Berkeley Gate - The full report
Douglas Hoffman
toUltracycling
12 hrs ·
A full report on the Disqualification of Bruce Berkeley from the UMCA HAMR attempt started on January 1, 2016
We have been asked by many for the full reasoning behind our disqualification of Bruce Berkely's record attempt. Our records chair has prepared the following complete accounting. Please note that by using the Spot Tracker and GPS with Heart Rate Monitor we have been able to identify errors in reporting and get them corrected. The accounting of mileage for such an endeavor is no small task. It is our records chair's job to make sure he gets what he needs. What follows is the full report, including emails between Bruce and Drew and other members of the UMCA Board of Directors. Email addresses are redacted:
1. Dec 30: Bruce Berkeley was notified that he needed to get Spot tracker; reasons in the following email. Bruce had previously selected a live tracker that was inadequate. Anyone who wanted to track him had to first submit a request and wait for it to be approved before tracking was enabled. Given that Bruce (or any HAM’R rider) might not be able to approve such a request for several days make this entirely unacceptable. Rules do give this authority to the Records Chairman.
From the Rules for Record Attempts:
Riders will be required to have an active live tracking device in operation for all mileage to be credited for the attempt. In addition, riders will have a trip recording device (such as a Garmin) that will record the route taken, speed, elevation/gradient and at least one of heart rate or power. Riders will be responsible for carrying backup batteries to power whatever device/app we decide upon. The devices used will be subject to the approval of the Records Chairman.
Dear Bruce,
You definitely need to get the Spot tracker for the following reasons.
1. Spot will allow open access. Any neutral observer can go to the Spot website and track your rides, as opposed to the Find My Friends app which requires a friend request to be approved. Spot will serve the fan base of ultracycling as well as serve you better; once your attempt begins, you do not need to spend any time approving friend requests for the live tracker, nor should the ultracycling fan base need to wait for approval. Even as simple as the process may be, we do not want to deter observers in the least.
2. Spot leaves a trail. I do not know if Find My Friends does or not; I think not. What I mean is this: I can go to Spot for days AFTER one of your rides and see where you were at any selected time. On occasion during the past year, I was able to use this feature to reconstruct a ride for which Strava/Garmin had a glitch.
3. Use of Find My Friends virtually guarantees your will lose miles when Strava has a glitch (because it is a near certainty that Strava will have one or more glitches during your year of riding).
As soon as you sign up for Spot, please see me a link to one of your rides. Thanks.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
2. Jan 2: Bruce is notified that he has not become member of UMCA, as is required by the rules. At this point, I was willing to treat this as a misunderstanding (no penalty or warning) but only if prompt corrective action were taken.
On 2 Jan 2016, at 13:58, Drew Clark wrote:
Dear Bruce,
It has been brought to my attention that you have not yet enrolled as a member of UMCA. You must do so immediately.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
3. Jan 2: Bruce promises prompt action.
On Jan 2, 2016, at 2:43 AM, Bruce Berkeley wrote:
Drew
Was this not included? This is the first I have know about this! I'm 2 days in and pretty tired tonight, so probably won't get it sorted this evening.
I will sort as soon as I get a chance.
Been getting some serious interest on Strava, nearly 1000 likes on yesterday's ride! Massive
Bruce
4. Jan 2: Drew Clark affirms membership requirement.
January 2, 2016
Dear Bruce,
The rules clearly require UMCA membership for a record attempt.
An application for a record attempt is entirely separate from membership.
You do need to do this immediately. It takes about 5 minutes.
If not, adherents to Steven Abraham and Kurt Searvogel may well challenge your mileage.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
5. Jan 4: Drew Clark again affirms membership requirement.
January 4, 2015
Dear Bruce,
I have not heard back from you yet regarding membership in UMCA.
I understand that you thought membership was part of the application fee; it is not.
I am willing to allow for the misunderstanding, but only up to the point where you were notified of the problem.
I wrote on January 2:
The rules clearly require UMCA membership for a record attempt.
An application for a record attempt is entirely separate from membership.
You do need to do this immediately. It takes about 5 minutes.
If not, adherents to Steven Abraham and Kurt Searvogel may well challenge your mileage.
Paul Carpenter (who is copied on this email) handles membership and can help you with any issue on that front and he will notify me as soon as you join.
