Jump to content
Chapala.com Webboard

LCS Meeting for "the foreign community of Ajijic".


Al Berca

Recommended Posts

One thing that would improve the traffic situation is to have more buses running more often.  I am carless-by-choice and ride the bus often.  In the last few years, the buses have become packed like sardines most of the day with school kids and workers on various shifts.  It's getting so it is hardly safe to ride at times.  There certainly would be business for additional lines between Chapala and Joco, and from GDL on weekends, holidays, and vacation periods.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

How would the vans work here?  Would they only stop at a few particular locations?  If so, that would probably not be convenient for those of us without a car.  How would we get to their pick-up or drop-off points?  And if they stop at all the bus stops, then why not just add extra buses?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Xena said:

Geez, I didn't even know we had leaders of the foreign community much less who they are. 

No need to concern ourselves with this any longer. LCS has chosen our foreign community leaders who have had a private meeting with El Presidente and they will soon tell us what we should think. I am so relieved.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

suegarn buses are more expensive and ride empty in off hours  so I do not see adding buses. there are not that many or that often.. not that I care.. but the way it works in other cities they have  private companies that have routes and stop when ever people wave them at intersections.They could have routes withing the village as they are smaller they can go where buses cannot go

Other cities also have share a ride cabs..and you could share between villages if there is a need..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

32 minutes ago, bmh said:

suegarn buses are more expensive and ride empty in off hours  so I do not see adding buses. there are not that many or that often.. not that I care.. but the way it works in other cities they have  private companies that have routes and stop when ever people wave them at intersections.They could have routes withing the village as they are smaller they can go where buses cannot go

Other cities also have share a ride cabs..and you could share between villages if there is a need..

My experience in busses lakeside is the more expensive busses are less travelled by Mexican residents, the less expensive smaller bus that travels inter village is usually more travelled . Maybe a smaller van type vehicle, that can run routes the mid size bus can't?  How to make it worthwhile? Consider it a first class accommodation, more comfortable, gets you closer to your destination and maybe uses the AC when it's hot. It costs more , but that might balance out the smaller size.

Question is: Would that be appealing to the expat community? I would think they would be the target market. But will people in general give up the use of personal vehicles for something like this? Public or private, would it get sufficient use to cover its expense, or even be profitable?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, zerbit said:

My experience in busses lakeside is the more expensive busses are less travelled by Mexican residents, the less expensive smaller bus that travels inter village is usually more travelled . Maybe a smaller van type vehicle, that can run routes the mid size bus can't?  How to make it worthwhile? Consider it a first class accommodation, more comfortable, gets you closer to your destination and maybe uses the AC when it's hot. It costs more , but that might balance out the smaller size.

Question is: Would that be appealing to the expat community? I would think they would be the target market. But will people in general give up the use of personal vehicles for something like this? Public or private, would it get sufficient use to cover its expense, or even be profitable?

Well if one was able to test the market, I suspect some brave soul would give it a try, much like the tour boats, etc. But what do you think the all-powerful taxistas would think of that? More importantly, what would they do to stop it?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The vans and share ride taxis make it because of locals not the foreigners, They are common in poor areas where people need transportation  .. no A/C is not part of the program even in hot areas the idea is cheap ride, efficient and quick not comfort...Very few foreigners ride them so whether foreigners like them or not is irrelevant..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Returning to the topic of the meeting at LCS, I contacted the Executive Director to find out exactly who decided it would be private, be limited to "community leaders" AND who those invitees were.

It turns out the Presidente of Chapala contacted LCS to request a meeting structured this way.  Specifically, the Presidente wanted it not to be a public meeting and to be directed at and limited to the leaders of formally organized expat organizations in the area.  Once called the "Presidents List," a list of local A.C.s is maintained by LCS as a public service. The Presidents of organizations tied to Ajijic were invited. The document can be found at: http://lakechapalasociety.com/website/PDF/Miscellaneous/LakesideOrganizations.pdf  The meeting was attended by representatives of the local expat "press" as well.

So it is important to understand that LCS did not determine the rules, format or who was invited to this meeting.  They were asked by the Presidente to host it and they did exactly as he wanted it done.  

Cooperating with local government like this is nothing new at LCS and the organization views it as part of its mission.

