Help Needed For A New Recruit

focuszetec · 1 Sep 2008, 20:45 (Ref:2279717)

Hi All,
Been reading the forum for most of the day as I have been trying to get an over-view for what to do to begin doing this wonderful profession. I have been looking to do this for a few years but have never been able to find a starting point until yesterday when a friend a I went to see the BTCC @ Silverstone i noticed an advert in the program for the BMMC's Team Wilson chaps so we went over to see them (very nice people by the way) and they gave my friend and I some info and promised to send more out to us.

Before that info arrives I have a few questions that you fine people can help me with. The main one is regarding all the clubs out there, I would like to mainly marshall at Brands Hatch, but as i have friends who live close to Thruxton it would be cool to do a few events there as well as the odd one at Silverstone as I really enjoy the track, so any advice on that would be greatly appreciated.

I have seen a lot of people on here talking about tours at Oulton Park does anyone know if Brands does anything similar?

I know I have droned on quite abit so thanks for reading and look forward to your advice/answers. Mike.

gachjoel · 1 Sep 2008, 21:04 (Ref:2279724)

Hi Mike,
welcome to 10ths and this wonderful world of orange.

as i see you like reading,i`ll put a few links of sites where you can put you name forward for meetings..

http://www.marshals.org.uk/

http://www.barc.net/marshals/marshal...ply_online.php

http://www.marshals.co.uk/

That will cover car meetings,

if your intrested in bike meeting,find out who is doing the meeting and apply thru them directly.
as its nearing the end of the season,you can get a few days in as a taster,but then you will have to suffer an agonising winter free of sport....lol

hope this is of some help,

Enjoy

Gary

focuszetec · 1 Sep 2008, 21:44 (Ref:2279759)

Hi Gary,
Thanks for the speedy reply, will check those sites out, I know i am starting abit late in the season (D'OH), do you know when people start updating lists for next year cause I will wanna get in early as I know I will really enjoy doing it!

It is in the main cars I would be interesting but i am the type of chap who would do what ever event came along that I could get to, to get the experience.

gachjoel · 1 Sep 2008, 21:52 (Ref:2279763)

Quote:

Originally Posted by focuszetec

Hi Gary,
Thanks for the speedy reply, will check those sites out, I know i am starting abit late in the season (D'OH), do you know when people start updating lists for next year cause I will wanna get in early as I know I will really enjoy doing it!

It is in the main cars I would be interesting but i am the type of chap who would do what ever event came along that I could get to, to get the experience.

usually dates start coming out about feb time as the season starts march/april time,
BTCC have already announced there dates for 2009,BTCC.net.
its never to late to start, i started mid season aswell.
And don`t forget,if you want to know summit,someone on here will have the answer.
Remember,there is no such thing as a stupid question...
they are ones you don`t know the answer to...

Urgentemente · 1 Sep 2008, 23:16 (Ref:2279815)

First off all, welcome to the 'club'!
I'm only just coming up on my first year (next weekend will be my 1st 'anniversary'), so I'm a relative newbie, but it's been a great year, and seems to have flown (tho the gap inbetween seasons seems LOOOONNG! )

All I can offer is get stuck in, don't worry about asking questions as everyone of us at some point was a newbie. If you don't know what something is, ask. If you spot something during an event, tell someone... the worst that can happen is the others on post have already spotted it, but a)you'll know you also spotted it, b) when no one else did you get a warm glowy feeling

Honestly, I can say my last years (...nearly almost...) marshalling has been great, even at some of the less dramatic events I've done , there's still the whole group atmosphere etc.

Don't worry too much if you find yourself free to do an event closer to it's time, I didn't know that most people volunteer at the start of the season, so I've pretty much done it on an event-by-event basis, and will probably have to do that next year as well just due to work & general circumstances etc. I think most places will be glad of an extra pair of hands no matter how late on.

Enjoy

Jag50 · 2 Sep 2008, 03:08 (Ref:2279859)

And of course there is also MSVR the racing side of Motor Sports Vision the owners of Brands and some of the other circuits you mentioned.

http://www.msvracing.co.uk/getinvolved.aspx

HairyDJ · 2 Sep 2008, 15:03 (Ref:2280127)

Hi Mike - Brands this Saturday!

SEMSEC are paying their annual visit & may lose some of their Lydden regulars to the BARC meeting down there?

