of the offending products.
The League of American Bicyclists is leading a charge to voice complaints about anti-cyclist products being sold at popular web product retailer CafePress.
Here’s the message being sent around by the League’s Advocacy Coordinator Lou Elin Dwyer:
“Please go to the address below and see the violence being promoted against bicyclists by CaféPress through stickers, t-shirts and coffee mugs.
The message: “I don’t share the road,” accompanies a car striking a bicyclist. There are others here.
Please call CaféPress at (877) 809-1659, Toll-Free, to let them know you find this type of behavior reprehensible, offensive, and irresponsible.You would expect better judgment to be exhibited on behalf of management.”
Here’s what Dwyer heard back from CafePress:
“Thank you for contacting CafePress.com. As you may know, CafePress.com provides an automated service to a rich and vibrant community of individuals across the globe who differ in their views about what is considered offensive. All product images and ideas used in connection with the CafePress.com Service have been provided to CafePress.com by users and do not reflect the opinions of CafePress.com.
While we don’t endorse any particular position, we respect the right of individuals to express their own opinions. Thank you for bringing this content to our attention.”
Local biking author and nationally syndicated columnist Joe Kurmaskie (aka Metal Cowboy) has already called the company to voice his concerns. He shared the exchange he just had with CafePress on a local email list:
“…I just got off the phone with the content team of Cafe Press… I let them know my thoughts… and also let them know that I would be doing an article on this.”
To which CafePress replied,
“come on man, this is just harmless fun. Do you have to make a federal case over it?”
Some of the most offensive items have already been removed, but anti-cyclist products remain for sale on CafePress from a user named Fantastic Bullshit.
No word yet on whether CafePress will remove the remaining, anti-cyclist items.