Legal

Your responsibilities

Indemnity and Release

In consideration of and as a condition of your presence at or participating in a DOCV club activity you indemnify, hold harmless and release DOCV, its officers, volunteers, agents and members (indemnitees) against any actions, costs losses or claims arising out of or related to your injury or death, loss or damage caused to you or your equipment however arising (losses) and agree to release the all and each of indemnitees to the full extent permitted by law from all liability to you for losses arising directly or indirectly as a result of any act or omission of all or any of the indemnitees or which is connected to your presence or involvement in the DOCV club activity.

Fair Trading Act

The Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic) implies several conditions into contracts for the supply of certain goods and services which require a supplier to ensure its services are supplied so that they are supplied including with due care and skill, are reasonably fit for the purpose for which they are commonly acquired and are reasonably likely to achieve a result you might have made known. Under Section 32N of the Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic) the supplier may ask that you agree that these conditions do not apply to you. By your presence at or participating in a DOCV activity you agree to exclude (to the maximum extent permitted by law) any rights you may otherwise have had to sue or claim against the indemnitees under The Fair Trading Act 1999 (Vic) if you are killed or injured.

In English...

Motorcycling can be extremely dangerous. You may be injured or killed, or you may get lost and not be able to find your way home. Even worse, your motorcycle may be damaged! 

Please be aware that your participation in club activities and rides is at your own discretion and your own risk. By attending or participating in a DOCV club activity, whether you register in advance via the website or simply turn up to the event, it is deemed that you are acknowledging this danger and accepting the risk.

Should you be involved in an incident, there may be inadequate facilities for treatment or transport to hospital if you are injured. Or we may not notice you have crashed and we may not be aware that you are injured or worse. And, whilst we will do all we can as good citizens to assist you, ultimately you are responsible for your own safety and well-being. Starting the ride is your agreement to this.

We provide a route, a ride leader to show you the way, suggested food and fuel stops and a group of like-minded Ducatisti to ride with. We rely on each participant to take responsibility for themselves, to ride safely and courteously and to assist in facilitating an enjoyable day out for all.

You and your bike must be fit to ride

It is your responsibility to ensure that your motorcycle is in a roadworthy condition. The ride organisers have complete discretion to compel you to leave a ride if they have concerns over the safety of your bike, whether you believe these concerns to be well founded or not. It is your responsibility to ensure you are appropriately licensed and your motorcycle is adequately registered and insured when riding on public roads.

It is also your responsibility to ensure that you are in a fit state to join a ride. The ride organisers also have complete discretion to compel you to leave a ride if they have concerns in relation to your health, ability to maintain concentration or willingness to ride safely, act courteously and follow instructions.

Other safety considerations

We generally ride on public roads and make no guarantees as to the conditions on the day. Ride within your own capabilities at all times and consider the unpredictable and potentially hazardous nature of the road surface, traffic, weather conditions and other factors. You must remain constantly aware of wild animals, farm equipment, heavy machinery, trucks and other road users, who may drive, ride or act dangerously or with a lack of skill.

We recommend that you invest in good quality protective motorcycling apparel, for safety reasons, and that you wear gear that is appropriate for the weather conditions on the day, as being too hot or too cold can affect your ability to concentrate. However, your choice of attire is your responsibility.

Rules of Behaviour

We don't require much from members at DOCV club activities, but the following rules are non-negotiable. By attending or participating in a DOCV club activity, it is deemed that you are acknowledging these rules and agree to abide by them:

2. Whatever the organisers say, goes - no ifs, no buts, no arguments. If you don't like the way they're organising the event, you are most welcome to leave and do your own thing. Please let Tail End Charlie know you're leaving the ride.
3. You are welcome to post about the club and its activities on social media, however, offensive language or content will not be tolerated. We don't curate the content on our Facebook group page but if the Committee determines a post is inappropriate, you may be asked to remove the offending content and must do so as soon as possible.
4. Ride days are designed to be fun outings, not race days. Ride in a responsible and respectful manner, which does not cause danger to other participants or road users, and which does not detract from the club’s reputation.
5. ALWAYS ride at your own pace, do not attempt to keep up with others - ever. Tail End Charlie will tag along behind regardless of what speed you are riding at.
6. Passing manoeuvres must be executed safely and courteously. No passing on the left on public roads. Minimum of 2 metres between motorcycles throughout the whole of the passing procedure. Responsibility for safety rests with the passing rider and please be aware that the person you are passing may not be as skilled or experienced as you and any unexpected manoeuvre may cause them to panic. Give inexperienced riders additional time to see you coming and additional space to ensure they are not put off by your pass.
7. No wheelies, burnouts or other unconventional exhibitions. We want to maintain a positive reputation for the club at all times.
8. Please refrain from taking photographs of damaged bikes or riders involved in an accident, unless required for insurance purposes, and do not uploaded these to social media without the express permission of the rider involved.
9. We prefer for all participants to register on our website, as this provides the ride leaders or event coordinators information about the attendance to assist with finalising arrangements. If you have not registered for a ride on our website, you must sign the ride registration sheet before departure and provide your emergency contact details.

Note that additional rules will apply to Fun Days at Phillip Island or Broadford, these are outlined in the rider information for these events.