Veteran Leaguer - LVRC

From the Chair
Don Parry
The Executive team are currently having
to deal with situations that I do not think
anybody has previously anticipated and
certainly not planned for.
We have received from a racing member,
for the first time in my knowledge, a
written complaint about the standards
of the organisation of a race with serious
rider safety implications.
We have had at least three separate
complaints from Parish Councils in areas
where we race referring to individual
rider and spectator behaviour, the
behaviour of the peloton and in their
view general inconsiderate use of the
road including abuse of the highway
code.
Furthermore we also have had
notification of five potential insurance
claims, including one rider to rider
claim, which if pursed to completion will
somehow or other end up costing us
money. This will happen either by way
of us paying excesses or by us choosing
to settle the claims out of our own
funds to avoid unnecessary increase in
premiums, or by us utilising the benefits
of our insurance policy which will in turn
Contents
inevitably lead to increased premiums.
It is inappropriate to discuss the
details of these situations in this forum
but I wish to inform the membership of
a number of important points.
Firstly your Executive team, the relevant
race organisers and their support teams
are dealing with the complaints from
the Parish Councils in a robust, balanced
and very professional manner including
refuting accusations that we consider
to be unjustified. However we must also
concede that we are far from guiltless
sometimes and where appropriate have
apologised and in one case agreed to
not use a particular circuit again for
some time. There is also a danger we
are being tarred with the same brush as
other organisations and we have taken
that into account in our responses.
Secondly with regard to the rider
complaint I believe we have taken
appropriate and proportionate action
with the intention that there should be
little or no grounds for similar comments
in future.
Thirdly the Executive team are
taking a keen focus on race and rider
safety issues going forward. We will be
encouraging all oranisers and riders
to read, digest and apply the contents
of the Race Organisation and Safety
manual, available in hard copy or on the
web site, so that we are seen to be, and
are actually doing everything we can to
organise and enjoy safe and enjoyable
racing.
Fourthly I make a plea to all individual
members on behalf of the whole of
the LVRC to be cognisant at all times of
other road users, our impact on them
and the general good image of our
sport that is so hard to attain and so
easy to lose.
Finally I would like to reassure all
members that as a consequence of the
careful management of LVRC finances
over many past years we are well placed
to withstand the most likely worst case
implications of the potential insurance
claims referenced above, should they
arise.
Editorial 2
From The Chair - Don Parry 3
Announcements, additions, amendments 4-5
Region News 5
AGM Report 6-8
Results - May to June 2011 9-14
Results - 2011 Percy Stallard Series (to June) 15
Tour of the Abberleys 2011 - a sideways view from the back -
by Patrick Douglas 16-18
Vehicle Excise Duty for Cyclists? - by Allan Ramsay 19
Book Reviews 20-21
Point of View - Tom McCall 23
The Veteran Leaguer: Autumn 2011 Page 3