Membership fee debate - Thank You.

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:03 am

Perhaps we just need a disclaimer along with the obligatory window sticker

and ust carry on being what we are, a goup of like minded folks co-operating and working as friends, sorry, a bit late, hic***
Stewaert

mikesg · Post by **mikesg** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 7:23 am

I'm inclined to agree with you Stewart. The club seems to be ticking over quite nicely at present, so if it aint broke and all that...... .but if push comes to shove (perhaps I shouldn't say that with my luck !!) I'll go with the flow. On the other hand, if as a club, members could get preferred insurance terms that might be an added bonus, so to speak. Tom has made a good point, as have others but more research regarding insurance for events & meets etc might be a good idea, even if just to clarify any legal implications.

I'll take this oportunity to wish all of you and yours a very happy Christmas and an even happier New Year.

M · Post by M » Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:02 am

mikesg wrote:Tom has made a good point, as have others but more research regarding insurance for events & meets etc might be a good idea, even if just to clarify any legal implications

If I pop round to my mates house, and hurt myself - its an accident, I would not expect to take legal action against my mate unless he had done something truly truly stupid and illigal. No more so than I could / would sue myself when DIY'ing my own car and something goes tits up.
If I meet with my mate at a pub and something happens, why would I sue my mate because "he arranged to meet me at the pub"?

AFAIK this "club" is nothing more than a web resource and forum. Any meetings / swapping of parts that take place do so at the risk of those attendeing as the "club itself" does not arrange shows, meetings etc...

Barnsley BXer · Post by **Barnsley BXer** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 10:54 am

I fuuly agree with what you are saying Marty,but unfortunately not everybody in this world is like you and me.There are far too many people out there who want money but want to do F-all to get it,hence todays compensation culture.Providing people don't go all serious and spoil this wonderful club,I personally have no prpblem in paying a fiver.Tis a small amount of money to pay for the enjoyment I've had for the last few months.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 11:27 am

One of the most interesting message threads I`ve seen on here and some very good points made by everyone.
I should say that I`m happy to pay the joining fee because I feel I should contribute something in return for all the advice/favours/parts etc that I have received.
I accept that it may not neccessarily be the `owner`/mods of the forum in every case of the above but without this club site I`d be well and truly shafted, as I`m sure many others would be too.
Vanny summed it up for me when he touched on the help he`s given (and received) and I honestly think `we` (the members) are virtually unique. Plenty of other clubs have friendly willing members but if you look at the amount of help offered and taken up on here I truly believe we have the best members you could ask for.
That`s why I`m hapy to pay for the privelidge and also because of Tom`s words on the legal aspect of things too.
I don`t think anything would change to our detriment if we paid, I don`t see previously helpful people suddenly turning against us or refusing to help out as before.
Obviously that`s just my opinion and if the vote comes I`ll vote for a paid up membership BUT if the vote goes against that I`ll happily abide by the vote of the majority.

jeremy · Post by **jeremy** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 12:03 pm

The problem is that its not the members who make the claims. Someone has quoted the land Rover club disaster where someone was killed. The unfortunate person may have had a young family who faced disaster having lost their breadwinner and that is probably why the claim was made.

Obviously pub meets are pretty safe and the risk is low. In any event all cars attending will be road cars and therefore insured - as probably will be the pub owner.

However if you're a Land Rover owner you don't polish it - you want to test it to destruction and are looking for a nice bit of countryside to chew up. Obviously the risk to al including spectators increases significantly.

The Ltd co route providedes security as if a claim is made it stops with the company which probably isn't even worth the costs of winding up. there may be a risk to the directors/officers but not shareholders of an investigation due to the company's insolvent liquidation but while knowing that various offences can be committed I don't know what the current dept of Trade policy is.

