Ideas for improvement.

[AC199]

I've been doing some thinking about the situation that reared its ugly head again on saturday night, and while i was part of the problem, I had my excuses, irrelevant thought they were.

I enjoyed my racing a while hell of a lot on saturday, and as from wednesday I have a bunch of time to play with again and intend to use it helping the club I love to move forwards. Heres a few suggestions.

1. Marshalling - No one under the age of 13 or over the age of 70 can marshall. Its too unsafe and I was scared for the ankles of the poor lad who was marshalling point 3 after the first 4wd mod heat... If you need a cover marshall, ask! Its not normally a problem, and quite often the marshalls can move themselves to cover the points pretty well if needed. The older gentlemen at the club shouldnt be running around trying to turn cars over anyways, they've done their time and now should relax, chew the fat and swap ideas about how racing has changed, and it wasn't like that in their day...

2. Practice - I cant take credit for this one, Brett came up with a brilliant one. If you put out the track, or take the track in you get a practice token, this allows you to take part in the practice session on the day you put the track out, or the meeting after the day you brought the track in. No exceptions. No token, no practice. Tokens not transferable and have no monetary value
This includes the practice session which normally takes place between the end of the heats and the finals. Your entry to the track will be watch and you will be required to show your tokens. There will be 4 sets drawn up and the colours will be different, if the colours dont match, you wont be practicing.

3. Volunteer marshalls earn a practice token for every 3 races they marshall. I shall draw up a spreadsheet which can be marked on for each time its done.

4. Back to marshalling. People showing up late for marshalling duty will receive a 10 second penalty in their next race. No excuses. Its not hard to put your car down, turn it off, disconnect your battery an get back out on to the track in 90 seconds. I'm pretty out of shape and I can manage it quite easily, so you should be able to as well.

5. Transponders. They need to be returned at the end of your race. Take it out when you're disconnecting your battery, then bring it back and put it on charge. No excuses, 30 second penalty for this if it isnt done. This held up racing for at least 4 mins last week, thats almost an entire heat!

6. Marshalling again. If you fail to show up to marshall for ANY reason short of death you forfeit your ability to race int he next heat/final. If you cant be arsed to take your responsibilities seriously, we seriously cant be bothered to be responsible for you racing. Scratch our backs, we'll scratch yours. Think of it as a yellow card in Rugby, now get in the bin for 10 minutes.

7. No beating me. I am the supreme being and master of all things pizza. I have a divine right to win each and every race i enter. Ahem. Okay so this one is optional.... :P

Lets get some opinions. Draconian as these things may seem, they will make the racing run smoother and I guarantee we'll get the track out and away quicker!

AC

[Moss Models]

All great points and agree totally agree with all points.

Apart from one. The age for the Marshalling. Ed and will are only 9 and 11. Now please someone let me know if I am wrong you won't offend me but I think they are fine and even at the nationals I have not had a problem. My only reservation would be if I could'nt find someone to marshall for them. I often race in the same heat.

However on Saturday there were some children marshalling that were just far too young so you are right to bring it up and make a suggestion.

Everything else is spot on. The token idea is fab and I also like the deposit idea as well. With the token idea I bet the track will be done in 10 seconds flat.

[AC199]

Its a tough one because I know your kids are fine. Will always turns the cars over with such care, which can be frustrating when you're driving, but tbh at least he doesnt put himself in harms way and lets face it, if you don't want to suffer a penalty, dont bloody crash!

I would say that your kids are fine, obviously they've been trained properly, but there have been some kids barely out of nappies marshalling recently and I have been quite worried for their safety. Its a tough one, maybe Rob or Jerry could pop an opinion in here?

[robpearce255]

Originally Posted by AC199

Its a tough one because I know your kids are fine. Will always turns the cars over with such care, which can be frustrating when you're driving, but tbh at least he doesnt put himself in harms way and lets face it, if you don't want to suffer a penalty, dont bloody crash!

