acu and ageism

[tck]

 
There is a rant in NCR about the dropping of one day licences for over 70's for sprints and grass track the great Henry Body is affected as are many others I do hope that enough of us will be at the ACU AGM to raise an official complaint and motion.
My case is even more annoying I take an expensive medical in order to parade on race circuits and yet will be unable to get a one day licence without another and £45 for a full licence . bureaucratic nonsense

[eddie]

As I understand it, this situation has been forced upon the ACU by their insurance company not being prepared to provide cover for riders over 69 who enter on a day licence. This is probably due to the fact that it is left to the rider to self - certify that he/she is fit to ride. There was some talk last year of the meeting paramedic checking that day entries were in a fit state to ride - totally impractical to expect any medical professional to certify a virtual stranger as fit to ride!
  On reaching 70, the only option now is to take out a full licence @ £45, with the added cost of a medical report from your doctor, and an eyesight report from your optician.

[tck]

Perhaps I was not clear I am not suggesting no medical test for 70+ I am suggesting a medical test and then treatment like any other day licence holder, why the imposition of a full licence?
In my case I have a medical anyway as I do track parades but jib at 45 pounds for 2 sprints a year

[eddie]

I guess it's all down to the way licences are issued. The full licence is issued from the ACU's head office at Rugby (where they presumably can make further checks if necessary), whereas a one day licence is normally issued on the day of the event by the secretary of the meeting (where any checks could be impossible - contacting a doctor on a Sunday???). Also, when one day licences were first issued, there was a limit of 3 per year before the rider was expected to take out a full licence - I wouldn't mind betting that a fair percentage of riders have exceeded this limit, so they may have contributed to the tightening of the regulations.

[graeme]

Think yourself lucky living in the UK! A full competition licence costs way, way more than this in Australia

[oily bloke]

I think I am in a good position to cover this subject as I been on the organising committee, in every capacity over the last 25 years, for Sprinting including the Brighton Speed Trials and am currently Chief Tech.
The issue of day licences has been rumbling on for a number of years.
Firstly it is unreasonable for the Paramedic on the day to certify or fail an individual as they have neither the resource or the time which would make their decision a bit problematic if they had to give evidence in a Coroners Court should there be an incident.
As the ACU is an insurance based organisation they have to mitigate their exposure to risk in an inherently risky arena.
I believe there have been incidents in the past where people have declared themselves fit and subsequently have been found not to be. This can expose significant personal and financial risk for both the ACU and the organisers.
If an individual is fit to ride and a day licence is not available to them then a doctors certificate and a full licence is the only way to go.
If an individual is seriously hurt or killed at an event the individual concerned would probably accept the consequences, the family, however, are a different kettle of fish. They often look for fault and blame beyond the rider and have been known to ask "why did you let him ride knowing how old he was?"
In short, agree or not, this has been brought in to protect the organisers and the ACU from litigation in the minefield that is motorcycle sport.
Andy

[tck]

I have a piece of pink plastic engraved apon it is my entitlements Trial ,parades etc I ask for one more 'senior sprint licence'
as for only 3 sprints a year anyone starting road racing carries a card to collect secretarys initials till they have enough to loose their novice jacket or get a higher licence then just the same for sprints produce for each sprint 3 signatures = buy full licence.
Its not rocket science its just a procedural matter.