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gyngve
Nov 25, 2003, 9:17 PM
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I'm with a climbing club at a university that has a bunch of anal, good-for-nothing lawyers and bureaucrats who want to make it as hard as possible for us to go on trips. They suck. They want us to buy liability insurance, as if we can afford it. We're currently thinking about writing a waiver to disclaim liability instead.
So if you are with a college group, high school group, take the dudes at church out climbing every once in a while, etc., how do you cope with liability? What's your secret?
Or do you not have a bunch of idiots from above trying to keep you bed-soring away on the couch all day long?
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chanceboarder
Nov 25, 2003, 9:31 PM
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my school just has everyone sign waivers pretty much signing their life away. its been awhile since i signed that stuff so i can't remember exactly what it said but it was pretty much along the lines of we can't hold the college responsible for anything that might happen to us while climbing or trips. but i don't they had to get any type of liability insurance. if those good-for-nothing lawyers want to do something have them write up some waivers for your club to have members sign.
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overlord
Nov 25, 2003, 9:36 PM
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In reply to: my school just has everyone sign waivers pretty much signing their life away. its been awhile since i signed that stuff so i can't remember exactly what it said but it was pretty much along the lines of we can't hold the college responsible for anything that might happen to us while climbing or trips. but i don't they had to get any type of liability insurance. if those good-for-nothing lawyers want to do something have them write up some waivers for your club to have members sign.
thats sound reasonable.
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crazyfool
Nov 25, 2003, 9:42 PM
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My church had waivers when we used to take the youth group climbing. Basically they said the same thing as above but we had a notary at the church who notarized all of them before we went. I'm guessing that the notary was in case some kid forged his parents' signature it would be harder to sue for negligence.
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gyngve
Nov 25, 2003, 9:44 PM
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The University already has us sign waivers absolving them for any responsibilty.
They are insisting now that the club protect itself (i.e. the officers) or else we cannot go on any trips.
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markanite
Nov 25, 2003, 9:49 PM
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Those waivers (regardless of what they say) are basically no protection. Thats why your school is so worried.
The major limiting factor is that you cannot sign away your ignorance. This is a major loop hole.
I go to a univ. also and thought about setting up a club but found the same prob.
My advice is this. Climb with friends who you trust won't sue you.
Good luck! Have fun
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iltripp
Nov 25, 2003, 10:26 PM
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Well.... you can always try to just weasle your way out of it. Have a club that doesn't organize any official trips. Then, at your meetings, inform everyone that you and everyone else are going to go climbing this weekend and anyone who wants to come along is welcome to, but emphasize that it's not a club sponsored activity. Don't know how that would stand up legally, but it seems reasonable.
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iltripp
Nov 25, 2003, 10:27 PM
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Well.... you can always try to just weasle your way out of it. Have a club that doesn't organize any official trips. Then, at your meetings, inform everyone that you and everyone else are going to go climbing this weekend and anyone who wants to come along is welcome to, but emphasize that it's not a club sponsored activity. Don't know how that would stand up legally, but it seems reasonable.
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gyngve
Nov 25, 2003, 10:43 PM
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In reply to: Well.... you can always try to just weasle your way out of it. Have a club that doesn't organize any official trips. Then, at your meetings, inform everyone that you and everyone else are going to go climbing this weekend and anyone who wants to come along is welcome to, but emphasize that it's not a club sponsored activity. Don't know how that would stand up legally, but it seems reasonable.
That's in effect what we are doing now, but it makes it incredibly hard to recruit members into the club... to get folks into climbing who have never done so before. To do that, we have to advertise that we have FUN trips.
And the university isn't kosher with that.
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sim
Nov 25, 2003, 10:47 PM
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I don't know if anything stands up in court. I am involved in a couple outing clubs. One is University sponsored. Both require waivers for what that is worth.
There has been explicit conversations in the non-university club and basically we have been told that if you make bad decisions as a trip leader your screwed. Even though the club maintains insurance it doesn't protect any trip leaders.
I typically make a statement that "I might have coordinated a meeting time, but I am in no way responsible for everyones safety. This is a group of individuals who decided to (rock climb, kayak...) together and it isn't an organized event." Or something along that line. Not sure it would hold up in court but is an effort to protect myself. I don't want somebody taking all my worldly possesions..ie truck and gear.
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