Historic Racing and Historic Racing Today Forum-Where is it going ?

[zefarelly]

Originally Posted by Mike Sweeney

Some of these comments look to have been made without any consideration to actual fact - particularly with respect to technical matters or documented historical. It can be very boring...and will only serve to turn some people away I'm sure.

Otherwise the debate(s) herein have so far made for amusing reading. Particularly those posts presumably written after a couple of glasses of whatever poison the author favours...

Mike . . .Its a chat forum, personal experience says treat them like tabloids . . . a pinch of salt at best. Admitedly there are a few honourable members here with valid and accurate comment, but . . .its banter on the whole, or pub talk, or whatever.

I wouldn't make a major personal or business statement on any chat forum any more likely than I'd let a member of my family read the Daily Mail!

[Mike Sweeney]

Originally Posted by zefarelly

Mike . . .Its a chat forum, personal experience says treat them like tabloids . . . a pinch of salt at best. Admitedly there are a few honourable members here with valid and accurate comment, but . . .its banter on the whole, or pub talk, or whatever.

I wouldn't make a major personal or business statement on any chat forum any more likely than I'd let a member of my family read the Daily Mail!

Gutted to read your comments, Zef. I had the Daily Mail on such a pedestal

Point taken though

[compte deGraves]

I must say that a dinner party when everybody agreed with everything that was said would be a very boring affair.

Surely the joy of ten tenths is that we exchange views and stimulate our brains. I am not disappointed that others have different views to me, rather I am encouraged to think that I don't know the correct answer to everything.

[grantp]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

The VSCC meeting at Mallory a couple of weeks ago was well-marshalled; Mallory has a curfew, Donington doesn't.

Another angle and a good point Dave. Does Mallory, as one of the smaller tracks, require as many marshals? Is it more viable from that point of view?

That notwithstanding the main point I was considering was really whether an ageing marshall population with an interest in VSCC type vehicles might ultimately, in the possible absence of younger recruits with the same level of interest, coem to dictate how things were organised and how often events could be run.

Is that likely?

[driftwood]

1 I am happy to be page 7 hunk for the ladies in your red top paper and i have my own Borat thong/mankini

2 Yes i think IF i was a marshall i would be looking at mashalling at events with cars i wanna see and not just be a marshal at a track so its possible that marshals for VSCC events may dwindle with time BUT i also think there may be a time when a dollar is passed over the palm of the men/women in orange suit to get them at the post for certain events

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by grantp

Another angle and a good point Dave. Does Mallory, as one of the smaller tracks, require as many marshals? Is it more viable from that point of view?

The number of posts to be manned is a factor, although Mallory has 12 posts, more than you'd probably think given the length of the circuit. Even at Mallory marshal numbers can be a problem when there are other meetings locally - too many circuits in the East Midlands!

That notwithstanding the main point I was considering was really whether an ageing marshall population with an interest in VSCC type vehicles might ultimately, in the possible absence of younger recruits with the same level of interest, coem to dictate how things were organised and how often events could be run.

I haven't got any data, but I suspect that the average age of marshals is now lower than it was as the result of recent, & continuing, recruitment initiatives. The VSCC has something of a problem, as their marshalling members all seem to have started fairly late in life, so they don't want to do incident duties & don't have the experience to work as Post Chiefs, so VSCC meetings tend to have a surfeit of flaggies. My experience at Oulton & Mallory, the only VSCC meetings I've done this year, is that the younger marshals really enjoy their meetings.

[grantp]

I had considered that the different size circuits may not in fact mean by defaults a smaller number of marshals required but slightly fewer might just be enough to make a difference from time to time.

Based on your comments though, Dave, it sounds like the potential problem may not be a real problem after the successful recruitment drive once the newcomers are qualified, just something to set off to one side and bear in mind should things start to change in that respect. Which is good and hopefully a positive sign for the future.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by grantp

Based on your comments though, Dave, it sounds like the potential problem may not be a real problem after the successful recruitment drive once the newcomers are qualified, just something to set off to one side and bear in mind should things start to change in that respect. Which is good and hopefully a positive sign for the future.

No room for complacency! Recruitment rates are good, but unless those new recruits become long-termers the current improvement in numbers could just be a temporary blip. Numbers at many circuits are still well below optimum.

A problem nobody seems willing or able to address is conflicting meetings. Marshals are a finite resource - on several weekends this year there have been meetings at both Oulton & Anglesey, which means that the same (more or less) group of marshals is spread between the two circuits; same with Mallory/Donington etc., etc.