I would say that your kids are fine, obviously they've been trained properly, but there have been some kids barely out of nappies marshalling recently and I have been quite worried for their safety. Its a tough one, maybe Rob or Jerry could pop an opinion in here?

Totally agree.

You're kids aren't the ones we were talking about really Alex, they do sometimes need to calm down a bit, I know that's hard kids being kids, but they do sometime run around a bit unnecessarily which might be a bit distracting. Chris is right they do sometime take a little too much care placing the car down.

It's not a big deal and it'll come with practice, you can sometimes tell by watching the crash that someone will land on their wheels, and therefore don't need to immediately run over, and also that practice that will help develop a quicker action where you can running, stoop down and quickly flip a car accurately back onto it's wheels the right way, all in one movement. And also that sometimes it's possible to right a car one handed, stuff like that.

[Danny Harrison]

I had a great idea last time chris.

Charge an extra quid or two at start of the night, and split it between anyone who stays back at the end and helps. What you think to that or something similar?

Another idea would be put it in a pot and give raffle tickets to those who stay back. Then have a raffle every couple months? Be fun that way.

[AC199]

I think people would object quite strenuously to that Danny. Its also a little close to paying for services, I'm sure there would be some kind of HMRC considerations...

The raffle idea isnt too bad though, but I think practice access would get people involved more than a raffle...

[Gray01]

I will throw my 2cents in, despite not attending for the last few (ahem) weeks...

If there are issues with helping put the track away, and people not being able to stay late, is it possible to start an hour, or even half an hour earlier?

In order to help speed up the track building and putting away process could we not have pre-made jumps and landings?

I do have access to realitivly cheap and lightweight (but durable) materials that would be suitable for the face, and would be happy to help construct them. I think they could be designed & made in such a way to fit into the trailer without taking up to much space. Having these take off and landing ramps would stop people having to lug great big gym mats about the place, and would certainly speed up the whole construction and packing away process.

As mentioned on Facebook knowing the track layout beforehand may be a good idea as well to save setup time.
If the club had (for example) 10 or 12 good track layouts that could be constructed, and there were plans that could be kept, one layout could be chosen per week, then it would be a lot easier (for everyone) to build.

If these plans were drawn up (by a group of people who know what makes a good track layout) I would happily digitize, print off and laminate a set of large and to scale plans that could be kept to aid building.

G

[AC199]

See? Didnt I say that even though he has a face like a bulldog licking a wasp, he's got uses? Heh, welcome Home G Man, how was Portugal?

I think the idea of premade jumps is absolutley brilliant, doing away with those crappy mat landings would be awesome! Maybe make them flat pack and just pin in place? Ideas...

[Col]

Originally Posted by AC199

See? Didnt I say that even though he has a face like a bulldog licking a wasp, he's got uses? Heh, welcome Home G Man, how was Portugal?

I think the idea of premade jumps is absolutley brilliant, doing away with those crappy mat landings would be awesome! Maybe make them flat pack and just pin in place? Ideas...

I've been pushing for that for nearly 2 years

[farmboy]

I think the marshalling / age issue needs addressing, if only for safety reasons. Some of the kids on Saturday (and previous nights) were very, very young and were dashing after cars, right into the path of other race traffic. Ouch.

The irony is that once they reached the crashed car they slowed right down and took ages to turn it over. Maybe a quick "How To.." session would be a good idea, just to explain about getting cars back on their wheels safely but quickly. I could build it into a drivers' briefing. (This wouldn't answer the question of an age limit though - that's a seperate matter)

Also, could I ask for a few more of the regulars to make the effort to come into the hall for the briefing? I know you've heard it before but it does look better if everyone takes 90 seconds to listen. <discuss>

Jerry

[Robin A]

For me having an age restriction is probably a sensible thing, but 13 is too old, perhaps 10 is the right age to be allowed to start marshelling, exceptions could be made for current members who are 9 and have proved themselves as able to marshel at York/regional/national race meetings.

