Silverstone May 3rd cancelled?

[Rod Birley]

Rumour has it that this meeting has been cancelled, can anyone confirm.

[Piglet]

I have heard something similar.

[Rod Birley]

According to MN it is off, "due to lack of marshals". Mind you who wants to watch Uniroyal challenge for several hours.
Interesting to read Matt James's column about drivers marshaling.

[yeltneb]

I read the article as well, I got the impression that he thinks the marshalls give up their free time so that we can go and enjoy ourselves so we should all go and marshall.
Yes it is true that we could not race without them but they could not do what they must enjoy without us spending our hard earned money. I have enough trouble juggling weekends away from work, family etc I cannot fit in a days marshalling as well. If I had too it would be at the end of the season when most drivers would do the same, so there would be too many then and not enough during the year.
I agree that something must be done and maybe having drivers marshalling may help but it must not be compulsory unless it is part of the ARDS test.

[Tracey]

As I understand it, the Uniroyal beetles were scheduled to be at Rockingham on 3rd May, not Silverstone.

[Pike]

I received a letter from Silverstone last week saying it had been cancelled - gave no reason though. IF it was due to lack of marshals then what everyone has to remember is Bank Holidays are traditionally busy motor racing days and as this was a late addition most marshals would have already voluntered for another meeting at a different venue.

[Rod Birley]

It comes back to the same problem, namely too many meetings.

[Micky.H]

Just a little comment to yeltneb, dont forget we marshals spend our hard earned money travelling to circuits, buying overall etc, it may not be in the leage of what a driver spends, but we do it so that you can race safely and we get a great day out - without one the other doesn't exist.

[mark_l]

I think part of the problem is marshals are getting more selective in what meetings and where they marshal.

With fuel costs rising all the time, more marshals are going to be tempted to stay close to home. If there is no meeting on at their local circuit then they stay at home.

In my first few years of marshalling, I did an average of 65-70 days a year. It didnt matter where a meeting was I would do it.

The more meetings there are then the thinner the marshals are spread, sadly as we are finding out this means meetings are cancelled.

[johnw]

Originally posted by yeltneb
.... but they could not do what they must enjoy without us spending our hard earned money.

Not sure that this attitude will get us many more volunteers yeltneb. They too have to spend their hard earned, to allow us to waste ours.
The marshals could still do their thing at high profile professional meetings. If they chose to do that you could save a fortune!

I have enough trouble juggling weekends away from work, family etc I cannot fit in a days marshalling as well.

All the more reason to show some appreciation for the people in orange who are obviuosly better jugglers than you.

[johndpeat]

Can you blame the Marshal for not doing the May 3rd meet,The Beatles don't relly produce the best racing around.Most of us are now chosing to do meetings were we are enterained by relly good racing.Poor grid and dull racing don't only put off the public.

[Rod Birley]

Hits the nail right on the head.

[johndpeat]

I know,and unfortunatly the clubs need to look at what they offer and probably have more classes in less races instaed of the otherway round.Simple really fill grid you get good racing.Good racing brings in marshals and spectaors.Look at MGCC they have got it right.You will never find a small grid with them and with the exception of Rockingham they always get enough Marshals on th bank.

[theracegypsy]

As I am forably out of it for the first half the season there is certainly one less marshal around.

Facetiousnes apart, most marshals are wouldbe drivers, even if they won't admit it. They marshal because they can't afford to compete.

Like all sports and hobbies the costs are increasing, and that becomes a factor in the juggling equation. Anyone spending money on a hobby is wanting a return in pleasure and enjoyment.

That means for marshals, good close clean racing with friendly drivers and teams who are prepared to have short sensible conversations during lunch break etc. (or even when you unexpectedly pay us a visit.)

Marshal numbers are a problem, and in my personal opinion there is too much head in sand attitudes at present, though some clubs and senior officilas are beginning to realise that new approaches are needed.

In a normal year - ie when I'm not hobbling on one leg,I work about 70 days a year marshalling, and about the same at race schools.

About a third of that is in North America, where marshal numbers are roughly one third of what we are seeing in the UK at present.


They cope with that level by using modern high tech communications systems and a training and discipline which far exceeds anythink we do here at present.

