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Ritmo Cycling Club (“Club”) has adopted this Code of Conduct to promote an environment that fosters good sportsmanship, safe cycling, mutual respect, and courtesy when participating in all Club activities and when representing the Club in any manner. The Club expects that all relationships among persons participating in Club activities will be respectful and free of harassment, discrimination, or bullying. A violation of this Code of Conduct may result in disciplinary action up to and including the suspension or termination of your membership privileges.

 

INDIVIDUALS AND CONDUCT COVERED

 

This Code of Conduct applies to all members and guests participating in Club activities and it prohibits harassment, discrimination, bullying, and retaliation, whether engaged in by members or by someone not directly connected to the Club (i.e. vendor or guest). Conduct prohibited by this policy is unacceptable. It applies to all members at all Club activities, including rides, trips, meetings, Club-related social events, when conducting any Club-related business or engaging in any Club-related communications using the Club’s website and forums, Club emails, social media pages or similar sites or applications.

 

DEFINING PROHIBITED HARASSMENT, DISCRIMINATION and BULLYING 

 

Harassment, discrimination and bullying are often characterized by insulting, hurtful, vindictive, cruel or malicious behaviors which have the purpose or effect to create a hostile, intimidating or offensive Club environment. This prohibited conduct may be the result of deliberate intention or not. It is important to recognize that it is the impact of the behavior on others, not the intent, which determines whether or not harassment, discrimination or bullying has occurred. Depending upon the severity and impact of the behavior, a single significant incident may constitute prohibited conduct, if it is found to be sufficiently offensive, threatening or intimidating. To determine whether or not prohibited conduct has occurred, each situation must be examined reasonably and objectively, based on its specific facts. 

 

Examples of conduct or comments which might constitute prohibited harassment, discrimination or bullying include:

 

oral, written or physical threats and intimidation;

insulting or derogatory remarks, gestures or actions;

shouting, yelling, swearing and calling someone derogatory names;

targeting an individual through persistent, unwarranted criticism, personal insults or public ridicule;

vandalizing personal belongings;

nonconsensual use or disclosure of a person’s private information;

spreading malicious rumors;

harassing, discriminatory or otherwise lewd or offensive written or verbal language, drawings, gestures or symbols that demean or show hostility or aversion towards an individual based on his or her race, religion, color, age, national origin, sex, sexual orientation, disability or similarly protected characteristic;

unwelcome intentional physical contact with another person; and unwelcome sexual advances or unwelcome sexually suggestive comments, remarks, notes, texts, emails, voicemails, etc. 

 

MEMBER RESPONSIBILITY

 

Each member of Ritmo Cycling Club has a responsibility to maintain a Club that is free from prohibited acts of harassment, discrimination and bullying. The Board will make every reasonable effort to establish and maintain a Club environment free of harassment, discrimination and bullying by establishing a fair and equitable protocol for responding to complaints and by taking appropriate corrective and/or disciplinary measures, where applicable.

 

Any member who believes that he or she has been subjected to any conduct prohibited by this Code of Conduct is asked to report the matter to a Club founder. We ask for your cooperation to support the implementation of this important Club policy.

 

Club and non-club Events

• Non-cycling - Members are encouraged to propose non-cycling activities that they believe would be of interest to the membership. At the same time, these are not subject to meaningful ride leader review and the Board does not view them as official or sponsored activities. Consequently, non-cycling activities will not be included in our ride listings.

• Hybrid - Activities that combine a meaningful cycling component with another activity, will be considered “rides" and therefore eligible for inclusion in the ride listings, subject to normal ride lead review.