UMCA will not post any official data for your attempt until this is accomplished.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
6. Jan 4: Paul Carpenter, President of UMCA, offers to help Bruce complete his membership process. This email was also sent to Bruce.
January 4, 2016
Please let me know if I can help Bruce. Basic membership is $35 and can be paid through the on line store.
http://ultracycling.com/store/index.php…
Paul.
7. Jan 5: Paul Carpenter, President of UMCA, again offers to help Bruce complete his membership process. This email was also sent to Bruce.
January 5, 2016
Paul Carpenter again offered help to Bruce
Hi Bruce,
If you use the link I included in the email you can use PayPal to pay when you checkout of the store.
Paul.
8. Jan 5: Bruce replied, promising to complete the membership process “in the morning."
On Tue, Jan 5, 2016 at 1:06 AM, Bruce Berkeley wrote:
Hi Drew/Paul
I will sort the payment for the membership in the morning. Can I pay it with PayPal? Just a quick one though Drew, this was an error at your end not informing me that I had to pay the membership fee as well, so I was under the impression it was all sorted! So apologies for this, but would appreciate if you could work with me here! I have started the attempt and I do not have a lot of time at the end of the day.
Thanks and I'll send the payment in the morning
Bruce
9. Jan 5: Drew Clark replied on the same day. Please note that Bruce was strongly urged (again) to enlist crew to help prevent exactly the kind of situation that ultimately resulted. Bruce declined to utilize ANY crew.(Note: Because HAM’R riders are not required to use a follow vehicle, no crew was required in the past. This will be rectified by a new HAM’R rule that will require a HAM’R rider to have at least one crew designated to handle communication in the future.)
January 5, 2016
Dear Bruce,
Great! I look forward to getting you fully into HAM’R.
Please be aware that you still also need to sign up for Spot tracker, per my previous email, pasted here for reference:
You definitely need to get the Spot tracker for the following reasons.
1. Spot will allow open access. Any neutral observer can go to the Spot website and track your rides, as opposed to the Find My Friends app which requires a friend request to be approved. Spot will serve the fan base of ultracycling better as well as serve you better; once your attempt begins, you do not need to spend any time approving friend requests for the live tracker, nor should the ultracycling fan base need to wait for approval. Even as simple as the process may be, we do not want to deter observers in the least.
2. Spot leaves trail. I do not know if Find My Friends does or not; I think not. What I mean is this: I can go to Spot for days AFTER one of your rides and see where you were at any selected time. On occasion during the past year, I was able to use this feature to reconstruct a ride for which Strava/Garmin had a glitch.
3. Use of Find My Friends virtually guarantees your will lose miles when Strava has a glitch (because it is a near certainty that Strava will have one or more glitches during your year of riding).
As soon as you sign up for Spot, please send me a link to one of your rides. Thanks.
You wrote: "but would appreciate if you could work with me here!"
I will be delighted to work with you. Per the rules, the Records Chairman (me) is your official-of-record for your HAM’R attempt. I will spend many hours this year compiling documentation for your attempt. I will even spend more out-of-pocket to create and preserve this documentation than your membership will cost. I am not paid for my work for UMCA; this is purely voluntary. As your official, I am rooting for you to succeed. But a big part of the role of the official is to build a "defensible wall” around your attempt so that your efforts can survive a challenge. I have already received queries about your live tracker (or absence thereof).
If anyone files an actual complaint or challenge, your attempt may be subject to penalties as prescribed in the rules, which could range from warning to a loss or miles.
So, please complete the membership application ASAP and also the Spot tracker.
I will again urge you to enlist crew persons to assist you. I know you prefer to go it alone, but this approach will likely cost you time and maybe miles. Crew persons can perform many time-saving tasks for you such as: answering communications, fetching bicycle parts in case of unexpected breakdowns, and many other tasks. I know Steven Abraham and Kurt Searvogel did effectively use support crew for many such things. Enlisting crew will not be required of you, but it it s certainly recommended.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
10. Jan 9: Drew Clark notified Paul Carpenter and Doug Hoffman of noncompliance by Bruce, though both were previously aware of the situation.
January 9, 2016
Dear Paul and Doug,
We have a problem with Bruce Berkely. After promising on Jan 5 to make membership payment on Jan 6, I have received no confirmation of his having done so.
Have either of you seen anything from him?
Nor is he complaint with his live tracker.