Sprint in the morning & 8 races in the afternoon.

http://semsec.org.uk/ - club info

http://www.marshalspost.com/club/50.html - contact details

http://www.brscc-se.co.uk/marshal/circ_posts_info.pdf - Brands map

http://www.brscc-se.co.uk/marshal/circ_turns.pdf - another Brands map

Come along and give it a go. Meanwhile browse a few of the older threads on here about suggested kit etc - just keep warm / cool (depends on the day), bring plenty to drink and nibble & don't wear flag colours please.

Cheers, David & Chrissy

focuszetec · 2 Sep 2008, 15:27 (Ref:2280136)

Hi Dave,
Thanks for the invite if i had not already promised to get shot in the woods by paintballs for my friends stag do I would be there like a shot.
First weekend i have free now is the not untill the 27/28 but saying that i am free on the 21st but have to work on the 20th

.

Thanks for the website i will definatly be looking at those. I would also like to say that this has to be the friendliest forum I have ever come across on the internet over the vast amount of years i have been surfing!

Again Thanks, Mike.

P.S. Just a quick thought, what would you guys recommend for someones first time out on the bank or in the pits? I am not sure on what I would want to do, any ideas?

Stack · 2 Sep 2008, 15:50 (Ref:2280151)

Start on the bank!
18th and 19th October-Brands Hatch-Formula Ford Festival. (17th as well if your that keen!)
Organising club -BRSCC
Just fill in this form http://www.marshals.org.uk/BRSCCSEform.htm (don't worry about membership number or grade, just put "first time marshal" in comments box) Tickets/details will be in the post to you.
An ideal start to your time in orange!!!!

mattt · 2 Sep 2008, 16:10 (Ref:2280162)

It depends on what the meeting is, as this affects what you'd have to do in the Pits, many meetings it will be very little

Pits and Startline are probably more eventful in your early meetings cause depending on the chief, you will be able to do more than on the bank, where you will mainly be helping with post race fixing

My original was last year when i started to do pits/Startline for the year
and then this year to move on to the bank but still being under 18, the increased paperwork would have made it harder to sort out, so I stayed doing Pits/Startline.
Next year i plan to do a mix of pits/startline and on the bank

focuszetec · 2 Sep 2008, 16:41 (Ref:2280187)

Quote:

Start on the bank!
18th and 19th October-Brands Hatch-Formula Ford Festival. (17th as well if your that keen!)
Organising club -BRSCC

Thanks Stack I think i will take you up on that can do the 17 and 19 as working on the 18th

(damn my work for making work every other saturday) will you be there also? will see if I can drag my friend along that I took to the BTCC with me!!

Thanks mattt for your info i think it will be best to see what happens on the day and see what i get given and take it from there!

Stack · 2 Sep 2008, 17:46 (Ref:2280216)

Yep, i'll be there. Watch out for a thread nearer the time for who's going and whats happening.

You'll be more than welome on the Friday as marshals are always thin on the ground.

focuszetec · 2 Sep 2008, 18:09 (Ref:2280238)

Thanks for that, I may even see if I can get the saturday off from work as well! Hooked already and i havent even been to an event yet!! I must be mad

Sheila M · 2 Sep 2008, 20:12 (Ref:2280353)

Quote:

Originally Posted by focuszetec

P.S. Just a quick thought, what would you guys recommend for someones first time out on the bank or in the pits? I am not sure on what I would want to do, any ideas?

Having been a pit marshal for the past 17 years I would always recommend going into the pits before going out onto the bank!!

However, as you are not sure what you want to do, can I suggest you do a few meetings on the bank, some in the pits and/or startline, as well as trying assembly and perhaps even race phones? After you've tried everything a couple of times I'm sure you'll be able to make a decision as to where your marshalling niche is!

Welcome to the club and whatever it is you finally decide to do - enjoy it!

Don`t mention the war! · 2 Sep 2008, 20:14 (Ref:2280355)

Quote:

Originally Posted by focuszetec

Thanks for that, I may even see if I can get the saturday off from work as well! Hooked already and i havent even been to an event yet!! I must be mad

Sounds like you`ve caught the fever. I only started last year, and was warned it can be addictive. And they were right!!!! Welcome to the dark side.

focuszetec · 2 Sep 2008, 20:25 (Ref:2280372)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Sheila M

Having been a pit marshal for the past 17 years I would always recommend going into the pits before going out onto the bank!!

However, as you are not sure what you want to do, can I suggest you do a few meetings on the bank, some in the pits and/or startline, as well as trying assembly and perhaps even race phones? After you've tried everything a couple of times I'm sure you'll be able to make a decision as to where your marshalling niche is!

