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Accident & Insurance

INSURANCE COVERAGE FOR NON-COMPETITIVE EVENTS

Veneto Cycling Club (VCC) annually registers with Ontario Cycling, thus obtaining General Liability Insurance coverage for the organization for sanctioned activities and events. General Liability Insurance is designed to protect a person (member) or any entity (Club, Team, Ontario Cycling, Canadian Cycling) against any legal responsibility arising out of a negligent act or failure to act as a prudent person would have acted, which results in bodily injury or property damage to another party.

Membership with Veneto Cycling Club is conditional upon all members purchasing an Ontario Cycling membership for that cycling season. With OC membership, a member has access to individual General Liability Insurance coverage and, depending on the level of membership, Sport Accident Medical Benefits coverage while participating in sanctioned activities. Sport Accident coverage provides these members an opportunity to have some medical expenses covered as a result of an injury sustained during a sanctioned activity or event. This program is secondary to Provincial Health Care Program coverage and any existing benefit program coverage of the member. Common expenses can include physiotherapy, dental coverage or coverage for other medical costs. Members should familiarize themselves with the terms of the insurance coverage, and can obtain more details at the OC website.

For anyone needing additional coverage, you can also purchase additional Personal 
Sport Accident Medical Benefits coverage when obtaining your OC membership. There are two options: Personal Training or Anytime-on-Bike (which includes using your bike for commuting purposes). This additional coverage does NOT cover liability. 


The Veneto Cycling Club is affiliated to the Ontario Cycling and we obtain our insurance 
through this affiliation. The conditions of our insurance are outlined below with respect to our non-competitive rides and are the same for all affiliated clubs as the conditions are negotiated with the underwriter by the OC and not by the individual clubs. Please view the insurance policy on the Cycling Canada website here for more information. 

It is a requirement that all participants in any scheduled VCC tour be insured through 
the OC either with the VCC or another OC affiliated club. 

All participants are asked to bring their membership and OC cards to each ride as proof 
of eligibility. New members may not receive their cards for 1 or 2 weeks after joining but in the meantime can participate as soon as the VCC application form, VCC waiver, VCA waiver and full payment have been received.

If an ineligible rider insists on participating even after being asked not to then the ride must be cancelled.


For non-competitive events the participation of non-VCC members is strictly limited to a 
maximum of 3 rides per person per season, thereafter the participant is expected to pay the annual VCC membership fee to continue. This also applies to out-of-province riders. The insurance policy makes no provision for trial memberships at either reduced or zero cost.


Only events listed on the VCC touring schedule are covered by our insurance. The start 
location, date and time must be as scheduled for the coverage to be valid and any changes must be notified to the OC by the Tour Leader prior to the event commencing. The route/destination and tour leaders name may be changed without notification to the OC.

 

REPORTING ACCIDENTS

If there is an incident during any scheduled VCC tour both the tour leader and the person(s) involved must fill out an accident report form and forward it to the CA. This applies to all accidents as defined below. The accident report form should be downloaded HERE

An accident is defined as any case where a club member suffers a personal injury (other than minor scrapes) during a scheduled VCC event. Any incident involving a third party (i.e. a non-VCC member) where injury or property insurance occurs must also be reported.

The accident report form is the minimum level of documentation. Witness statements and photographs should also be submitted where appropriate. 

The completed forms will be submitted to the OC by the Tour Leader where they will be held on file for 7 years.

 

DEALING WITH POLICE & MOTORISTS

Suggestions For Interactions With Police and Aggressive Drivers

These suggestions were obtained from the Ottawa and Newmarket Bike Clubs. They are presented here for the guidance of VCC members. This does not represent an official endorsement by the VCC or a recommendation regarding actions that individual members should take in a given circumstance. Always remember that under the Ontario Highway Traffic Act bicycles are regarded as vehicles and are subject to the same laws as other road users.

  • When dealing with a motorist or a police officer, only one person should talk on

behalf of the group – normally the group leader. Other riders should listen but say

nothing unless asked.

  • Always be calm and courteous even while being provoked – emotions are quickly

inflamed.

  •  Refrain from remonstrations such as giving the finger to aggressive motorists even though restraint may be difficult.
  • If a motorist endangers the group and someone has a cell phone, call 911 immediately. Report the license number and description of the vehicle, together with a description of the driver.
  •  If the incident involved aggressive driving or abusive behaviour but was not dangerous, report it as soon as is convenient. The police non-emergency numbers for areas that we commonly use are given below and should be saved on your cell phone in case of need;
POLICETELEPHONE
Peel Regional Police905-453-3311
York Regional Police905-773-1221
Ontario Provincial Police (OPP)1-888-310-1122
  • If a motorist stops his vehicle and is confrontational, get the license number and
    call 911 immediately. Mention that the driver may be impaired – that likely will get
    you a quick police response. Tell the motorist that you have called the police and
    suggest that he remain at the scene, and then say no more.
  • If your group is stopped by police, pull off the road.
  • Be familiar with the jurisdiction you are in and the local traffic laws that apply. In
    addition to provincial rules there may be additional municipal, provincial or
    federal ones.
  • If the issue for the police officer is riding two abreast, respectfully mention that
    there is no specific prohibition against the practice in the Ontario Highway Traffic
    Act.
  • When you get the chance, explain that you ride single file in certain heavy traffic
    situations but two abreast is normally safer on lightly used rural roads as it stops
    overtaking traffic trying to squeeze by in the face of on-coming vehicles. Point out
    your primary concern is for the safety of the riders.
  • If the police officer insists, comply with his/her directive and ride single file but
    report the incident to the traffic supervisor of the relevant police service.
  • Always obtain the police officer’s name and badge number (or if he/she won’t
    give them, note the ID number that is on the cruiser).
  • Some police officers may threaten to write tickets. Remember that tickets can
    only be written for infractions by an individual. There’s no such thing as a group
    infraction. So if the officer chooses to ticket one person, say the tour leader, as
    “group punishment” or to set an example then potentially he would have to
    identify the rider in the pack and describe to a judge what the rider did to break
    the law. This is not so easy when that person may have been buried or “lost”
    among a pack of riders. That being said, you should not attempt to use
    anonymity as a cover for breaking the law.

    In Ontario, when asked to identify yourself, it is sufficient to give your correct name and
    address. It is better not to offer a driver’s license as you could wrongly accumulate
    motorist demerit points if ticketed.