How much is insurance? I would have thought it was very small for pub type events only.

jeremy

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:33 pm

I did wonder how the `owner` of this forum would fair though if after some well meaning advice posted on here someone had an accident?
I`m not being a ninny here btw, but it`s something that unfortunately has to be considered in this day and age though I stand to be corrected by one of the gents in charge.
This whole compensation thing is a bit of a grey area too. Too many silly people claiming for daft things I agree, but I`m actually currently in the process of making a claim myself. Can`t speak about it at the moment for personal and legal reasons but it`s a genuine claim (at least it is to me!) and something that had to be done.

ken newbold · Post by **ken newbold** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 1:44 pm

This is the whole problem, The people with anything to loose must protect themselves by whatever means required.

tom · Post by **tom** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:30 pm

Precisely. I'll help where I can but I don't see that I should risk the family home by doing so. The same is true for the moderators, too, because the sharks in suits would attack anybody that they thought might have a tangible asset that they could weasel and cheat you out of. This is as much for the protection of MR B and Marty as for Jon and myself. That is the benefit You both would accrue.

Ian_Fearn · Post by **Ian_Fearn** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 4:48 pm

tom wrote:Precisely. I'll help where I can but I don't see that I should risk the family home by doing so. The same is true for the moderators, too, because the sharks in suits would attack anybody that they thought might have a tangible asset that they could weasel and cheat you out of. This is as much for the protection of MR B and Marty as for Jon and myself. That is the benefit You both would accrue.

Totally agree. I'll pay whatever is necessary to keep this forum going!

The work that has gone into this forum is VERY appreciated from me and i'm sure very many others. A fiver is sod all to pay to keep the club going and keep its members and organisers risk free.

cavmad · Post by **cavmad** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 5:58 pm

Agreed Ian. The only other suggestion I can make is to put me in charge (frightening though I know

), I`d like to see someone sue me: I`ve got a council house, two and half BX`s, a load of crap old cars, a missus who spends for Britain and absolutely Jack in the bank.
Looks like the £5.00 membership fee is the answer.

Calfskin · Post by **Calfskin** » Sun Dec 04, 2005 9:06 pm

I can see the arguements on all sides but if we must formalise then so be it.

I'm for the idea as it allows non-mechanical minded members like myself contribute to allow the club to continue in its aim to keep this wonderful piece of French engineering on the road.

I owe this club and its many members a major debt. If it hadn't been for the likes of Ken, Tom etc (sorry if I don't mention all your names) I would have given up on Rene within a matter of weeks such was the daunting prospect of owning this car to the un-initiated. Here is a car that most garages won't touch with a barge-pole, and those that do usually don't understand it and make it up as they go along.

Its because of this that 6 months down the line, Rene is still on my drive, and although he ain't going anywhere just now, he will be back soon. I have never come across a car that is as comfortable and relaxed to drive and nothing comes near it for fuel economy. Come on, 620 miles out of a tank regardless of how I drive? Remarkable. And this makes this car worth saving and I believe it is only possible with like-minded people like us working together, helping each other out when we need it and above all else, enjoying it.

If that means formalising it and paying a fee then so be it. I won't pretend to know anything much about setting up a company although I am heading down that road myself soon so I won't add anything to that.

We have to be careful, this can be a thorny issue with the potential to tear the club apart. Lets keep it real, remember why we're here. Lets keep the BX on the road! And keep it fun

.

Thats my own opinion anyway and its probably absolutely pointless! So my apologies. LOL

Mr. Bridger · Post by **Mr. Bridger** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 12:04 pm

Silly Q I am sure

Is this a car club, or an internet forum/web page?

Philip Chidlow · Post by **Philip Chidlow** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 2:07 pm

I know I said I would duck out of the (very interesting) debate, but I just want to suggest that this really is a club. Internet forums (though rarely as useful as this one) are everywhere. Surely we want to get out and about and meet, show off the cars a bit and generally find someway of expanding the appreciation of the BX. BXClub... it's got a nice ring to it: It's a Car Club.

IMHO of course!

Stewart (oily!) · Post by **Stewart (oily!)** » Mon Dec 05, 2005 3:36 pm

Its a car club, and its one that I am proud to be a member of, I would also proudly pay a fiver to remain so, right now i`m off out to the garage to drill holes in some spheres

Stewart