Advatages of joining AUK?

[alan]

Given that the calendar is available on the net & that the insurance premium for non-members is not applicable due to my CTC membership what advantages do I gain by parting with £19 to join?
Bear in mind that various circumstances have dictated that I have been unable to ride  more than 5 events per year over the last five years.

[geraldc]

Arrivee magazine!

[chris]

On line results.

[Martin]

It's only £61 for 5 years; the advantages are many;
1. See your results online as well as points totals AAAs Brevet / Randonneur series etc
2. Online or less faff paper entry through pre-filled entry forms (also makes the organiser's job much easier)
3. Upload photos to the website
4. Magazine (4 times a year and a a very good read with good photos) and handbook
5. Become an organiser
6. Ride DIY's
7. Keep the organisation running and healthy; entry fees return peanuts per rider to AUK.

(I'm not in the CTC or BC either so even better value)

[Lonewolff]

pre filled entry forms

[saturn]

Mudguard stickers, don't forget the mudguard stickers 

[Maladict]

I've never put any of those on my bike

Am I bad?

[hellymedic]

AUK clothing. When I joined AUK, you could not get AUK gear if you were not a member. I don't know if this has changed.
Annual beanfeast/bunfight/booze-up AGM Reunion and prize-giving. One of the best parties to attend.
Arrivée.

[saturn]

I've never put any of those on my bike
Am I bad?

Well providing you wear AUK clothing for identification it'll be OK apparently but my vote is with the stickers.

[robgul]

Surely Martin's #7 is a major reason - supporting the club to be able to do what it does!

Rob (Signed up for 5 years - hoping to get full value !)

[frere yacker]

A posse will come round your house and break your legs if you do more than 3 AUK events and don't join.

[Ian H]

A posse will come round your house and break your legs if you do more than 3 AUK events and don't join.

In theory that's so. In practice it requires a committee decision; the committee only meets four times a year, and by the time it does the paperwork has probably been lost.

[alan]

A posse will come round your house and break your legs if you do more than 3 AUK events and don't join.

There's no point joining a cycling club when you can't cycle due to stiff links so the GBH would be counter-productive.

[alan]

In theory that's so. In practice it requires a committee decision; the committee only meets four times a year, and by the time it does the paperwork has probably been lost.

Sounds rather like some of the companies I've worked for in the past.Professional under-achievers

[Ian H]

In theory that's so. In practice it requires a committee decision; the committee only meets four times a year, and by the time it does the paperwork has probably been lost.

Sounds rather like some of the companies I've worked for in the past.Professional under-achievers

We try not to get in the way of the cycling.

[Martin]

Surely Martin's #7 is a major reason - supporting the club to be able to do what it does!

On an event you pay AUK 50p for each brevet card and 20p to validate (completed riders only) each one; plus the pittance from non insured riders. Medals and badges are sold at cost too. And most organisers still operate at a loss (mine did last year thanks to the bastards at Nationwide BS)

[LEE]

AUK clothing. When I joined AUK, you could not get AUK gear if you were not a member.

Shhh, we're trying to get people to join.

[Julian]

Why join?  It's a bit rude to take advantage of the hard work put into the organisation of the thing and not cough up your 1.58 per month for the privilege.

[Wowbagger]

You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation!

[Chris S]

You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation!

LOL!

Nice one WB 

[Greenbank]

You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation!

The BCS is excluded from this because it's not a fine organisation, but there are plenty of social misfits.

(Reminds me, must sort out my AMIMA and MBCS).

[LEE]

You join because you want to be a member of the finest organisation of social misfits since the British Chess Federation!

Just because you can sometimes ride for many hours with other like-minded club members and get barely a cheerful word from them in that time does NOT make us a bunch of social misfits.

Oh hold on, it does rather doesn't it?

Carry on as before.

[Martin]

I think all organisers should do their events through BC or eventcentral etc just for next year so that riders will appreciate what they get for their money;

I rode an event 2 years ago for an entry fee of £1; it had a 50km control with large amounts of free coffee and cake 

[frere yacker]

There is no compelling reason to join AUK other than it is the decent thing to do if you intend to ride AUK validated event.

Picking up Martin's point, when I run events (planning to do this in 2010) I'll be offering something to benefit AUK members.  Possibly vouchers to offset the cost of tea/food at the control cafes or free food/drink at the start/finish.  Or maybe even a lower entry fee.

In other words, non members will subsidise members in some way.

[Martin]

I presume the £2 day insurance provides some extra cash for AUK; although riders insured thru BC/ CTC don't pay it.

How about an AUK levy? anybody know what AUK costs to run per rider (AUK or not) per year?

My caving club has to have insurance too; non-members who want to give it a go are charged £6 for 3 months trial membership refundable if they join, everyone seems happy with it.