In fairness to the Presidente, the Chapala government has held and are continuing to hold public meetings on this proposal so it is not as if the public has not had ample opportunity to attend and give their input as well.

No one, neither LCS nor the Presidente has acted in an elitist or exclusionary manner in my opinion.  This meeting is just one of many being held on this topic, others have focused on the affected business community for example.

As a long time member of LCS I am proud and supportive of the many activities directed at the entire community and the generosity of the membership that provides public service as well as access  to our beautiful gardens and café.  I believe that LCS is a force of good in this community and appreciate their cooperating with the local government.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe the President should be informed that there are no community leaders...it is all bs..and I am sure it is fine with him that those leaders are just made up leaders without any powers.. more power for him and it is just press and foto op anyways... so everything is fine as usual...I guess this could be part of an alternative reality..

Link to comment
Share on other sites

In any case LCS's role in this meeting is clear now and there was nothing elitist about it.  They were performing a community service at the request of the Presidente who was calling the shots on the who, what and where.

There's a good lesson here about jumping to conclusions.  Thanks to "Tangerine" for taking the time to find out the details and set things straight.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

This is a pretty good list. I understand why church/faith groups are not included and it seems like the right decision. 

Open Circle should not be included. If it is not a church then why do they meet on Sunday mornings in direct competition of other groups?

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Prudent said:

This is a pretty good list. I understand why church/faith groups are not included and it seems like the right decision. 

Open Circle should not be included. If it is not a church then why do they meet on Sunday mornings in direct competition of other groups?

I'm not even going to think about getting into a discussion about why you consider church/faith groups and their leaders as not welcome in community discussions, and I am not religious at all. I do question why the leaders of the Veggie Group (not casting aspersions on any of them) might have been included...

But I do question why you would skew this topic completely off-kilter by coming down on Open Circle. Is there some law that says only religious groups can meet on Sunday morning? My Mother was a regular attendee of Open Circle, and loved that it was on Sunday morning... a time when she had nothing else to do anyway, and certainly was not a churchgoer.

I used to belong to a relatively large Sunday breakfast group that enjoyed bacon and eggs and chatter... I had no idea we were competing with churches.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

34 minutes ago, ComputerGuy said:

I'm not even going to think about getting into a discussion about why you consider church/faith groups and their leaders as not welcome in community discussions, and I am not religious at all. I do question why the leaders of the Veggie Group (not casting aspersions on any of them) might have been included...

But I do question why you would skew this topic completely off-kilter by coming down on Open Circle. Is there some law that says only religious groups can meet on Sunday morning? My Mother was a regular attendee of Open Circle, and loved that it was on Sunday morning... a time when she had nothing else to do anyway, and certainly was not a churchgoer.

I used to belong to a relatively large Sunday breakfast group that enjoyed bacon and eggs and chatter... I had no idea we were competing with churches.

Computer Guy, I was referring to the list of groups that were invited. Open Circle was on the list. Churches were not. I understand why churches were not invited. I only questioned why Open Circle was.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

36 minutes ago, Prudent said:

Computer Guy, I was referring to the list of groups that were invited. Open Circle was on the list. Churches were not. I understand why churches were not invited. I only questioned why Open Circle was.  

I am curious as to why you believe the churches were not invited?

As for Open Circle, you could probably find someone who would question why just about any group was included. I doubt LCS is about to explain or justify their choices. However, they would be the ones for you to ask, not people here whose guess is just that, a guess.  BTW, why do you think Open Circle is a religious group akin to a church -- other then that they meet on Sunday morning? 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Perhaps I misunderstood your comment; if so, my apologies. If your point was how come churches were left off but Open Circle was on it, then:

Why church groups are not on the list is a good question... BUT since I have no way of knowing how this list was concocted (I suppose groups who are involved with the LCS), or why anybody on it might be considered a "community leader", I can't really ask the question, without finding out first how the list came to be.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

2 hours ago, lakeside7 said:

I think members of LCS are representative of this community. Many of them/us/me have 3/4 other affiliations 

No not a perfect sample but a quick and dirty way to get a random opinion 

Sorry if the purists among us wish to differ 

There is nothing purist about it. Words have meanings.  No matter how you try to twist it around, "Representative"of the foreign community IS NOT the same as being "a community leader." 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

×
×
  • Create New...