I have decided after a great deal of thought that I would rather not lead a ride out at an event organized on UKGSer for the following reason.
I have spoken to several people who have been on organized rideouts of late where people have been involved in accidents both injury and damage only. I deal with motorcycle accidents at work every week and I know that if we attended a fatal RTC and there were 10 other riders at the scene who had come from all over the country to an organized event and who were following me on a ride I had planned and was leading, it would be me who would be potenially answering questions in a coroners court and possibilly to the legal departments of insurance companies.
Call it how you like, but I have to ask myself if this is a position I want to be in without the insurance and legal support that an event run by a proper motorcycle club gives me and the answer has to be NO.
This subject has been debated here many times in the past and just googling GSCLUB rideout liability brings back a thread on this site from 2005 where Judge writes ....
In essence my understanding is this.
Scenario 1 - Informal
I ring up or PM a couple of mates, say where I'm going and when and where I will meet them. No briefing, no route given nil, zip nada.
I don't believe I have any responsibility/liability as an organiser in this given scenario
Scenario 2 - Formal
I post an announcement on a forum that I plan to organise a ride out, I invite people to join the ride out. I post route information, start times etc.
I believe in this scenario, in the event of an incident I might (correctly or incorrectly) be held responsible/liable for the ride out on which the incident occured.
These are two extremes and there are many levels in between which sit in the grey area.
I don't have to worry I can go both ways, I can and have followed the considered 'best practice' and had events covered under the scheme operated by the BMF through the GS Club UK and I have arranged informal gatherings also.
Whichever best suits the situation best