By-Laws

Last Updated: May 03, 2010

Our Name

1. The name of this association is the 'Durham Cruiser's M.E.C.'
2. The logo shall be as shown below and include the words 'Durham Cruiser's M.E.C.' on the heart patch, and the actual words 'Motorcycle Enthusiast Club' with the year of conception on the back patch.

Objective

1. The object of the Durham Cruisers M.E.C. is to bring a group of friends together who have the common bond of ownership of any Cruiser/Touring style of motorcycle, along with a love for riding. Durham Cruisers M.E.C. will be open to all brands of Cruiser/Touring motorcycles.
2. The Durham Cruisers M.E.C. was organized to promote education, enjoyment, family activities, fellowship, recreation, safety, and the enhancement of the image of motorcyclists in general.

Membership

• Membership shall be made up of family & friends. Due to how big we have grown as a Club, the Membership will be open only to sponsored people at this point. We would like all of us to get to know each other better without getting any bigger.
  
• An existing member must sponsor a 'probationary member.' They are to pay the club due's, will be added to the club e-mail list and will therefore be able to attend every event whether it be a ride or a social event.
• At the end of the season the executives will vote on allowing this 'probationary member' into the club. If not accepted; the person whom sponsored the individual will be asked to inform the individual and collect anything considered to be club property.
• Afterwards the New Member can purchase Crests and other Club paraphernalia and be accepted
  in as full Members

(A) Active Membership in Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. is open to any individual voted into the Club,
who are the owners of any Cruiser style of motorcycle or Tourer to be deemed such by the Executive.
We are not accepting Sport Bikes at this time.

(B) Membership includes all immediate family members of a single household, including husband,
wife, and children under eighteen (18) years of age. A spouse who is considered a Member of the
Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. as the result of family ties with the primary member shall have his/her name,
and all other information shown for the primary member, listed on the official Membership records. It
shall be the responsibility of the primary member to advise the Membership Officer of any changes in
his/her family status

(C) If individual Memberships are desired within a family said person(s) must own a qualified style
of motorcycle as deemed such by the Executive.

(D) Associate Membership:

1. An Associate Member is a person who is interested in advancing the goals and ideas of the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C., and are current on his or her Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. annual dues.
2. Associate Member’s may not hold any office.
3. Associate Members will not have voting rights.
4. Associate Members cannot lease a Back-patch, but can lease an Associate Heart Patch.

(E) PENDING Members:

1. A PENDING Membership shall be granted to a person who wants to join the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C., completes an application, and owns a qualified motorcycle. To become eligible to be an ACTIVE member a PENDING Member must attend several Club functions and if any regular Club Meetings are held during the season, at least one.
2. PENDING Members shall not have a vote nor sponsor new PENDING people until they are a full Member.

(F) You must complete an application (We want you to tell us about yourself, formally). We don’t
care where you live. We don’t care what brand you ride. We don’t care about your age, race, religion,
education, or whatever. We do care that you are sociable, Family oriented, courteous, considerate, and
respectful. People who join our club are not just members, they are representatives. And we care who
represents us.

Officers

The Executive Board shall consist of the President, 2 Vice Presidents, Treasurer, Road Captain/s,
Tail Gunner/s, Sergeant of Arms, Secretary if so required, Membership Officer and Activities/Events
Co-ordinator each of whom has been chosen to represent and enhance the Club.

1. The Club President:

• Shall be the Chief Executive officer of the Club.
• He/she shall preside at all meetings of the Club band the Executive Board.
• The Club President: shall be responsible for media relations, releases, promotions of the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. activities to members and other organizations, and shall be solely responsible for all media representatives.
• He/she shall be responsible for maintaining and updating the organizational by-laws and will serve as parliamentarian at meetings.

2. The Vice-President/s:

• Shall assist the President, in the event of the absence of the President, perform all the duties of that office until such time as the Club may declare a vacancy therein or otherwise arrange for a continuance of the duties thereof.
• He/she will act as a liaison between the Club Members and any outside Club endeavors.

3. The Secretary: {If required}

• Shall attend all meetings and shall keep accurate records of all business transacted at such meetings.
• He/she shall give adequate notice to all members in advance of Club meetings and/or special meetings of the Club and shall make a full report at each meeting.
• He/she shall send out a written request to all Club Members for the submission of any motions/by-laws changes that are to be presented at any of the Club Meetings.
• He/she shall ensure that if they cannot attend a Meeting, that a back-up person will be informed and coverage will be there.

