Legal Situation and Organisations

Overview

   

The International Broomriding Act IBRA
(dd. september 22, 1958)

Art. 1 Definitions and Terms

a Definitions: Broomriding is a form of air navigation, the means of which are outlined in the respective national and international Aviation Acts. The respective Aviation Acts are applicable to the riding of broomsticks and related objects whereby the object shall be considered a form of flying device other than an aircraft. Flying an enchanted broom is called broomriding; flying an enchanted engine is called hooverriding and flying a mixed object is called microlite broom riding.

b Terms: Broomriding is a sport, expression of religious activity and cultural act. It is protected and controlled by the broomriding associations AIDBV, iBa, in Jordan, Malta and Switzerland. These associations and nations are allowed to enact own broomriding laws, regulations and rules, as long as they do not contradict the IBRA. In any case broomriding laws enacted by AIDBV, iBa or the respective national broomriding associations of Jordan, Malta and Switzerland overrule the national Aviation Acts mentioned above.

Art. 2 Broomriding Security

a The broomrider must only ride an appropriately bewitched broom.

b The following actions are to be punished: deliberately causing broomrider's accidents, deliberate irresponsible behavior which might lead to accidents, selling untested brooms or broom equipment. Offences of this kind are punished with the confiscation of the delinquent's whole broom equipment. Broomriders who sell unsafe broom equipment professionally are punished with exclusion from all broommrider's associations as well as confiscation of all brooms and broom equipment in possession of the lawbreaker.

c Technical installations and mechanisms, which obstruct the broom's efficiency and/or spellset, such as laser light, radio relay link radiation, electromagnetic fields, are to be avoided. Damages are to be repaired immediately and professionally.

Art. 3 Broomrider's Secrecy

a Basic Rule: Broomriding is secret. Broomriders are not to be seen nor heard by non broomriding people without magical help. The breaking of this rule is punished with exclusion from all broommrider's associations as well as confiscation of all brooms and broom equipment in possession of the lawbreaker.

b Precautions: The broomrider takes all necessary and technically possible precautions not to be seen nor heard while in action / above ground. Due to the broomrider's inaudibility and invisiblity, possible incidents, nearly accidents and accidents involving one or more broomrider can only be prosecuted by specialized organisations. AIDBV as well as iBa monitor and control the traffic on brooms or related objects and they have the sole right to pass sentences regarding broom accidents.

c Minimal Flying Height: The broomrider must not scare people and animals at any moment. Therefore, his or her minimal flying altitude is:

  1. generally: at least 12 feet / 4m above ground, whereby the recommended security hight is at 5-6 m above ground.
  2. exceptions: only in halls, above specially marked areas such as broomsport pitches, official start and landing places or deserted regions such as nature parks, moorlands, glaciers, tundras, jungles or lonely beaches, the broomrider has a right to fall below minimal flying height.
  3. during start and landing, the broomrider has to make certain that no humans, domestic animals or hoof animals will be frightened.

Art. 4 Insurance and Liabilitiy

a The closing of a broomrider's insurance policy is mandatory to every broomrider. A general broomrider's insurance covers general liability plus an accident insurance for risky sports. Commercial broomriders need an additional accident insurance for commercial broomriders, meaning risk insurance and insurance payable at death. Commercial broomriders are broomriding teachers, broomriders for breakdown service, parcel service, transport of goods and for first aid transport.

b Breaking of the above rule is considered a breach of the broomrider's secrecy and is punished accordingly.

Art. 5 Hoverriding

Generally: Riding on an open object above ground by combining an enchantment and an engine is considered hooverriding, not broomriding and hence requires a licence for motor vehicles.

Exceptions: Microlite broomcraft is forbidden in Switzerland and Jordan. In iBa countries, installing micro engines to a broom is permitted only under special conditions and with individual permission per broom, rider and engine. The authorization is to be asked at iBa's Office for Microlite Broomcraft. In AIDBV countries and Malta, every combination of broomcraft and hoovercraft or other engine based objects is allowed without restriction.

   

Organisations

Association International du Dévelopment du Balay Volant (AIDBV)

The AIDBV was founded in Bordeaux, France in november 1919. It was a long, cold and damp month, but the discussions around the association's official name as well as around the six establishing country's mago-ingeneer's recent developments ran the more heated: tradition or progress was the major question. Which ideas are worth to support financially and which craftshop need protection by a cover-organisation?

AIDBV's major goal is to bring broomriders together and hence to allow them to exchange ideas and humanity. The federation makes a presentation and discussion platform for new ideas and recent developments available.

Currently, its members are: Algeria, Argentinia, Belgium, Bosnia, Brazil, Bulgaria, Canada, Chile, Columbia, Cuba, France, Ireland, Italy, Luxemburg, Mali, Marocco, Mexico, the Netherlands, Niger, Philipinien, Portugal, Spain, Tunisia, Turkmenistan and Uruguay.