Perhaps we need to stop considering we are the best in the world and look at other ways of doing the job before we find we are pushed out by paid personel using American techniques.

[Stevespurr]

It is unusual for it to be a Silverstone meeting thats cancelled!!
How many Marshals are going to Donington that weekend for the Thorobreds?

[Sheila M]

Originally posted by theracegypsy

Facetiousnes apart, most marshals are wouldbe drivers, even if they won't admit it. They marshal because they can't afford to compete.

I DON'T!! I've never wanted to race - EVER. I marshal because I want to marshal. And I think most of the people who marshal with me are of the same opinion.

[johnw]

Originally posted by theracegypsy
.....They cope with that level by using modern high tech communications systems and a training and discipline which far exceeds anythink we do here at present....

Any examples please Bob?

[Stephen Green]

There are suggestions that lights could be used around a circuit instead of flag marshals. The lights could be operated either by the Observer on post or by race control. The problem is not the idea, which incidentally is one the Marshals Club have already considered, but the cost to the circuit owner.

Just to make a point, the Marshals Club along with BARC and BRSCC have been working very hard to promote marshalling as a hobby. BARC for example had over 30 new trainees at the Thruxton BTCC meeting. If we are able to continue to recruit and, the grid sizes at some meetings increase, then I don't think we have too much of a problem.

Incidentally, we regularly get drivers spend a day marshalling as it gives them a licence signature.

[goforit500]

We've had the drivers marshalling discussion here before and I've said (repeatedly) that drivers marshalling should be compulsory.

The AMCA (Motocross) rules dictate that all riders must supply (or do it themselves) a marshal for half a day for races that they attend. Bearing in mind that there are a lot more injuries in MX than car racing, this arrangement works very well - Look at the rise & rise of motocross compared to club car racing.....

It could be that car racers are so full of their own importance (Impotence ??) they feel that getting grubby, sweaty and wet is beneath them :-)

The majority of people I know in this sport do not fall into the above and would accept such a situation. The added bonus would be the opportunity for the prima donnas out there to be brought back down to size....

Ok - That should stir things up a bit !!

[Stephen Green]

Excellent idea but there is one bit problem, car marshals are licenced by the MSA and so whilst I applaud drivers spending a day trackside marshalling to get a signature, it's not a long term solution and with the greatest of respect, would lower the standards of marshals in general.

[goforit500]

I love that "with greatest respect" bit .....:-)

My point really is that whilst in no way condoning a lowering of marshalling standards, another branch of motorsport has historically used a different route to ensuring the survival of its sport - The other point being that motocross in inherently more dangerous that car racing and it works well with dare I say it, amateur marshals.

Perhaps a compromise would be to ensure that there are one or two fully trained marshals on each post complimented by the drivers. The trained and experienced personnel would by default control & manage any incident and be capable of stabilising the scene of an incident until a rescue unit arrived - And, common sense prevailing, the majority of club drivers aren't stupid as they must have half a brain to earn enough to race !!

We are seeing racing cancelled and the cited reason being a lack of marshals (and lots of other reasons, to be fair, such as too many championships)and this just seems like a way to ensure that club racing at least continues ..

[goforit500]

The other point is that half a brain is much easier to take out when driving :-)

[Stephen Green]

Originally posted by goforit500
The other point is that half a brain is much easier to take out when driving :-)

Brilliant

As I have said above (I think) with the current recruitment programme underway incorporating the major organising clubs and the BMMC, I would hope the problem is resolved in the not too distant future.

In the interim I agree that driver/marshals are better than no marshals and that we all have the good of the sport at heart regardless of whether we drive/ride/marshal.

[DaveStyles]

Do marshals do it TOTALLY unpaid then ? Do you not even get expenses ? or a token 'thankyou' ?

If so I think thats amazing.... I reckon they should at least add a bit onto the entry fee and call it "Marshall fund"... it wouldn't bother me paying an extra tenner on every entry fee for martials expenses..

btw... How many martials does it take to run a normal club meeting at say Silverstone ?

[Rod Birley]

"btw... How many martials does it take to run a normal club meeting at say Silverstone"
Depends on which circuit is being used, there are four variations at present.
Some clubs do give a ten pound token payment, others have raffle draws, vouchers for meals/drinks, or admission to dinner dances etc..