4. The Treasurer:

• Shall be the custodian of all Club funds, depositing the same in the name of the Club in such a bank or trust company that may be designated by the Club Members, and keep accurate record of all receipts and disbursements.
• Shall be the signatory of the Club. He/she shall make a simplified full report of the financial status of the Club at any and all Meetings. He/she is responsible for conducting the financial affairs of the Association, as set forth below:
• Shall pay for all standard consumable supplies, which include Club Membership Heart Patches and Back Patches.
• Shall Reimburse Executive Members and Committee Members for business-related expenses which are incurred in conducting the responsibilities of their position and/or promoting the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C., upon submission of valid receipts, an explanation of the expense and passed by the Executive Board.
• Shall Purchase Capital Equipment after receiving proper authorization by the Executives.

5. The Road Captain/s:

• Shall promote safety awareness to all members of the Club through education and information.
• Be prepared to organize Runs, have brief Riders Meetings before the Run, direct people as to their position in the Ride, seek assistance should “Tail Gunners” be required.
• Try to ensure only the best scenic routes and trips are planned.
• Read and know the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. “Road Captain Guidelines.”

6. Membership Officer:

• Shall be responsible for processing of new Membership applications and renewals, and will maintain a current directory of the Association's membership.
• Shall make up, distribute and or collect yearly Membership Cards.
• Shall promote the Club and it’s Members in a positive way so as to enhance the image of the Durhamb Cruiser’s M.E.C. and motorcyclist’s in general.

7. Tail Gunner/s:

• Assist the Road Captains in maintaining a safe Ride at all times.
• Promote the Club and it’s Members in a positive way so as to enhance the image of the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. and motorcyclist’s in general.

8. Special Events & Activities Co-ordinator:

• Shall be responsible for any Special Club Projects, such as: Club Barbecues, Poker Runs, Club weekend get-aways, parades, prizes, promote enjoyment, fellowship, recreation, safety, family activities, and enhancement of the image of the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. and motorcyclist’s in general.

9. Sergeant at Arms:

• The Sergeant at Arms will collect Membership dues/applications and submit these moneys to the Club Treasurer.
• Shall be responsible for assisting in maintaining order during Meetings and such.
• Shall be responsible for ensuring the return of any Club properties.

11. In the absence of any officer from a meeting at which his/her presence is necessary for an orderly
conduct of the business thereof, the presiding officer may appoint a temporary substitute should the
need arise whether it be personal or business related. (Subject to the approval of the rest of the Club
Members.)

ELECTIONS (If required)

If an elected member is unable to serve their term then another member may be appointed by a
majority vote of the Executive Board to fill the position until that position is filled full time.

MEETINGS

1. The Executive Board shall meet as often as necessary in order to manage the Club.
2. The Club Meeting dates will be put out with as much notice as possible if a Meeting is required.

DUES

• Dues, in the amount of Fifty dollars ($50.00) per year for membership & fifteen dollars ($15.00) per year for an Associate Membership will be collected from each member of the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. Payment will be due with the application for membership of each member and each year thereafter by February for Membership renewals.
• The dues can be reviewed and evaluated at any time. Changes to the dues can only be made by a change to these By-Laws & by an Executive vote of 100%.
• Any dues increase will go into effect on the first month of the new year.

CHAPTER FUNDS

In the event that the Club disbands, all moneys in the treasury shall be distributed in even portions
to all members of good standings on record.

AMENDMENTS

1. The by-laws may be amended/revised/added to by affirmation vote of two-thirds of the Executive Board Members present at the annual Executive meeting in January of each new year. Copies of proposed amendments shall be given to Executive Members, in writing, prior to the annual meeting.
2. Any Club Member may submit in writing, a proposal for any changes and distribute copies to the President or Vice Presidents to be reviewed and voted upon by the Executive Board.
3. The Membership Officer shall provide each Club Member with a list showing the following information: Current Members, New Members, Renewals, Past Due Memberships
4. Any product or merchandise that is requested by any Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. Member must include payment in full with the order of any requested items from Club inventory.

DISCIPLINARY MEASURES

In the event that it becomes necessary to discipline a Member for an infraction against the Club, By-
Laws or unsafe conditions, it will be the responsibility of the Executive Board to handle disciplinary action.

1. Disciplinary action will be deemed appropriate by a majority of the Executive Board.
2. Club Back-patches/Heart-patches will remain the property of the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. and must be taken off coats, vests, windshields, etc. if Membership is terminated by a Club Vote.
3. Any Member leaving the Club in “good standing” after a one {1} year period, may keep their Patches.
4. The Executive Board will vote a decision for any Member leaving the Club in “good standing” for a period of less than one {1} year, should they want to keep their Patches.