International Broomriding Association (iBa)

The much younger iBA was founed on may 15 1958 in Epsom, Great Britain. Its major purpose is to regulate, protect and retain broomriding as a sport, culture and major part of a religion stepped in an ancient tradition.

The iBa's focus was on its Basic Law from the beginning, as broomriders from different countries must have equal legal circumstances, according to iBa. International broomriding, free roaming and multi-national competitions are regarded as the most important fields of cooperation between the iBa nations.

Since 1993, iBa publishes a magical map, where all the competitions can be looked up. Many religious festivities and AIDVB competitions are included.

Currently, its members are: Australia, Austria, China, Croatia, Denmark, the Falkland Islands, Estonia, Finland, Germany, Great Britain, Greece, Hungary, India, Indonesia, Israel, Japan, Lithuania, Macedonia, Nicaragua, Norway, Poland, Slovenia, South Africa, Swaziland, Sweden and the USA.

Independant countries

Two countries have chosen neither to join the AIDBV nor the iBA, but to remain independant. Switzerland and Jordan maintain lively contact with both associations, but do not accept either of the two law complexes entirely.

In Jordan, riding a brom or carpet is forbidden in Hamsin winds and on Ramadan during daylight, while in Switzerland it is forbidden to ride any enchanted object in the night from august 1 to 2.

Organisation of Independant Wizarding Countries (OIWC)

The organisation is not yet founded, but may be in the next years, because they are on the way to accept microlite broomcraft as an expression of our new and fast moving time.

Possible members are the Czech Republic, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Lithuania, Macedonia, Norway, Poland, Sri Lanka and Sweden.

   

Requirement to Broom Manufacturers

Broomriding has to be safe at any moment. That's why several instructions and regulations addressed to the broom manufacturers deal with the broomrider's safety.

An enchanted broomstick must fulfill the following conditions:

  1. The broom's maintenance in the air: serious and well-tested aerodynamic and streamline as well as durable keeping upright spells are required for every new broom model.
  2. The spellset must be stable, effective, elastic and must not wear off.
  3. The broomrider's maintenance on the broom: padding charms stabilize the rider on his broom by offering a wider seat than the handle itself.
  4. Passengers: security child carrier and possibility to install a thigh bind. Separate seat for cats and other transported non flying pets.
  5. Collision: the broom accident management chart consists of five parts which every broomrider must learn and know by heart and under the most difficult conditions: a) summoning own broom b) send foreign broom underneath the falling companion c) parachuting spells d) soft landing e) healing f) self-healing
   

Broomrider's Rules

Broomriding is discrete. Remarkable carrying of enchanted flight objects is to be omitted. Every broomrider is invisible to non-flying people while above ground as well as during start and landing.

Experienced and professional broomriders show consideration towards beginners.

The first to forsee an accident is the first to avoid it.

Never tease flying animals. A broomrider knows about the importance of flying animals in dangerous situations. He or she therefore never disturbes their free flight and respects their liberty.

Don't loose anything while above ground. Tie your luggage tightly to the broom, stick it if necessary. Summon back falling material immediately. Call your loosely connected objects frequently to check if they are still on broom.

Care never to ride alone. A bewitched broom tends to dissolve or to distribute itself fast and inconspicuously in the landscape. This is a measure, was taken due to witchcraft opponents. For that reason, the demolished broom cannot serve as proof for the accident. You may also need help after an accident. But only humans, who are used the to invisibility, can handle the situation.

If your broom is torn into pieces during an accident, stay as close as possible to its remainings, summon them if you can't move before the dissolving process starts. Keep them under control until help comes and end them to your broomstick provider.

 

Remember:
don't drink and fly

Protected Professional Titles

The organisation iBa protects the follwoing professional titles:

  • Broomriding Physiotherapist
  • Broomriding Psychotherapist
  • National League Broom Sportsman
  • National League Broomballer
  • Official Broom Circledancing Choreographist
  • Official Broom Enchanter
  • Official Broomdancing Teacher
  • Official Broomriding Teacher
  • Professional Broom Enchanter
  • Professional Broom Equipment Developer
  • Professional Broomstick Developer
  • Professional Broomstick Tester
  • Professional Spellset Repairer
  • Professional Upholstery Customizer
  • Official Healer

There are places of iBa training in every country of the association and the exames take place once a year in Epsom GB, immediately before the annual iBA meeting.

   

Special Permissions

The iBa gives special permissions to every broomrider who has passed the so called "small iBa exam" every broomrider's or magical healer's school offers:

  • Professional Broomrider's Permission
  • Permission to transport non-broomriders or beginners
  • 1st Aid Permission
  • Official Bone Regrowing Permission (exam only in Epsom)