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Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card
https://www.trf.org.uk/forum/viewtopic.php?f=35&t=23646
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Author:  johnnyboxer [ Tue May 16, 2017 9:15 pm ]
Post subject:  Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

Last Sunday, I was leading a group of fellow TRF members in the Yorkshire Dales

Exiting a legal UCR, in Swaledale, rejoining the tarmac we parked up and waited for the others

No sooner had we turned off our engines, when a Police Ford Ranger pulled up and stopped

I approached the officer to engage in conversation

He asked

Where were we going?
Where had we been?
How did we find the routes we were using?
Who told us about the routes?
How many in the group?
How did I know that I was on a correct legal route?

I answered saying that I had been riding the Dales for 20 years and knew where I could ride and more importantly where I couldn't

I produced my paper OS map of the area and showed him all the road numbers on it, listed along side the UCR's

I also showed him my new plastic 2017 TRF membership (one that I had to specially request, as they are no longer sent out in the membership packs)

I'm glad that I had my TRF membership card, as the mood and tone from the officer changed, to a more conciliatory one

We talked about motorised ROW, in the Dales etc

He mentioned 2 bikes had smaller number plates and went over to talk to one rider to discuss this and asked me to tell the other rider

No tickets were issued and the officer was more than reasonable, once I could identify that we were TRF members

So why am I writing this????

Well, I am appealing to the TRF Directors to bring back the annual TRF plastic membership cards so that we can carry them on the trails etc

The cost is less than a £1, but it is worth so much more - so we can identify ourselves to the Police and/or Park Rangers as legal and responsible Trail Riders

Removing it, is a retrograde step I believe and the TRF is shooting itself in the foot by culling it

Plastic - it needs to be fully weatherproof, rather than a paper sticker

Bring back the TRF membership card !!!!

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Author:  Scott Heyden [ Tue May 16, 2017 9:17 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

Well said John.

Author:  mario.costasa [ Tue May 16, 2017 9:44 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

My understanding is this is already being reviewed by the TRF Membership Director and Sharon

May I suggest you email them direct at membership@trf.org.uk with your view?

Author:  AlwynMike [ Tue May 16, 2017 9:49 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

A car club I belong to has plastic membership cards that you peel off from a sheet of paper, which you then fold into a credit card size (it sticks together like this). The card is flimsier and lighter than the TRF plastic one, but it does the trick. Assuming that this is cheaper than the standard card, and could probably be produced with a standard printer, along with the membership letter as one. May be worth investigating. I too would prefer a plastic membership card - to swell the already large heap of plastic in my wallet!!

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Author:  johnnyboxer [ Tue May 16, 2017 9:54 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

mario.costasa wrote:
My understanding is this is already being reviewed by the TRF Membership Director and Sharon

May I suggest you email them direct at membership@trf.org.uk with your view?


I have no need Mario to email anyone, you can pass on my experience if you like to Carla or she can read it here herself - Gill already knows my feelings too

I am appealing to the rank and file members to campaign to actively bring back the plastic membership cards, so we can identify ourselves when out and about

It is vital to the public's perception of TRF of who we are and what we do and stand for, as are the bike stickers

Enough said

Author:  johnnyboxer [ Tue May 16, 2017 9:56 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

AlwynMike wrote:
A car club I belong to has plastic membership cards that you peel off from a sheet of paper, which you then fold into a credit card size (it sticks together like this). The card is flimsier and lighter than the TRF plastic one, but it does the trick. Assuming that this is cheaper than the standard card, and could probably be produced with a standard printer, along with the membership letter as one. May be worth investigating. I too would prefer a plastic membership card - to swell the already large heap of plastic in my wallet!!

Sent from my SM-G903F using Tapatalk


The cost of the plastic membership cards are pennies to the TRF - the time consuming bit is the printing of them as it has to be done manually or so I have been told

Author:  Richard Simpson [ Tue May 16, 2017 10:19 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

All sound.

When I ordered some parts from Gear 4, they asked me to email a shot of my membership card showing my name and the expiry date, and I got a discount on KTM parts as a result.

Such discounts are a benefit of TRF membership...but difficult to claim unless you can prove you are a member.

For this reason, I'm confident that failure to issue them was only a glitch and normal service will be resumed sooner rather than later. Otherwise, we are not getting the benefits of membership :(

Author:  johnnyboxer [ Tue May 16, 2017 10:27 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

Richard Simpson wrote:
All sound.

When I ordered some parts from Gear 4, they asked me to email a shot of my membership card showing my name and the expiry date, and I got a discount on KTM parts as a result.

Such discounts are a benefit of TRF membership...but difficult to claim unless you can prove you are a member.

For this reason, I'm confident that failure to issue them was only a glitch and normal service will be resumed sooner rather than later. Otherwise, we are not getting the benefits of membership :(

Well said Richard

How else does a retailer offering a discount to TRF members know if one is a bone-fide paid up member without a card ?

I am not carrying around my renewal letter all the time

Author:  smokinrider [ Wed May 17, 2017 12:46 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

A proper plastic credit card style card seems to be what everyone I've spoken with wants.
With an expiry date so people who don't renew can't continue using it and so traders can trust you are still a paid up member.

I liked my 2015-16 card with the map and row symbols on it.

If it means putting a quid or two on the membership fee I'm sure people won't complain.


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Author:  pug [ Wed May 17, 2017 5:50 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Bring Back the TRF Annual Membership Plastic Card

Renewed my membership 3-4 weeks back and will say I was very pissed not to get a new card plus the sticker with no year on it and this was the first I had heard of the new cheap skate budget cut system. I would be happy even with a cardboard card as that would be better than nothing. so down to will I renew membership next year well no change to this a no renew next year from me so that's £45 pound you muppets who came up with this will be down next year.


Pug

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