Dan Maes, the Republican gubernatorial candidate for Colorado, warns voters that a newly implemented bike sharing program is part of a United Nations plot to slowly take control of the United States.
Maes statements were directed at Denver’s mayor, John Hickenlooper, a Democrat who supports the B-Cycle sharing program. The program has about 400 bicycles available for rent throughout the city, making it possible for people to get around without relying on motor vehicles.
It is hard to imagine that many voters will actually take this conspiracy theory seriously. Maes, however, notes that even he had no objections to the program until recently, when he learned that it is part of a U.N. initiative. B-Cycle is supported by grants and private donors. There are no known connections to the United Nations.
According to Maes, Hickenlooper’s support of the bike sharing program comes from his collaboration with the U.N. Denver does have a contract with the International Council for Local Environmental Initiatives (ICLEI), which Maes mistakenly believes is a U.N. group. In reality, the group was created during a meeting at the U.N. building in New York City, but the U.N. has no control over ICLEI.
Over half of the ICLEI members are American cities. The group gives city leaders the opportunity to share innovative ideas that will improve their communities.
Even more ridiculous is the assertion that Hickenlooper is responsible for entering a contract with ICLEI. Denver entered into an agreement with the group ten years before Hickenlooper’s election.
The fact of the matter is that bike sharing programs have significant benefits. They ease traffic congestion, give tourists an easy way to explore cities, and can even reduce air pollution by giving people an alternative to motor vehicles. Bike sharing programs also make it easy and affordable for people in Denver to use bikes when they want to without having to worry about the responsibility of upkeep.
Looking through the comments left about the story on the websites of Colorado’s newspapers, it is obvious that most people find Maes’s comments laughable.