a similar amount to a couple of other organisations and receive a much better mag ......


I was being specific about the Review. I liked plugged in and thought, regardless of content (althought content was better IMO), that it provided the BVS with a much more professional image.

As someone who likes to tinker (badly) and would like to convert petrol to EV I feel that BVS membership has little to offer even although the technical know how is in the organisation.

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qdos
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Re: 2009 AGM

Postby qdos » Tue May 12, 2009 6:20 am

floydster wrote:
You're such a tease :D

Floydster


Sorry if I scare or offend anyone but since you asked Floyd

Image

floydster wrote:As someone who likes to tinker (badly) and would like to convert petrol to EV I feel that BVS membership has little to offer even although the technical know how is in the organisation.


I'm sorry to say I have to agree with you Floyd, Other than Chris's Blingo bits and Peter's BMS there's not a lot really on offer from the BVS nowadays it seems :( Just what do you get for your membership now? I don't think anyone could say the magazine is worth £15 that's for sure and the committee are just full of their own importance. They couldn't give a hoot about the members here online, infact it was frequently rubbished by at least one of the senior members of the committee.

There used to be some really good topics discussed here now most of the contributors have wandered off and joined other forums and societies. Can you blame them? It's gone rather Image here

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Postby timpootle » Tue May 12, 2009 11:18 am

qdos wrote:errr isn't the AGM this weekend?

Why has no one posted anything about it online ? Are the committee hoping that they can quietly do what they want without having the membership aware or present to air thier opinions and wants of the Society?

This forum is not the official organ of the BVS. The AGM was announced in the BVR. Why wasn't it also on the website? Blame the webmaster (that would be me then. I failed. Sorry all.)

Several people spoke to me at the show I was at last weekend saying how they were disappointed with the direction the BVS is going back to.

Same here. See below.

Isn't it important that the committee listen to it's members. The AGM is one of the very few occasions that the membership are invited to speak to the committee and say what they want of the Society. It's where the members vote for who and what they want on the committee and the policies/directions


*BEGIN RANT*

Well the 2009 AGM came and went. This was the society members opportunity to get rid of the (percieved) fuddy-duddy committee and elect a new, dynamic, 21st century steering committee for the dynamic, 21st century, Battery Vehicle Society, at a time when electric vehicles are in the news every week and in the car dealers Real Soon Now (tm).

The AGM was held in a great venue with the 'largest collection of British road transport in the world' and good public transport links and a Doctor Who exhibition and SIX electric cars on display. An excellent buffet was provided, with tasty sandwiches and fresh fruit and unlimited tea and coffee. There was seating for 50 (10% of current membership) and standing room for 200 (40% of the membership).

How many people came? Twenty-one, including one wife-of-member. Ten of these ended up on the 'new' committee. None of the contributors to this thread so far were there. Where was everyone?

If there are no willing volunteers to bring the society forward then I have to conclude that it is doomed to bimble along as it has for the last 30 years. The dynamic society we would all like to see relies on a dynamic leadership at least, and ideally a dynamic membership. We have neither.

FlossyThePig wrote:There were two items from the last issue of the BVR

The first was an amendment to the constitution to make it easier to expel members. A very welcoming message for new members.

The second was a nomination for BVR editor. Wasn't there a vote at the last AGM where the BVR was to be dropped totally and be replaced by "Plugged in"?


Those were in the BVR for the MEMBERSHIP (as distinct from forum users) to vote on. If they didn't like it, they could vote it out. As it happened, William Macphee put a very good case for his suggestion of the amendment to the suspension rule, which benefitted all parties including the 'wrongdoer', and everyone in the room voted to include the amendment.

The committee has been pleading for a volunteer editorial team for PluggedIn since Kelvin fell on his sword. Without volunteers, there will be no PluggedIn, despite the will of the membership AND the will of the committee. If Brian Hampton chose to withdraw his support, for whatever reason, I think the society would find itself with no magazine at all.

MB wrote:I haven't bothered to renew my membership of the Battery Vehicle Society as I quite simply don't see the point. If the group was going to change and become a proper society to promote electric vehicles properly, it would have done it years ago.

The Society and the committee needs enthusiastic volunteers. 'All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.' Without ACTIVE members, the longest running electric vehicle society in the UK will be unable to keep up with developments or the wishes of its members . This may not be exactly evil, but I think it is sad.
*END RANT*

ON A POSITIVE NOTE:

Ed Gordon (EX925) was voted in as events/competitions secretary. I wish him lots of luck in his new role. Well done for taking on this task, Ed.

This forum itself is a positive thing, brought to the society by ChrisB.

There are regional meetings happening quietly in Kent, Hampshire, Bristol, Cheshire and Yorkshire.

Mary's recent academic conference was a big success (the attendance being more than double that of the AGM. Buy your DVD from the society shop */plug*)

The society shop has been restocked, and run by Neil Baxter who is on the end of the society 0845 number.

Mary, John Lilly and Nikki have all appeared on BBC radio promoting electric vehicles and the BVS in the past 2 years.

The BVS has been called upon by various media for its opinion on EV stories of the day.

Our membership has exceeded 500.

The BVR is being sent by email to those who want it, which has enabled FlossyThePig to improve the typesetting. Well done Flossy. Would you be prepared to do this regularly, with your version being the 'official' electronic one?

To close: I believe the PluggedIn experiment showed the membership a publication it CANNOT AFFORD to sustain, in terms of manpower, and this has led to disatisfaction which has detracted from the good things which ARE being done, in a less visible way.

If I am wrong, and PluggedIn CAN be produced with the resources the society can bring to bear, the Committee will be as happy as anyone. There is no conspiracy. But the absence of a glossy magazine should not detract from the good things happening quietly elsewhere in the society.
Tim Crumpton


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