CCCTS Ride Guidelines Introduction, Leadership and Responsibilities, Safety – October 3, 2020 draft
The Cross Canada Cycle Tour Society (“CCCTS”) is a volunteer-based cycling club offering local Chapter day rides, multi-day Hub & Spoke rides and Tours in Canada and internationally. CCCTS’ objective is to offer a variety of safe and affordable cycling experiences, available to all its members on a non-profit basis. To meet this objective, CCCTS depends on members volunteering as Ride Leaders to organize and host these cycling experiences. The term “ride” is a collective term referring to a variety of CCCTS cycling events sanctioned by either the CCCTS Board or a CCCTS Chapter’s Board.
CCCTS depends on ride participants and members to assist where and whenever possible, including helping to foster harmony among members. Our Club’s aim is to make ride events enjoyable for all participants, including Ride leaders. It cannot be overemphasized that members, while on ride events, treat each other, and the public with whom they are dealing, in a civil and respectful manner.
These Ride Guidelines are intended to explain the roles and responsibilities of new and experienced Ride Leaders, a collective term, including both Tour Leaders, Hub & Spoke Leaders and Chapter Day Ride Leaders, Ride Coordinators. Ride participants will benefit from understanding these Ride Guidelines. The CCCTS “Tour Guidelines” were last updated in 2014-2015 to pass along to prospective Tour Leaders and fellow Club Members some of the collective wisdom and experiences garnered in organizing over 370 Club Rides between 1983 and 2020. The Ride Guidelines reflect current CCCTS policy related to Ride events, developed for Club members by Club members serving as Ride Leaders and volunteers on the CCCTS Board.
The Ride Guidelines information is organized into five sections:
- INTRODUCTION, LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES, SAFETY
- PRE-RIDE PLANNING
- ON THE RIDE
- POST-RIDE CONSIDERATION
- APPENDICES
1. CCCTS LEADERSHIP AND RESPONSIBILITIES
1a. Board of Directors: The governing body of the CCCTS is the Board of Directors (BOD or Board), which is responsible for the actions of members acting in its name. Therefore, both Ride Leaders (RL) and Ride Coordinators (RC) are responsible to the Board, usually through the Club’s two Ride Directors (RDs)– either the Tours Director (TD) or the Hub & Spokes Director (HD)
1b. The Ride Leader is that Club member, whose ride proposal has been accepted by the Board who then organizes and leads the Tour or Hub & Spoke Ride event and who acts on behalf of the Club’s BOD during the Ride. The RL may appoint Co-Leaders or develop a Ride organizing team to assist with both pre-Ride and on the ride tasks. Please note, it remains the RL’s role to manage all aspects of the Ride, including directing and budgeting, and to be the main contact with the Board.
The RL will keep the Board informed by providing regular progress reports (both during the planning stage and while on the Route) either by correspondence with the TD or the HD or, when requested, by attending a Board meeting. The RL does not have authority, without prior Board approval, to commit the Club to financial or legal obligations, for example: by paying for accommodation reservations, overspending the tour budget, engaging employees, purchasing equipment, applying for grants or sponsors, etc. Formal Board approval (e.g. the acceptance of the Ride proposal by the Board) of a Ride does allow a RL to begin the booking of accommodations, etc.
The RL should not assume all the responsibility and work of organizing and running a Ride. For example, for tours using club equipment, the appointment of a Quartermaster is recommended to take responsibility for the equipment; to ensure its safe and complete return at tour’s end and to recommend any necessary repairs to the Equipment Director. Other delegated responsibilities may include route planning and route mapping.
The Board, upon request, will assist a RL to ensure the success of a Ride. The Board can offer the use of its past files and maps and can serve as a source of knowledge and help, including the offering of training classes for road safety and bicycle maintenance. While on Rides, the Club’s two Ride Directors (RDs) and Club President are available as contacts.
1c. The Ride Coordinator (a form of Ride Leader) may coordinate a tour with a Tour Contractor (the employee or proprietor of a private tour company). The Ride Coordinator acts on behalf of the Board and is thus responsible for the tour, and for frequent reporting to the Board via the Tours Director (TD).
CCCTS Ride Safety Guidelines – See Ride Guidelines Appendix A or the CCCTS website’s Publications tab
The CCCTS Board of Directors, Ride Leaders, Ride Coordinators, Tour Contractors and Club Members will be familiar with and follow the safe cycling practices outlined in the CCCTS Ride SAFETY GUIDELINES, adopted by the CCCTS Board on Feb. 9, 2020.
These Ride Safety Guidelines will be reviewed by Ride Leaders with all Ride participants prior to the start of all Club Rides.