Chapter Policies & Safety Tips

This adopted policy is in keeping with the National H.O.G. Insurance Risk Assessment and with the National H.O.G. Alcohol Guidelines and is for the safety and protection of all New Orleans H.O.G. Chapter members and guests.

National H.O.G. provides insurance for chapters and their members while on chapter motorcycle riding events. It must be noted that Liquor Liability Coverage is not provided by the National H.O.G. General Liability Insurance Policy. This insurance is our liability coverage. In the event of an incident while on a chapter motorcycle ride, if someone were to sue the chapter or an individual chapter member, H.O.G. provides, at NO COST to us, the representation to vigorously defend the suit, and in the event of a payout, H.O.G. insurance also PAYS THE SETTLEMENT. All of this is included in our chapter membership at no additional cost. In return for this insurance, National H.O.G. has only two requirements, the first is that each person; member and each non- member; on the ride must have signed the official H.O.G. waiver. As members, we sign our waivers each year at renewal. And second that there is NO ALCOHOL consumed prior to or during the motorcycle riding event. NO EXCEPTIONS

New Orleans H.O.G. Chapter Motorcycle Riding Events Are Alcohol Free.

NO EXCEPTIONS

The New Orleans H.O.G. Chapter defines a Motorcycle Riding Event as from the time kickstands go up at the starting location of the ride until kickstands go down at the final destination of the ride. Once kickstands go down at the final destination the motorcycle ride is considered ended.

Safe and responsible motorcycling activity is a major H.O.G. goal. The consumption and use of alcohol is a serious personal responsibility involving the safety and welfare of family, riding friends and the individual H.O.G. member. Any amount of alcohol negatively affects a rider’s ability to operate a motorcycle.

Therefore, it is the policy of the New Orleans H.O.G. Chapter that the chapter will not furnish alcohol at motorcycle riding events and consumption of alcohol is strictly prohibited prior to and during chapter motorcycle riding events. Anyone consuming alcohol before or during a chapter motorcycle riding event will be asked to leave the motorcycle riding event. If the individual consuming alcohol refuses to leave the motorcycle riding event then the Lead Road Captain will declare that the motorcycle riding event has ended.

At the point where the motorcycle riding event is deemed ENDED, or the kickstands drop at the final destination, members and participants should use good judgement and responsibility to determine the level of alcohol use, if any, that is appropriate and safe.

National H.O.G. has no direct operational control over Chapter operations. Consumption of alcohol after motorcycle riding events or at non-motorcycle riding events is a matter to be decided by the sponsoring dealership and H.O.G Chapter Leadership. All such decisions are subject to final revisions and approval by the sponsoring dealership.

If the sponsoring dealership and the Chapter leadership decide that alcohol may be consumed at a Chapter function then the recommended approach is either to ‘Bring Your Own’ or ‘Buy Your Own” from a vendor insured and licensed to sell alcohol.

That being said, as responsible adults, we are all responsible for our own decisions. I think we all feel that having a beer, for example, with lunch or dinner, and then riding home, is of little risk. As a responsible adult we are all free to make this decision, however in doing so, we must remember that we will be riding home without the rest of our H.O.G. group. Again we are free to make our own choices in this regard; just please remember, in doing so, you are no longer covered by the insurance National H.O.G. provides us for group chapter motorcycle riding and most importantly, we never want to jeopardize the safety of other people in our group.