RIDE GUIDELINES

(I) HAND SIGNALS

The Ride Captains will go over the Safety Rules and give an example of the basic road signals before
each ride. Each rider, when seeing a signal from the rider in front of him/her, should pass that signal on to the following riders. Typical hand signals used by the Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. are:

• Left and right turn signals: Arm out to left for left turn or left arm bent at elbow to indicate right turn
• Let's Go: Arm raised over head and hand rotating in a circular motion
• Slow the pace: Arm extended behind you, palm facing downward with up and down motion of hand
• Stop: Arm extended upward clenching fist
• Single File Formation: Hand raised over head with single finger pointing up
• Staggered Formation: Hand raised over head with thumb & pinky out, other fingers closed, rotatingb their wrist back and forth
• Tighten Up Formation: Arm upward with fist opening and closing
• Pointing at road hazards: Point downward on side of bike where obstacle or hazard is located
• Exiting for fuel, washrooms, food, etc.: Pat the top of your helmet several times
• Waves to other motorcycle riders: Anything goes (except maybe the princess wave in a parade)

(II) SAFETY & RESPONSIBILITY

During Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. rides, traffic laws and regulations are to be followed at all times.
This includes the wearing of proper helmets. Anyone refusing to obey these laws and regulations will
be asked to leave the group.

If any rider must leave the group for any reason, whether it is during the course of the ride or at a
rest stop, it is the rider's responsibility to inform the Ride Captain and or Tail Gunner.

(III) RIDER FORMATION

The Durham Cruiser’s M.E.C. employ a staggered ride formation when road conditions permit.
A staggered formation consists of the Ride Captain in the lead position on the left side of the traffic
lane. The number two rider follows at a safe distance (usually 1 to 2 seconds) behind the lead rider on
the right side of the traffic lane. You should be able to see the person behind you in your mirror. The
number three rider is in the left side of the traffic lane 2 to 4 seconds behind rider number one and 1 to 2 seconds behind rider number two. And so it goes with all subsequent riders. The last Rider in the
group will be the Tail Gunner.

(IV) GROUP SIZE & LIMITS

Depending upon the group size, we will limit the amount of Riders. Twenty or thirty Bikes in a row
are rather impressive, but it is much harder to control and could be seen as distractive to other drivers.

We will split up into smaller groups of 8 -10 Riders each. This will be safer and create more of a relaxed ride by having smaller groups.

(V) YIELDING & SAFE PRACTICE

While riding on multi-lane roads, if there should be a car entering from or wishing to exit onto a
ramp, allow them room to do so. When road conditions (such as very narrow traffic lanes or roads with sharp turns or twists, etc.) do not permit staggered riding, the Ride Captain will signal for single file riding. A minimum of 3 to 4 second intervals between riders is recommended for single file riding.

(VI) NEW RIDER PLACEMENT

New Riders or non-Club Members will ride towards the back of the Pack, but the Tail Gunner will
still ride last to ensure the safety of all Riders. Remember, all Riders in our group will reflect on the
Club

(VII) BREAK DOWNS & EMERGENCIES

In the event of a breakdown, the Sweeper will pull over with that person/s and the rest of the group
will pull over at the first safe stopping area. At this point, the Road Captain will need to return to the
breakdown to analyze the situation and help come to a decision. There will be at least one person in
each group that will have a fully charged cell phone should the need arise.

When pulling into our destination, the lead Road Captain will designate where the Club will park. If
we have a total of thirty Riders, he or she will attempt to procure enough room to park all together. He bwill then signal the rest of the Club to stop {hand extended, clenching fist} and back into the furthest parking place. The rest of the Club will follow suit until the last Rider has safely parked.

(VIII) IMPROPER ACTIONS

Don't crowd the rider in front of you. We're all going to get where we're going at the same time, and
you can make the other guy/girl nervous if you're riding too close. If he/she has to swerve to miss an
obstacle, you will want him/her to have room to do so without endangering you or other riders.

Don't lag too far behind the rider in front of you. Each rider needs to pay attention not only to what's
in front of him, but also be aware of the rider following him. If you're falling too far behind, you could
be giving a signal to the rider in front that you're in some kind of trouble.

If you do experience trouble or become separated, stop. Each rider must be aware of the riders
following, and upon noticing that there are no riders in sight behind must stop also. This will create a ripple affect, which will reach up to the Ride Captain who will then turn around and lead the riders back to the rest of the group.

Don't pass other riders of the group while riding in a group formation. If you want to ride in close
proximity to a friend, or you have a preference as to which side of the traffic lane you wish to ride
during staggered riding, then use the opportunity at a rest stop to arrange yourselves accordingly.

Once on the road, stay in the order you started in.

***DO NOT REMOVE THIS LINE***