putting on a race/event

[blacknblue#2]

Hey guys, I figured i would turn to you guys first being that im sure someone on this site has been threw a situation like this. Well last summer I helped 2 real good friends build a super nice practice track on the back side of their place. Its got a nice step-on-step-off into a rythem section, a couple nice little doubles, a step-up, some whoops, a 65 ft tabletop and an 85 foot triple. Everytime we run into a local rider ( 90% of local riders around here consist of hold my beer while i try this hill) they are always asking when they will get a chance to watch us ride. And a few of them are always askin to come "check out that track". We thought about picking one weekend and having a little local gathering at the track and call it a race. Have a couple different classes. Just basically be a fun event for local riders to get together, take a look at where we ride at when we dont feel like going anywhere, have a little cookout and that sort of thing. Do you guys think signing a waiver would be enough to cover the land owner or would insurance be required. Most ppl that would be there would all be ppl we have known all our lives but still want to be in the safe zone.

[Kovatch]

We have waivers for our "backyard" tracks, but I think if a serious injury were to occur, that may not hold up. Regardless if they signed it sober, if their bills are $200K+ they will look to someone to pay it.

It's fun to have everyone over, but I would call your insurance agent and talk with them about covering the land owner.

My thought is that even as an "organizer" you could also be held accountable or responsible. I hope someone has more helpful information, but I am very cautious about this stuff.

[Wiz49]

I looked into this very same thing. Contact the AMA as they have a lot of helpful information regarding this. There are insurance companies that specialize in this type of insurance and it can be quite costly. I would say that if you put together some kind of organized race I would get the race insurance and I'd plan on charging people to help cover it because I think we priced it at $1500 to $2500 per race. It sounds like your track is pretty real deal with an 85' triple I'd want all the insurance I could afford.

[blacknblue#2]

Thanks for the replies guys, I'll try to contact someone of the AMA and see what kind of advice they can opinionate. Its a pretty serious track that was one thing i was worried about when the thought came up. Theres a 45 foot supercross double out of a hairpin turn..The tabletop is wide open in 3rd on a quad..It shoots you way straight up and straight back down. The triple is a true triple. No middle filler just 3 piles of dirt spaced apart lol. When we built the track it was just for us to practice. They had just got into riding and i had just switched to the 2 wheels. I told them we didnt wanna spend 3 weeks bulding stuff we would all be clearing on the first weekend we rode it. So far ive been the only one doing the triple and thats on a bike, If i was still on a quad im not sure i would try it yet. Its sketchy when your shooting for a SMALL pile of dirt 85 feet away haha

[Wiz49]

Yeah I would probably turn the triple into a long table or a stepup because you don't want amateurs killing themselves on your property. People won't try it in practice but when the race comes they tend to forget and you could be calling in the helicopter.

[01boneless]

count me in bill!!!!! and yea i dont see why anyone would hesitate to sign waivers, but like you said calling the AMA would be a good idea and maybe some local tracks if u can get any info out of them.

[edwardsp&b]

The laws are changing on the waivers.....They used to be worhless, but now they hold a little weight in court. But a great defense attorney can probably shred some kind of agreement that is wrote by a non attorney.

I will tell you this. When it comes down to it, your best friend will consider suing your insurance company, if he is in bad enough shape. I just dont let people ride our track at our house. Too much bad can happen these days.
Bryan

[quad2xtreme]

It often isn't the individual himself that chooses or even has a choice in suing you. It is his/her insurance company that covered the medical bills.

An example, I got hurt at BPG that resulted in some decent medical bills. My insurance company called me wanting to discuss the accident and where it happened. There was only one reason for them to research this...they wanted to see what they could get some $$$ out of BPG or BPG's insurance company. Of couse, I told them it all happened on my property in WV knowing there wasn't squat they could do then.

I've even heard of hospital lawyers going after 3rd party businesses to recover unpaid bills. Same situation as mine except the person shows up for treatment with no medical coverage. Once the hospital realizes the person with the injury isn't going to pay, they start looking for the next guy in line.

[jaspurx]

Originally posted by quad2xtreme
It often isn't the individual himself that chooses or even has a choice in suing you. It is his/her insurance company that covered the medical bills.

An example, I got hurt at BPG that resulted in some decent medical bills. My insurance company called me wanting to discuss the accident and where it happened. There was only one reason for them to research this...they wanted to see what they could get some $$$ out of BPG or BPG's insurance company. Of couse, I told them it all happened on my property in WV knowing there wasn't squat they could do then.

I've even heard of hospital lawyers going after 3rd party businesses to recover unpaid bills. Same situation as mine except the person shows up for treatment with no medical coverage. Once the hospital realizes the person with the injury isn't going to pay, they start looking for the next guy in line.

He is absolutely right, the "good ole boy" institutions go way out the window when you are dealing with insurance companies and/or lawyers.

No waiver can really hold up to those guys when they are motivated;all thiose "crazy" lawsuits that you hear about,such as the person who sued the reasteraunt for actually serving HOT coffee but not advertising a caution of the hot part, really do happen.

Hospitals,ambulances,lifeflight helicopters,lawyers, and insurance companies all want and DO get paid,fair or not,thats just life.

Even if you make it a legit charity benefit event, it would still be a posibility for a case of disasterous learning the hard way how low some will go to get paid.

Insurance companies have expertise in how to avoid paying out on their policies.

[slightlybent47]

I remember when all this suing started to get out of hand. I was a diver and an avid swimmer when I was young. And I remember when they started taking out all the diving boards at all the local pools. It just spread from there and now your at risk for every kind of law suite they can think of. Damn shame.