CLUB STANDARDS & RULES

Club Standards / Rules

These standards and rules have been developed to aid in the smooth operation of the club; to ensure club funds are used for the benefit of club members; to ensure safety of riders participating in club rides; and to ensure the club maintains a good reputation in the community.

Safety:

1. All riders participating in a club ride must wear a helmet. A club ride is any ride that is posted on the web site ride schedule.

2. All riders participating in club rides must ride in a safe manner and in accordance with Texas traffic laws. Two good links pertaining to Texas traffic laws and basic cycling safety are provided below:
 

http://www.biketexas.org/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=51&Itemid=65

http://www.be-safe.org/css_com/bicycle/index.html

3. All common cycling courtesies will be used during club rides. These include things like shouting “car back” and “on your left”; stopping to render aid to other cyclists; and showing courtesy to other road users and pedestrians.

4. The Cool Cats never leave a rider on their own! Should a rider fall back behind a group then it is each individual club member’s responsibility to ensure that somebody goes back and assists that rider. Everybody was a new rider at one time; everybody gets sick or has bad days, and everybody has mechanical problems at some time… lets take care of one another!

Support & Gear (SAGs):

5. During long rides when another club member or a family member volunteers to SAG for the club ride (standard practice for longer rides, especially during hotter weather), it will be standard practice for the riders riding that day to donate some $$$ to the vehicle driver / owner to help offset gasoline costs.

Charity Rides / Larger Events / Training Rides:

6. For larger charity events where club funds may be used to support riders the following conditions will apply:
    a. To register on the “club team” for a particular ride the rider must have been a club member for at least 60 days.
    b. The rider must participate in any fund raising activities related to    that particular ride.
    c. The rider must participate in club training rides for that particular event. This is to ensure the rider gets to know other club members SAG personnel and that he / she is prepared to ride the distance(s) involved in the ride.
    d. The rider must abide by the rules of the particular event organizer to include raising the minimum amount required (if applicable).

Financials:

7. The Club President will provide all members with a quarterly financial report showing bank account balance, incoming funds, outgoing expenses, etc.

8. Club leadership will decide when it is in the best interests of the group to utilize club funds to purchase items such as: ice, drinks and snacks for longer training rides; items such as drinks coolers, sun shades, traffic cones, etc. which are beneficial for club events; signage, membership cards and other associated printed materials necessary for club operation; gasoline reimbursement for SAG vehicles during longer rides and charity events where the club has fielded an official team; and door prizes for club meetings.
NOTE: Where feasible, donations will be used to purchase the aforementioned items.

Updated 04/02/08 (RLB)
 

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