Event kind of thing insurance?

[restlessshawn]

Was chatting to a friend the other night who organises some of the SMBO trailquest events and musing about ideas. He gets insured through affiliation with the BMBO or something like that.

I presume to organise any kind of event, even something as nebulous* as the WRT you need liability insurance? Would this be the same for whoever has setup the HT400 or is that such a self supported no entry fee non event they don't need it?

Even if you come up with a route and people turn up to ride it have you exposed yourself to potential liability if someone breaks their neck and decides to sue you?

*not meant in a bad way!

[Bearbonesnorm]

Regardless of whether there's insurance in place or not, before any claim could be made you'd have to prove that the organiser was negligent in some way. My insurance for coaching comes via British Cycling and the same rules apply ... as far as I know there's never been a claim made against any coach in the UK, even though accidents happen and injuries occur.

Hand on heart, if / when the 'powers that be' start to pester, people with clipboards want things sanctioned or marshalls and first aiders posted at every gate, then I'll jack the whole thing in ... the UK's soft enough as it is without me (and you) joining in. If grown ups can't be responsible for their own actions then they shouldn't be getting out of their cottonwool lined boxes and throwing a leg over a bike

[restlessshawn]

yeah I don't agree with the whole mentality just wondered what could be 'organised' without the need to start worrying about insurance and stuff*

I keep looking at a map and seeing a nice 100-120 mile Borders loop, most of which I have ridden but not as a loop. Need to check some bits and have a think.


*I lived out of the UK for quite a few years somewhere I consider to be more litigious so may be paranoid

[Chew]

Organise as little as possible and restrict the number/type of people who can enter. Also be wary of charging people to enter as that's where you may start to get onto shaky ground.

These events work on the principle of 'dont be a dick', your old enough to know better and keeping them quiet. Quite surprised with the amount of exposure the HTR got, as well as Alan's name getting mentioned, I would have thought it would have been a bit more secret than it was in case something happened, participant/average joe.

Yes people are getting soft and generally if you make it sound really hard with lots of suffering it'll put all of the softies off

[Blackhound]

I am with the 'you are old enough to look after yourself' when going out on events. I really cannot envisage an incident where I would blame the organiser unless it was a hidden trap with spears in 50m from the finish line.

Lack of entry fee in these events certainly aims people to the face you are on your own. When you think about it how do trail centres or bmx tracks manage? Plenty of opportunity for people to hurt themselves in these locations. I recall the H&S brigade turned up to play at a conker's tournament just to prove that the game was not banned.