Charity Bike Rides

[dbnm]

I am doing a charity (cancer research) bike ride this weekend where we are expected to raise some money for the cause.

I just realized that I've never seen any requests for donations here on Paceline.

Is it against policy, TOU or something?

Just curious.

[Blue Jays]

Requests would likely need its own subforum given the popularity of charity rides.

[Bruce K]

It tends to turn into “check swaps” - “If you support me then I will support you stuff”.

Occasionally, a special event or occurrence will get shared and gain some support but otherwise it doesn’t really happen here.

BK

[Mark McM]

It tends to turn into “check swaps” - “If you support me then I will support you stuff”.

That seems like a zero sum game. If I pledge $50 to your charity ride in exchange for you pledging $50 for my charity ride, we're both out the same amount of money (and the charities get the same amount) as if we each paid $50 to our own charity rides. The difference is that we don't need to find someone else to swap pledges. Since there's no net advantage, then we should just pledge our own rides (which also guarantee that our own preferred charity gets our donation).

[Bruce K]

Exactly!

That’s why you don’t see lots of solicitations here.

BK

[tbike4]

I will be doing a charity ride in Oct and never even thought about fundraising here. Zero sum game reminds me of a line in some movie. Hmmm, it had some aliens in it.

[jischr]

I typically do 5 charity rides a year, for like 15 years. I've never asked for donations here, and stopped asking family/friends/strangers years ago. It used to be a useful tax deduction, but it's not enough for the new rules.

[schwa86]

In order to manage all this in my life, my default rule is "if I haven't ridden with you this year, I won't donate." I suppose there is the occasional exception -- but it has been a helpful way to both sort the many requests I receive and encourage "catch up" rides ;-)

[tuxbailey]

I am doing a charity (cancer research) bike ride this weekend where we are expected to raise some money for the cause.

I just realized that I've never seen any requests for donations here on Paceline.

Is it against policy, TOU or something?

Just curious.

- Use social media. Despite all its negatives it is still a good tool to fund raise.

- Send one email to your friends/family/coworker. Send just once and emphasize any amount is ok to help the cause.

- Then make up the rest of the due from your own wallet.

I agree that if you ask from a cycling (or running) centric circle, you will be expected to support others as well.

[Ronsonic]

That seems like a zero sum game. If I pledge $50 to your charity ride in exchange for you pledging $50 for my charity ride, we're both out the same amount of money (and the charities get the same amount) as if we each paid $50 to our own charity rides. The difference is that we don't need to find someone else to swap pledges. Since there's no net advantage, then we should just pledge our own rides (which also guarantee that our own preferred charity gets our donation).

Walked that dog all the way around the block.