August 17, 200719 yr Just picking up on the story about the Skelder Bank round of the Maxxis British MX Champs, where a number of officials made an error of judgement concerning a protest and were later suspended and fined (plus costs) for their error. I appreciate that we all agree to abide by the rules of the ACU and the National Sporting code lays out a structure of penalties including fines, so we can't complain if we make a mistake and end up getting fined..... But, is it a bit harsh to fine people who are unpaid volunteers?
August 17, 200719 yr Very harsh if they are there voluntarily! Are you sure that they don't receive payment? How much were the fines?
August 17, 200719 yr Author No, please don't get me wrong, I don't know the exact details of the case but that's not really the issue I was questioning. I was just wondering how I would feel if I ended up being fined for an event that I'd been an official at, when I was there as an unpaid volunteer.
August 17, 200719 yr I was just wondering how I would feel if I ended up being fined for an event that I'd been an official at, when I was there as an unpaid volunteer. I know how I would feel about it, very p****d off! Can't believe they actually paid the fines, bet they weren't from Yorkshire
August 17, 200719 yr More than likely the host club actually pay the fine, otherwise the volunteer official would soon become extinct.
August 18, 200719 yr I really hope that there's more to this than was reported in TMX because if those guys really were unpaid officials, off-road motorcycling (at least under the ACU banner) is in an even worse state than I previously thought. Investing many hours of your own time, often in adverse weather conditions to support the sport you love and enable others to do the same only to be dragged up before some "court" in Derby and slapped with a large fine for making an honest mistake? If it were me I'd be seriously tempted to tell the ACU to shove the fine up their a***, deal with any consequences and never have anything to do with running an event again. IF the details in the report are correct of course.
August 18, 200719 yr How does the fine system work? Surely it has no legal standing if you don't pay. I can't see the ACU coming to repossess your house for instance!
August 18, 200719 yr Author How does the fine system work? Surely it has no legal standing if you don't pay. I can't see the ACU coming to repossess your house for instance! As an ACU official we sign to say that we will follow the rules as laid down in the hand book oncluding the National sporting code. Being a paid official or unpaid seems to have no bearing on the situation. It states; FINES Levied by ACU court....... Unlimited fine. Levied by National Club, Centre or Stewards.... Maximum
August 18, 200719 yr Back to my original point; we can't complain about the fines as we have agreed to them by signing on as an offical, but isn't it a bit harsh to fine an unpaid volunteer? Yes
August 18, 200719 yr Interesting, what's the scoop, I don't buy the rag very often and have missed this one. In any situation though you don't shaft the volunteers that ensure your events run properly, either that or a) you need to pay them or B.) the Acu needs a rethink on the National Sporting Code....not good what ever the scenario is Edited August 18, 200719 yr by Slapshot 3
August 18, 200719 yr This sounds like the friend of a friend story and is ripe for an eplaination from John collins, if nothing else to put the record straight. I know for sure that if one of our club officials were to need to pay a fine then our club would pay I'm sure, but it really does depend on the cicumstances which we don't know about. And if I remember when I used to get the centre magazine unpaid fines simply mean an indefinate ban from riding and i spose officiating. Over to you JC?
August 20, 200719 yr So these people turn up on a sunday morning to sit and watch us lot splash around in the mud. Its often raining an/or miserable. They could stay in bed ad watch the motogp or something. Rather than let us down they make the effort to support us on our favourite sport and make it possible for us to play. So they mess up... We dont pay them.. how can we fine them? Do you want these people to walk away from the sport.....? Tell them if they mess up they'll be fines for their efforts... That'll do it. Utter madness
August 20, 200719 yr So these people turn up on a sunday morning to sit and watch us lot splash around in the mud. Its often raining an/or miserable. They could stay in bed ad watch the motogp or something. Rather than let us down they make the effort to support us on our favourite sport and make it possible for us to play.So they mess up... We dont pay them.. how can we fine them? Do you want these people to walk away from the sport.....? Tell them if they mess up they'll be fines for their efforts... That'll do it. Utter madness Absolutely JZA, so good to hear from you as you were there and know the exact circumstances, can you tell us what the offence was and the fine?
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