ORIGINAL: abel_pranger
ORIGINAL: frankflyboy1
All the rules and regs are enforced at AMA chartered club sites. According to stats that have been published by AMA spokesmen, half of the insurance claims processed by AMA are for actions filed against these clubs, though only about half of AMA's members belong to clubs. I have no reason to expect that 'renegaders' are any less responsible than the half of AMA members that don't belong to clubs, and the latter have a proven safety record that is demonstrably better than that of club members. So, I pondered, and conclude that the historical evidence shows I'm better off around the renegade than I am at the club site, rules and regs notwithstanding. Further, unless I know the guy pretty well, I wouldn't make presumptions about whether or not he really gives a S#!T. Could be that he just doesn't need somebody else to do his thinking for him, and takes responsibility for his own actions. Novel concept these days, no?
Abel
Well, No. Renegades by their very nature don't publish or advertise the results of accidents whereas Chartered clubs are required to report to AMA. Your assertion that renegades have a proven safety record and are demonstratably better than clubs (as you compare them to AMA members that don't belong to clubs) is totally unfounded. There's absolutely no way of demonstrating or proving anything about renegades because there's no one compiling statistical evidence either for or against where AMA is compiling records on chartered clubs. Additionally, the comparison of Clubs safety records to AMA members that don't belong to clubs is not valid. How many of those non-club members fly by themselves out in the boonies (it's hard to injure someone else or do property damage when your all alone in the boonies). How many of those non-club members are older, non-flying members who just support AMA by joining and continue to feel involved by reading MA (these guys are probably not gonna get injured either).
I've been to the Poway industrial area regenade site twice and I gotta tell ya. Scared the h$!! outta me both times. No frequency control and guys taking off without even asking what freq everyone was on or checking airborne pilots for channel conflicts. Flying behind the established flight line. Flying from both sides of the road that was in use as a runway with low passes happening in front and behind people. I'm not a big advocate for a lot of rules, but my experience has been that no rules means chaos.