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Formerly: [RideManagers_of_AERC] Race of Champions?

> On Mon, 31 Jul 2006 16:16:42 -0400, merryben@xxxxxxx wrote:
>
> When a junior asks for a letter from the AERC, all the junior points for 
> the year just disappear. The computer only recognizes the AERC number
> and when they ask to be allowed to ride unsponsored, the computer is 
> changed to a weight division. In the old days, it was done by hand and
> if the junior rode unsponsored, their points were put in their weight 
> class. If they rode sponsored (as required by some rides) their points 
> were put in the junior division. 

> So the long and short of it is once a junior gets a letter, whether or 
> not they ride unsponsored, their points earned so far that year just
> drop off the radar......totally unfair in my opinion, and not within
> the rules of the AERC.....mb

This is not the only problem with the office/computer making up AERC rules. 
 It seems to me that our office staff has no business creating and 
imposing rules that do not appear in the AERC Rule book and that when they 
do so, it is the responsibility of the BOD to demand that they stop.  If 
the problem is with the computer program's inability to apply the rules 
correctly, then the office MUST enter the CORRECT data by hand.

In this instance, according to Maryben, a Junior who SIMPLY FILES A LETTER 
WITH THE OFFICE to ride unsponsored is immediately re-classified and all 
points erased.  A Junior in first place in the regional point standings at 
the beginning of November would lose ALL Junior points, and thereby the 
award, just for filing the letter.  THE KID DOESN'T EVEN HAVE TO RIDE ONCE 
UNSPONSORED TO LOSE THE AWARD.

Our Rule Book does not address whether or not a Junior can bounce back and 
forth between sponsored and unsponsored.  The two pertinent clauses are:

10.3 An AERC member 14 years or older who has completed 500 miles or
more in the AERC rider mileage program may ride un-sponsored,
but will compete in the senior division.
10.3.3 Management may choose not to honor the “un-sponsored
young rider” concept and require all persons under 16 years of
age to have sponsors.

Although 10.3 SHOULD have been worded, "...but will compete in the senior 
division for that ride", the two clauses taken together clearly demonstrate 
that just having a letter from one's parents that (s)he may ride as a 
senior does NOT ALWAYS abrogate the rider's Junior status and therefore any 
points EARNED as a sponsored JUNIOR should be retained throughout the season.

This is such a no-brainer I cannot possibly see what the BOD's problem is 
with demanding that the office FOLLOW THE RULE BOOK!!!!


The other "rule" made up by the office has to do with changing weight 
divisions.  They decided to change the rules by mandating that a rider 
declares his/her weight division upon submitting his/her membership, has 
until June 1 to change that division and said rider MUST ride in whatever 
weight division the office has on file.  I assume the office staff made up 
this rule to make life easier on themselves but HEY!!!  They can't do 
that!!  They can't substitute a rule they'd LIKE for the ones we ACTUALLY HAVE!

What does the RULE BOOK say?

8.5.2.5 For a rider to stay within a weight division he/she
must meet the minimum requirement but need not
stay under the maximum parameter.
8.5.3 Each rider riding for weight division points may be weighed
at any ride.
8.5.3.1 Any other rider has the right to challenge the weight
of a competitor and request a weighing.
8.5.4.1 The AERC will disqualify any members found to have
deliberately given AERC fraudulent information regarding
weight, age or any matter affecting national
or regional awards. No points or miles awarded for
entire year.

Under the OFFICE EDITION OF THE AERC RULES, these four clauses are 
meaningless.  Whether before or after June 1, the OFFICE EDITION specifies 
that one must ride in the weight division on file in Auburn, NOT wherever 
one's actual weight falls.  So if the office says you are a Middleweight, 
then the fact that you only weigh 135# is irrelevant.  THE OFFICE HAS 
SPOKEN.  There is one nice thing about this.  The concept of fraudulently 
stating one's weight has been eliminated... no more fussing around with 
pesky protests.

If the BOD wants to pass a rule addressing the issue of how to handle a 
change in weight division, mid-year or otherwise, fine.  Let them.  But 
until they do, the office, like with respect to the Juniors issue, should 
be required to comply with the rules AS WRITTEN.



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