If you DNF then you have done the ride and failed. I don't see why, in those circumstances, it would be considered reasonble to re-enter without paying the necessary fee.
Well, you've either done the ride, or failed to do the ride.
The fee has allready been paid, why should you have to pay twice? You're paying for a piece of card and someone to say yay or nay. Possibly a route sheet too. If the card is sent and the bod says nay, then I agree, you should have to pay again now that your card and validation is spent.
Isn't failure a consequence in itself?
And shouldn't we be encouraging perserverence?
Either way, a few quid on an event is small beer. If someone really wants a go, I doubt they'd balk at paying a few quid.
If the organiser doesn't need to charge for another go and it makes life easier or the same, it just seems a bit petty unless AUK needs the money. After all, it is all about encouraging long distance cycling.
Is the parallel not with a calendar event, where you pay for entry and the cost covers all ? If you DNS you can't ride it again the next year without re-entering.
Yes, that sounds fair. But I believe that some event organisers have permitted riders to use calendar event brevet cards for a permenent version of the same ride.
I'm not sure where the idea that you are "buying validations alone" comes from...
Then what exactly are you buying?
There's the card and maybe a routesheet as well.
Insurance?
Can't think of anything else that would cost money.