Safety

Safety
The Organisers’ overriding objective is for everyone involved to return home safely after an enjoyable and successful Challenge. These guidelines are intended to provide helpful guidance but safety is absolutely the personal responsibility of each participant. The Trustees, Organisers, Sponsors and Marshals are not responsible for the participants’ safety and accept no liability for any death, injury, illness or loss resulting from it.
Both in terms of safety instructions and other implications, the following is not necessarily a complete list. In drawing participants’ attention to these issues, the Organisers do not take responsibility for issues not covered. Each participant is responsible for their own and their co-participants’ safety and must also ensure that they are adequately insured and prepared for any eventuality that might arise from participating in this Challenge. The Organisers and Marshals reserve the right to impose sanctions to enforce these guidelines. These may include disqualification of any individual participant or team from further participation in the Challenge, or other measures at the discretion of the Organisers, whose decision is final.
These Instructions may seem rather stern, but that simply reflects the Organisers’ concern for your safety and that of everyone involved in the Challenge.
1. Prepare well in advance. The Challenge is not a race, and you do not need to be a regular athlete to take part. However you do need to be reasonably fit. Regular training over a couple of months or more is advisable, gradually building up the effort you put into it. The earlier you start the sooner you will be able to assess what you need to do to be ready. Advice may be available from your local gym or cycling club. If you are in any doubt about whether you are fit enough to participate, take medical advice. See also our FAQs which contain other useful information about preparation.
2. Cyclists and drivers must make themselves fully aware of and comply with all applicable local highway codes (or the equivalent), laws and regulations. NB all roads on the route will be open to normal traffic throughout the Challenge. Carry a warning triangle and a reflective jacket. It is your responsibility to check out all applicable legal requirements. For Challenges involving driving in the EU you may find the AA‘s webpage www.theaa.com/European-breakdown-cover/driving-in-europe a useful starting point. Cyclists and drivers must not be under the influence of alcohol or drugs at any time while on the road.
3. CYCLISTS MUST WEAR BRITISH STANDARDS APPROVED CYCLING HELMETS AT ALL TIMES WHILE RIDING.
4. Cyclists must use fully-effective front and rear lights compliant with all applicable local laws when cycling in darkness or reduced visibility. All bikes must be suitable and well-maintained. Participants must be able to repair a puncture or replace an inner tube, and carry out other basic repairs, at the roadside as required. Carry appropriate spares.
5. At STOP junctions, riders must place two feet on the ground and make an effective visual check for approaching traffic. When abroad, be aware that vehicles will be approaching from a different direction from that which your instincts may expect.
6. Support vehicles stopping for a change or rider or for non-traffic reasons must fully leave the road with NONE of the vehicle’s wheels left on it. Where this is not possible, a manned traffic warning triangle must be placed 20 metres before the vehicle identifying the hazard to other road users and particularly to cyclists who, may have their ‘heads down’. Support vehicles must not follow cyclists or lead them.
7. No other changeover must take place within 20 metres either side of a parked vehicle where the vehicles are unable to park completely off the road.
8. When abroad, pulling back out onto the road in a right-hand drive vehicle after a stop or changeover, the front seat passenger must also check that no cyclists or other road users will be affected by your vehicle. Reduce the risk with clear, planned communication, for example a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ from the front seat passenger before setting off. Use your horn and indicators to alert other road users.
9. Cyclists travel very quickly, particularly downhill when they will often exceed speeds of motor vehicles. Support vehicles must not cause an obstruction to cyclists at any time. Take extra care if the road surface is wet, when stopping distances will be far longer than in dry conditions – especially for bikes.
10. Cyclists must be very careful when in close proximity to other cycles. The overtaking or following cyclist is under a duty to stay clear of the cyclist in front and must allow for the fact that the cyclist in front may suddenly turn or brake or take some other urgent action. The overtaking or following cyclist must be able to take avoiding action that puts no-one at any risk of injury. Allow enough space and communicate with the cyclists around you to let them know what you are doing BEFORE you do it! NB “Slipstreaming” – following close to the wheel of the bike in front of you – is not allowed.
11. Particular caution is urged in congested situations where other two and four-wheeled vehicles are merging with Challenge riders. Drivers must take extra care on narrow lanes where there may be little room to overtake individual cyclists or groups of them. Be patient!
12. Hand signals must be given when turning right and left and an audible warning must be given to the cyclist in front prior to overtaking.
All participants must read the [Conditions of Entry] issued by the organisers, and these Safety and Welfare Guidelines and agree to comply with them fully. They must also understand that participating in the Challenge may pose physical risks and must not hold the Trustees, Organisers, Sponsors or Marshals responsible for any death, injury, illness or any aspect of safety, welfare or any other matter relating to or resulting from the Challenge. All participants MUST sign the form issued by the Organisers, including the declaration of compliance, and return it to the Organisers, Extra Mile Challenges. You will not be allowed to participate in the Challenge unless we have received it. To view this file you will need the free Adobe Acrobat viewer which you can download from the Adobe website.
Download a PDF version of the Extra Mile Challenges Personal Safety and Welfare Instructions – Safety Instructions
To download a PDF version of the Extra Mile Challenges Risk AssessmentExtra Mile Risk Assessment2021