liability insurance

[old_windbag]

I'm presently reviewing my outgoings on various bits and pieces. I received my renewal for CTC membership but for many months now I've been considering alternatives. I was for one year classed as unwaged ( still around £28 a year ) but this year I return to being waged so its jumps back to previous payment. Looking at what I get, its basically third party insurance( not for first £250 of any claim? ), legal assistance, a magazine and some discounts on other items( though wiggle not really a discount as such ), I think evans still honour the old discount... I think, they did for me.

Anyway I have public liability insurance as standard part of my home insurance( if a tile falls on a passer by etc ) But this should also cover anything where a person pursues costs from me for liability, away from home too, i.e. I crash my bike by accident into a car when avoiding a pedestrian or similar. I asked my insurance company and they were fine that it would cover the sort of incidents the CTC cover does. Does anyone else agree on this point? Also having legal cover in the home policy should cover any court costs in a legal dispute.

I've been looking at British Cyclings bronze membership that for £22 a year gives me everything bar magazine+insurance, but gives 10% off at halfords and chain reaction( soon to be wiggle I believe ). It seems a nice cut down package but still a member of an organisation that can open doors to various cycle related events+activities. Or I guess simply drop out of giving to any organisation and ride my bike as normal.

With BC bronze I could also become an AUK member all still for less than my current renewal. I never thought I'd come to this but I feel a need to cut back or do something new to reinvigorate my interest, also I feel CTC is predominantly of an aged demography , ouch! and I'd like to see more vitality before my coffin lid closes down on me. obviously AUK is perhaps similar to CTC in the age aspect though but I'd do rides on my own, DIY permanents( ? ).

[Paulatic]

My membership ended on 21/02/16.
I haven't renewed as I don't see any membership benefits at all for me. I've considered BC but at the moment think I'm just going to get third party insurance from LCC for £9:50

[old_windbag]

My membership ended on 21/02/16.

I've noticed several posters are also non members, so is it ok to still use the forum( I think Vorpal the moderator states being non member due to not being in UK in a post just read ). Hows it funded, is it voluntary or CTC funds from members..... or maybe simply advertising revenues from magazine.

A few years ago Kevin Mayne I think it was announced record membership, but I think many of us are pondering exiting, I'm clearly not alone.

Paulatic can you not get the same 3rd party cover from within your home insurance liability cover?

[PH]

If you don't participate in CTC activities that require membership, or need the insurance it's a simple question of whether you wish to support what the CTC are doing for cycling in general. Reading this forum might lead you to think that no one did, but membership surveys show the campaigning high on the list of many peoples priorities.
For me it's a simple decision, I enjoy the Member Group activities, Use my CTC insurance for cheaper Audax entry, and have no other 3rd party insurance. If I wanted those things and wasn't happy paying £43 for them, I'd look at joining an affiliated club (Many of which are free or a small fee) and use that membership to get individual affiliated membership for £24
http://www.ctc.org.uk/membership/affili ... -and-sizes

[robgul]

My household insurer gave me assurance in writing that the built in TP cover was equivalent to CTC (at no extra cost) for cycling etc [they also insure my bikes for theft at a nominal increase of about £20 a year (that's one named machine at £2,000 and up to £5,000 for any others at not more than £500 each) - as belt & braces I also have the nine quid a year TP from LCC's provider.

I terminated my CTC membership (and got 8/12 of the subs as a refund) - because it simply wasn't value for money ... and the governance stinks (but that's another discussion) - the "benefits" are laughable - magazine = poor; Cotswold shops = net price still way more than anywhere else; "club shop" prices + are no different at Wiggle (if they still do it) - and I was only paying the retired rate.

Rob

[gaz]

I've noticed several posters are also non members, so is it ok to still use the forum( I think Vorpal the moderator states being non member due to not being in UK in a post just read ). Hows it funded, is it voluntary or CTC funds from members..... or maybe simply advertising revenues from magazine. ...

Use of the forum is not restricted to CTC members.

To the best of my knowledge it is funded by CTC, on what would be best described as a shoestring budget*. The moderators are all unpaid Volunteers. The forum is not viewed as an official channel of communication between members and National Office. Posts on the boards by members of CTC staff are few.

It is provided free at the point of use to all, subject to the various Ts&Cs.

*Exactly what budget it is funded from I do not know. Membership subscriptions (donations ) seems most likely but perhaps there is some EU communications grant funding behind it. The concept of selling advertising space has been raised before: viewtopic.php?f=45&t=75412

Please note that gaz is not FCA regulated and cannot assess individual needs for insurance. You will not receive advice or recommendations from gaz about them. Read CTC's guidance sheets carefully to decide whether any policy suits your requirements. If you are still unsure, ring CTC's brokers directly on 0151 494 4400. Other providers are available, always read the label prior to use. Posted on a forum that contains track nuts and cannot be guaranteed track nut free. Wash at 40°C. Do not dry clean.