Welcome to the club and whatever it is you finally decide to do - enjoy it!

Thanks that is a really good idea! Forgive my brain not working but what is race phones? Not one I have seen mentioned anywere.

gachjoel · 2 Sep 2008, 20:37 (Ref:2280386)

Quote:

Originally Posted by focuszetec

Thanks that is a really good idea! Forgive my brain not working but what is race phones? Not one I have seen mentioned anywere.

The Post Chief (Observer) has contact to race control via a phone,
hence....Race Phones

Stuart H · 2 Sep 2008, 20:45 (Ref:2280397)

Think there's another thread somewhere on the marshals forum for new marshals.

Dont hold me to it though!!

Sheila M · 2 Sep 2008, 20:51 (Ref:2280405)

Quote:

Originally Posted by focuszetec

Thanks that is a really good idea! Forgive my brain not working but what is race phones? Not one I have seen mentioned anywere.

I thought it was a good idea too! I always think that new marshals should try everything. That way if they don't like, for example, being out on the bank, they know that there are other things they can do instead of leaving.

I must apologise for the lack of information about race phones. As gachjoel says it's operating the telephones in race control. I wouldn't recommend you try that until you've tried everything else though. It's probably one of the busiest jobs you can do and you really need to be able to multitask at speed. Having said that, if you have a good teacher (as I did) and don't get flustered easily then it's a grand job in the wet!

focuszetec · 2 Sep 2008, 21:15 (Ref:2280424)

When I have been looking at some club website and the Volunteer forms ask for a MSA Number, particularly the MSVR site which deals with some brands hatch meetings i would like to do, should i register first? Should I join with a club i.e. BMMC or BARC etc, its all very confusing, sorry for all the questions at once but from reading around different places/people say different things, I just dont want to do things the wrong way.

Thanks Mike

gachjoel · 2 Sep 2008, 21:28 (Ref:2280430)

As far as the BARC site goes,when the wife started,i just put in "New Marshal" in the MSA number bit,once you have voulentered with BARC,you will on there records as a marshal,to which this is free.
When you send off paperwork to the MSA for your registration card(also refered as a licence), you have to have a Primary club.
The form you require is here..
http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/m...l_Reg_Form.pdf
Fill it out and send it to Becci at BARC,addy on there web site,sit back and wait for the paperwork.

hope this helps

Gary

You have probably seen peeps talking about grading ect...
http://www.msauk.org/uploadedfiles/m...e_Overview.pdf
have a read thru this as a general guidance

focuszetec · 2 Sep 2008, 21:33 (Ref:2280435)

It is all so simple when someone explains it to you like that, well time to check my diary and start volunteering for stuff!!

Thanks for the info, i am sure i will think of more daft questions soon enough, but i suppose it is best to ask now as long a people dont mind answering all the time. Mike

mattt · 2 Sep 2008, 21:35 (Ref:2280437)

Quote:

Originally Posted by Stuart H

Think there's another thread somewhere on the marshals forum for new marshals.

Dont hold me to it though!!

Here

gachjoel · 2 Sep 2008, 21:39 (Ref:2280444)

Quote:

Originally Posted by focuszetec

It is all so simple when someone explains it to you like that, well time to check my diary and start volunteering for stuff!!

Thanks for the info, i am sure i will think of more daft questions soon enough, but i suppose it is best to ask now as long a people dont mind answering all the time. Mike

Mike feel free to ask as many silly questions as you like,
it keeps up lot on our toes,but don`t ask to many questions on the weekend,for the obvious reasons.....
we ain`t here....

**Stephen Green** · 3 Sep 2008, 08:03 (Ref:2280630)

Mike,

First of all a very warm welcome to marshalling. For availability at Brands Hatch e-mail mildred@brscc.co.uk with your details and she will let you know of the majority of forthcoming meetings.

I often look after new marshals at Brands but won't be there for the FF Festival but by all means drop me an e-mail with dates you are available and I will see whether I am free that weekend s.c.green@btinternet.com

When I have new marshals on post with me at Brands I usually try to involve them in as many of the days activities as possible, so you would expect to spend time with me where I explain the different jobs each marshal undertakes, do a bit of flagging, if possible spend a session in Race Control etc.

Always feel free to ask questions, the one you don't ask may be the one most important to you.

Most of all have fun and enjoy the hobby.

Regards,

Stephen

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