BIKES Club is an organizational member of the League of American Bicyclists.  LAB has roots going back to 1880 well before automobiles.  While on the LAB website recently I came across a linked article from Smithsonian Magazine titled “American Drivers Have Bicyclists to Thank for a Smooth Ride to Work”.  An alliance with bicyclists, farmers, and the U. S. Postal Service worked wonders.  You can get to the article by clicking League of American Bicyclists, then About the League, then Mission and History, then scroll down under to Explore League History.