Proposal to AERC Board re riding tim e

["Joe Long" <jlong@mti.net>]

OK, Ridecampers!  Here is the full text of a letter I just FAXed to
the AERC, for consideration by the Board at the Convention next week.

*****

Dear AERC Directors,

I didn"t plan on offering any business for the Board at the
convention, but a recent discussion on the endurance riding mail list,
ridecamp@endurance.net, prompted me to make this proposal.

I know this issue has come up many times before, and changes have
always been rejected.  But the recent discussion showed me that the
problem hasn"t gone away, and I believe it needs to be addressed.

I"m referring to the total lack of flexibility on the part of ride
managers to extend the allowed completion time in the event of
abnormal and unexpected conditions, such as vandalism to the trail or
severe weather conditions.  This happens to some rides every year.

It is a problem that doesn"t need to be, it is easily fixed.  I
suggest adding the following sentence to rule 5:

5.5  Ride managers may extend the maximum completion time for a ride
by up to 25% as necessary to deal with vandalism or abnormal
conditions.

This allows ride managers flexibility to deal with abnormal
conditions, while keeping an upper limit of 15 hours even in such
situations.  I believe this change or something similar will finally
put this controversy to rest.

I"m not suggesting this as a rule change to be enacted at the
Convention.  I suggest that the Board develop a proposal using this or
similar wording, present it to the membership for their consideration,
and take final action at the mid-year Board meeting for the 1999 ride
season.

By the way, during the discussion a number of people said emphatically
that ride managers already may allow completions to overtime riders,
by means of rule 6.1.  Whatever action you take on my proposal I
believe this point needs to be clarified.


Respectfully submitted,


Joe Long

*****

That last paragraph should take care of settling the issue of whether
Rule 6.1 can be used to allow overtime completions.  I think it's
better to clear up an ambiguity like that before someone gets involved
in a protest over it.

-- 

Joe Long
jlong@mti.net
Business Page  http://www.mti.net
Personal Page  http://www.rnbw.com