Group Rides - Birmingham

[mjr]

From your own link go to this one: https://www.britishcycling.org.uk/zuvvi/media/The_Way_Forward_03-07-20.pdf - and see points 2.1 to 2.5, pages 10 and 11. As a committee we accept the requirements, understand them and could publish guidance but we do not feel able to take responsibility for ensuring they are adhered to.

OK. Where does it say anyone expects clubs "to take responsibility for ensuring they are adhered to" rather than making best efforts in good faith for following the guidelines? After all, it does say "Participants need to take personal responsibility" but only that clubs "must consider safety".

We have faith in our membership to adhere to the guidelines but there are potential problems - for example one extra rider turns up making seven. Realistically is he going to be turned away? Of course not. If I was there and had undertaken to be on the ride and ensure guidelines were observed could I turn away a friend? Just how hard would that be?

Why turn them away? Split into a 3 and a 4, as suggested in point 1.2.6.

The club is affiliated to BC and we gain many benefits from this without which we could not run the club, the two key ones being insurance and membership administration (a huge benefit).

We've discussed that in the past, so instead of repeating here and heading off-topic in a second way, I'll just link back to https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/question-for-clubs.234522/ and https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/non-members-continuing-to-ride-with-club.253079/post-5805148 about the insurance and enforcement, and suggest that membership admin seems like needless bureaucracy outside of racing, although it's what I'd expect from a funded arm of government like BC.

 

[PaulSB]

OK. Where does it say anyone expects clubs "to take responsibility for ensuring they are adhered to" rather than making best efforts in good faith for following the guidelines? After all, it does say "Participants need to take personal responsibility" but only that clubs "must consider safety".


Why turn them away? Split into a 3 and a 4, as suggested in point 1.2.6.


We've discussed that in the past, so instead of repeating here and heading off-topic in a second way, I'll just link back to https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/question-for-clubs.234522/ and https://www.cyclechat.net/threads/non-members-continuing-to-ride-with-club.253079/post-5805148 about the insurance and enforcement, and suggest that membership admin seems like needless bureaucracy outside of racing, although it's what I'd expect from a funded arm of government like BC.

I feel you have difficulty in understanding if one is applying guidelines to club rides it is necessary to ensure they are adhered to. If a cycle club choses to put on rides in the current climate that club has a responsibility to ensure the guidelines are policed and adhered to - a social responsibility above all. To publish guidelines and if they are not followed simply take the approach of "well we published guidelines" is inadequate and irresponsible. Please read point 1.4.

Today I passed a group of nine riders from a very well known northwest club. Six in club kit. These riders sent out a clear message to anyone who saw them, it was "we don't care, we know better etc." I wouldn't want the public or other riders to see this attitude publicly displayed by our club. It sends out a very poor message about our sport. Hence the need to ensure guidelines are adhered to.

Just to cover your point re membership admin. Most cycle clubs collect membership fees. This is the membership admin service which BC provides. Very simply BC provides a facility for each member to pay by debit or credit card. These payments are then forwarded to the club bank account. Prior to using this service it was necessary to collect cash, cheques, bank transfers, PayPal etc. from our members, record the payments, bank cheques and cash and so on. Our membership secretary now has literally one click to perform per member to process the member's payment. If you can offer a simpler and more effective method of collecting payments from 200+ individuals I look forward to reading about it.

 

[Chris S]

Hello is anyone here from Birmingham or the Midlands and would be interested in arranging group rides?

There is a Birmingham Cycling group on Facebook that frequently organises rides.
The most recent was on July 4th through the Netherton Tunnel.


View: https://www.facebook.com/events/276675736722526/

There will probably be more soon.