But he is riding and has thousands of followers.
I have to issue a warning, a penalty, or a DQ. I have some latitude, but in my opinion, he has gone past a mere warning already.
I am thinking along these lines: a) A penalty of loss of miles, or b) no miles count until he is compliant (essentially a restart on new date), or c) DQ
Any thoughts before I do so?
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
11. Jan 10: Official warning issued to Bruce.
January 10, 2016
Dear Bruce,
The purpose is twofold:
1. We do encourage you to continue your effort and want to work with you.
2. This is an official warning that you’re out of compliance with UMCA rules for a HAM’R attempt, specifically a) No UMCA membership and b ) No Spot tracker
This is serious enough that if you need to take time off from riding, you should do so.
If you need help to attain either of these, please let us know immediately. Paul can help with membership. I can re-send info for the Spot tracker.
More severe consequences will follow very rapidly. These include loss of miles or a restart or DQ.
Notes: You were first notified on Jan 2 about the membership issue. Your response was: "I will sort as soon as I get a chance.”
You were reminded again on January 5. You promised: "Thanks and I'll send the payment in the morning.”
It is now January 10, and no action has been taken.
Please respond immediately with action.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
12. Jan 16: After six more days of no action by Bruce and no communication from Bruce, he is disqualified.
January 16, 2016
Dear Bruce,
This is official notice that your HAM’R attempt is officially over.
You are not in compliance with UMCA rules for your HAM’R attempt.
Despite repeated chances and repeated warnings, you were not in compliance when you started and never accepted our offer to become compliant.
Best wishes if you continue riding, but none of your mileage will be certified by UMCA.
UMCA Records Chairman
Drew Clark
13. Jan 17: Bruce finally replies, with two emails in succession
January 17, 2016
Hi Drew
Thanks for the email, pretty shocked with the content. To give me an official warning seems pretty over the top. Surely that should relate to some form of bending the rules, this is not something I have done.
1. I am sorry I have been riding every day as you can no doubt see, and forgot to make the payment.
2. I looked into the spot tracking and simply do not have the funds to spend more money on this option. I sent you a option that does provide live tracking and it would do the job required. It does not say on your website that I have to use a specific brand of live tracking, simply that I must have live tracking. I think I have not breached any rules here either.
As a result of the email and the issues we are having I have left the group and I no longer want you to officiate on my record attempt, as a result of this can you please refund my payment, less an Admin fee, as I will now use Guinness to verify my attempt.
I can do without the extra agro that I am getting at the end of very long and hard days in the saddle. I would have thought you guys would understand this better than anyone as you officiate on these distance records. I expected to work with you guys, not be treated like I am doing something wrong.
Please advise me when the refund has been processed.
Bruce
Drew
I hope you got my last email! This is not on!! You have tarnished my reputation and not done anything to help me out here! I now hear I have been disqualified!? I do not want your organisation involved in my record attempt! You are overly officious and did nothing to understand or help me out!
I expect a full refund and have raised a claim with PayPal regards the fee!
I am annoyed that I ever got you involved with this challenge!
Please advise about the refund
Bruce
14. Jan 17: Bruce files a “buyer complaint” with Paypal. It is interesting that he did not have time to pay for his membership, but did have time to file a buyer complaint.
January 17, 2016
From Mark Newsome:
FYI -- Seems that Bruce (David?) Berkeley is seeking a refund of his record attempt fees. (The site receives notifications of PayPal activity.) Looks like he's filed a "buyer complaint" (see text below).
Whomever manages our PayPal account should see the message from PayPal...
--Mark
15. Jan 17: Decision regarding a refund to Bruce
From the Rules of Record Attempts:
"Fees are non-refundable, non-transferable, and cannot be applied toward other future record attempts. In other words, once you submit your fee, you are indicating your intention to make the attempt."
As Records Chairman, my job is to uphold the rules. The Rules state that the application fee is not refundable, so I cannot authorize that. But the Board does have authority to freely male whatever decision they wish regarding a refund.
Drew Clark, UMCA Records
16. Jan19, 2016: UMCA Board approves a full refund (no admin fee taken) to Bruce Berkeley even though the rules clearly state that the application fee is non-refundable, as a gesture of good will towards Bruce. The UMCA Board wishes Bruce Berkeley well in his attempt, but UMCA will not certify the attempt and will not verify mileage for the attempt.