As to the debate debate on putting the track away, I've said my piece on Facebook, but the short answer is not to finish earlier, just we need everyone to do their fair share and help at the start or the finish. To leave it to the few with a conscience is frankly just not fair.

Jerry, you've been running marshelling practice in your heat for the past 4 years! Seriously, some coaching, demonstrations in the 3 minutes we get for the drivers breifing would be good.

[AC199]

To summarise from feedback agained before and recently, general feelings are that if you contribute to the building of the track, or the taking down of the track you should be eligible to practice?

I personally think its a stroke of genius, and commend Brett for the idea.

After further reflection I think 13 is probably too old, and 10 sounds more like it. Are these ideas something we can implement at the next meeting? Its all well coming up with the ideas, but if they are to be implemented at glacial speed, then there was no point us having them...

[Col]

The "no building, no practice" has always been the rule, it's just rarely enforced due to race control being too busy booking in, setting races etc, so the token idea is a really good one. Anyone want to make some? Laminated paper would be upto the job I reckon.

[AC199]

I know a guy with a printing press and one hell of a beard, will tempt him with awesome sauce and pizza later this week and try to get some practice passes sorted if he's able to help.

[Robin A]

If you don't have any luck, I can print and laminate them at work. Just drop me a message on FB, preferably before Thursday and I'll get them done.

I was thinking, if we put them to clothes pegs so they clip onto the transmitter, like in the old days of 27 MHz, a simple glance down the rostrum would let us know that everyone practising had a practice pass.

Robin.

[AC199]

No chance before Thursday fella, Gray may not be available this week for dinner and that wont be until Thursday anyways...

Chris

[Gray01]

Tokens are an easy make. I could print a few bright colored rectangular 'tags' onto banner material and put a brass groment into the end so it can slide over the TX ariel.

I guess the size to be around 25mm x 90mm so they are visible from race control

If someone wants to give me an idea of qty and colours I will make 'em up for the next meeting.

If they work then great, if not then just bin 'em and try summat else

Offer is there, lemme know if you want me to do 'em

G

[AC199]

Idea just popped into my head. We need lanyards. 50 should suffice. I have 6 or so that could be used. Anyone else got any that we could pool together? Maybe someone could hit up a sponsor or their company in exchange for some free advertising? If everyone had a lanyard, we could produce 30 of each colour and then people get a lanyard and a token for each weekend and therefore they are less likely to take the token home by mistake.

Opinions?

[Richard Lowe]

I'd like to back up the points on earning a practice and keeping the mini marshal's safe.

Although I'd like to suggest the practice tokens are given out for putting the track away rather than laying it out. In my experience building the track it can often be a case of 'too many cooks spoil the broth', all help is appreciated but a lot of the time having people loitering in the hall and dumping the carpets ect in the middle of where the track will be going can be counter productive. It works best IMO with two or three of us actually sorting the layout and the jumps, then when that's done 'all hands on deck' for taping stuff down.

I'd also like to see some age/ability limit on the younger members marshalling for their safety. The younger members tend not to have the spatial awareness of the more experienced racers, and there's been a few occasions recently where I've seen them running out in front of flying cars and cringed. I know you're made of magic and rubber when you're that age, but I dread to think of the consequences of a car hitting one of them in the head.

I don't think the whole careful/slow righting of cars is an issue at all, that's something you learn with experience and confidence. I'm sure also that a lot of racers would rather they err on the side of caution rather than jumping/falling on their car!

[AC199]

This is where having a layout ready to go, laminated and sorted would be a great idea. Honestly the track layout on saturday had one problem which is easy to sort out, other than that, it was awesome! These tracks need to be kept for further use!

If that was the case, no matter the number of people involved in making it, it could be done easily and with minimal fuss.

While I agree kids are made from magic and rubber, they still contain liquid magic red smoke and when they comes out, they stop working. Just like Novak speedos...