[Psamathe]

Re: 3rd Party: Check with your insurer. I checked with mine and it includes 3rd party claims related to when I'm cycling. From what others have said many other insurance companies are similar. So sounds like the response you got from your own checks is similar to others.

Re: Legal stuff. I understood that CTC don't actually provide this service but you are passed to a "No win no fee" legal company (which you could call irrespective of CTC membership.

Re: Magazine. It is glossy, comes in the post, looks pretty and occupied me for about 10 mins per publication.

My own (expressed elsewhere) opinion is that being a member of the CTC these days is more about giving them a donation (your "membership fee") than actually being "a member". That is unless you make a lot of use of your local Member Group (with no alternative organisations). If you make only occasional use then divide the donation fee by the number of events you attend to decide if you'd pay that for attending the event anyway.

I used to think about doing group rides but never actually did and came to the conclusion that I actually like riding alone. a few times I've ridden along chatting with another cyclist I've met on my ride which is nice but I just enjoy being able to focus on the countryside, what's going on around me, etc. and not on the rider in front braking, behind failing to stop, outside and I suddenly see a pothole, going at the speed everybody else wants to go at, whilst chatting to somebody. For me the appeal is riding alone. But each to their own. I find other activities better suited to being sociable with others.

Ian

[old_windbag]

This all sounds good. My home insurance seems to give me the TP cover and that opens the door to a £22 a year alternative in BC. I didn't want to be seen as a hippocrate if I were to drop out of CTC membership but still responded to posts on here. I'm already bad enough .

I started out in 1998/9 thinking I'd be going on group rides, it never materialised as they met quite a distance away and either mid week or on a sunday at 8.30am . Some of the photo's I saw of group rides also showed no young people, I may now be middle aged but I'm still not into indoor bowls and funeral bonds . So for me I've oft thought of doing DIY audax rides and with modern technology you can submit gps files, so it looks a good alternative for as Ian says "riding alone" but with a sense of purpose or goal. When I came to CTC it was more touring oriented( adventures etc ) and had good route planning and a yearly handbook of cafes and B+B's that I actually used. The internet perhaps killed that function off but it was pretty good at the time, also technical info.

I'll give it some thought but it may be time for change.

[Psamathe]

...So for me I've oft thought of doing DIY audax rides and with modern technology you can submit gps files, so it looks a good alternative for as Ian says "riding alone" but with a sense of purpose or goal...

I've not done it (or any Audax rides) but a few local ones I've considered publish their routes via instructions and gpx route files so you could download those and do the rides at your convenience (i.e. not on the day and in the weather they might offer if that is inconvenient). (No idea if such behaviour is considered "reasonable" but if it's because e.g. you can't make their schedule and the route is published online then I don't think anybody is losing anything).

Ian

[old_windbag]

Yes thats what attracted me more to it. You can have a challenge( bit like a sportive but cheaper and solo ) and nowadays ride on a day of your choice. You do it all online and you can elect as you say the day you do it to fit with work holiday or optimal weather. Also as much as they have a start point on the gps track, I believe you can enter at any point on that route and do the circuit. This may allow you to cycle to the nearest point on a route to your home and start/finish there. I think they also now can include mileage ridden to/from the event in the total distance. Think this is where someone could do a 200k but ride to/from( distance 100k ) and be given a 300k accreditation. I think.

It's all very flexible, though the website is a little mixed up and old school. It could do with a good revamp, it seems a better alternative to expensive sportives. Though again I've often thought you could ride one of those with everyone else and as long as you don't take any refreshments you aren't committing a crime, they are public roads. Perhaps not in the spirit of things .

[Psamathe]

Yes thats what attracted me more to it. You can have a challenge( bit like a sportive but cheaper and solo ) and nowadays ride on a day of your choice. You do it all online and you can elect as you say the day you do it to fit with work holiday or optimal weather. Also as much as they have a start point on the gps track, I believe you can enter at any point on that route and do the circuit. This may allow you to cycle to the nearest point on a route to your home and start/finish there. I think they also now can include mileage ridden to/from the event in the total distance. Think this is where someone could do a 200k but ride to/from( distance 100k ) and be given a 300k accreditation. I think.

It's all very flexible, though the website is a little mixed up and old school. It could do with a good revamp, it seems a better alternative to expensive sportives. Though again I've often thought you could ride one of those with everyone else and as long as you don't take any refreshments you aren't committing a crime, they are public roads. Perhaps not in the spirit of things :) .

I'e not heard of this. Can you point me in the right direction to find out more ?

Ian

[old_windbag]

Ian if you go to the link below( and some of the links around DIY perms etc ) you'll see that it appears you can do their permanent courses or create your own with fixed gps distance and check point locations on an electronic brevet card?

http://www.aukweb.net/diy/routes/

It seems GPS has opened up more flexibility. There isn't one specific place for the detail but chase links around and you'll see.

Just a bit more, they have pdf copies of past arrivee magazines. I just had a quick look at a review of a B+M luxos light and it was good ( may 2014 ), so not bad features.