Guide training or not

rob39
rob39 Posts: 479
edited April 2015 in MTB general
Hi all, kind of testing the water here. I've been riding my local area for 20 years now. I'm just getting a holiday cottage ready for renting and wonder if I would need some formal training to do some guiding despite 20 years experience in the area???

Comments

  • Thewaylander
    Thewaylander Posts: 8,594
    Yes.
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    You would need to be qualified as a ride leader. I think there is a CTC qualification.
    For the qualification to be valid you also need a first aid qualification.
    It will cost you around £500
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    Really? You need a qualification to show people around?
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    If you are charging for it or offer it as part of a holiday etc then yes. Even to lead a group ride as part of a club.
    The way around it is to advertise that there is great mountain biking in the area and when they ask about it just tell them that you will be riding and they are welcome to join you. Make it a sociable thing rather than a guiding service.
    Also don't forget you will end up with some right goons with zero riding ability and a sh1tty old bike which is falling to pieces.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    Is there a law? Sounds like one of those things that people think but isn't actually true. If I want to walk people around my village, I doubt there's a law preventing me from doing so for a fee. Can't see how that would change if we were on bikes.
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Not law but if you were to guide someone who had an accident and they decided to sue you then without the qualifications you be screwed. You also won't be able to get any liability insurance which makes you doubly screwed.
    It's the same as I could design a nuclear reactor without being qualified, there is no law stopping me. But when it melts down I will be absolutely torn apart in court because I can't prove my competence. Then I will go to prison and there will be dropped soap and bigger boys and things will be unpleasant.
    We had to go through this for club ride leaders.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • paul.skibum
    paul.skibum Posts: 4,068
    If you ask someone for money to guide them you are opening yourself up to being liable for their well being should they come off on the ride. You had best be insured for that potential risk to protect yourself. In order to get insurance you will probably need to show some sort of qualification.

    I didn't have CTC qualification but had done the course when I guided in the Alps back in 2006 but I know the company I worked for had liability insurance. Similarly to guide in the bike park in Whistler you have to hold the IDP qualification to be covered by the bike park insurance and then holding a level 1 or 2 makes a difference as to where you are able to lead guests. Level 2 for jump and drop runs.

    If someone is not paying you then I guess the area becomes grey but if you lead someone and they get hurt because of your decisions I would want to be protected.
    Closet jockey wheel pimp whore.
  • Mattharrier
    Mattharrier Posts: 173
    If you want to lead any adventurous activities, you will need insurance to cover yourself in the event that something happens. If you don't have the relevant qualifications, you can't get insurance. If you charge people to go out on a ride, and you don't have insurance, you are asking for trouble, because something will happen.
  • Angus Young
    Angus Young Posts: 3,063
    Ah, yes, from an insurance point of view, it makes sense.
    All the gear, no idea and loving the smell of jealousy in the morning.
    Kona Process 134 viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=12994607
  • Mattharrier
    Mattharrier Posts: 173
    A qualification that will allow you to lead an activity like this might teach you about technique (you need to be able to do things properly to show other people), but you'll mainly be assessed on your ability to deal with problems and manage people.
  • tootsie323
    tootsie323 Posts: 199
    RockmonkeySC wrote:
    ... I could design a nuclear reactor without being qualified, there is no law stopping me. But when it melts down I will be absolutely torn apart in court because I can't prove my competence. Then I will go to prison and there will be dropped soap and bigger boys and things will be unpleasant.
    We had to go through this for club ride leaders.
    I'll pass on joining your club if it involves soap and big boys...
  • rockmonkeysc
    rockmonkeysc Posts: 14,774
    Mattharrier wrote:
    A qualification that will allow you to lead an activity like this might teach you about technique (you need to be able to do things properly to show other people), but you'll mainly be assessed on your ability to deal with problems and manage people.

    Nothing about technique in the training. More about not loosing people, not breaking people and not getting lost. Thd first aid training helps when those bits go wrong.
    Transition Patrol - viewtopic.php?f=10017&t=13070235
  • rb199stu
    rb199stu Posts: 11
    Just to add the qualification thing is a slight myth.

    From experience, you can get 3rd party lability insurance without a NGB qualification and thus charge clients without issue (adults only). There are several companies operating on the Cullin ridge who rely simply on their experience in the area and have exactly the same insurance cover as NGB qualified intructors.

    The prospect of a group or indivdual employing you without NGB qualifiaction is open to further disscusion.

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