Timing systems and PT questions

[styleone]

Hi chaps,

Just looking for a general opinion please. Clubs that are currently running timing systems, what are you doing when new racers turn up without PT's?

Our club has just invested in timing gear and obviously we don't want to exclude those racers who do not have PT's

Any thoughts how you are dealing with this please?

Cheers in advance chaps

[Si Coe]

The current popular option is to get a set of MRT PT's as handouts. Its cheaper than the (no longer available) AMB handouts, and solves the lack of PT issue. Obviously these are not as quick to fit as handout transponders as they aren't self powered, so they are usually lent to one person for the whole meeting. Just make sure you get them back!

Creates a problem when you get more racers than you have PT's though.

[kayce]

This isn't really any longer a huge issue, being as every racer has their own transponders - but, in with keeping with the idea of making new racers feel welcome, what our club has done was buy a handfull of PTs. They're available for a rental fee £6/$10 per raceday, first come first served, and once you've rented it 10-times you own it. Helps out the new guy so he doesn't have to drop another £60 in their car. And if you don't stay interested in racing, those rental fees are "donated" to the club's coffers. Win-Win.

[Dazzler]

That's not a bad idea Kayce, obviously a little more administration for the club, but does offer the regular racers a way of obtaining a pt in an affordable manner if buying one outright isn't an option. Also, if it gets damaged, at least there's something in the pot towards paying for it.. (from their hire, and other one time hires).

Furthermore, most regulars would eventually have one. The only thing that may be required is to agree on a number of hires in a set period, as I doubt we'd want someone demanding their pt in a couple of years time when they've eventually hired it for say the tenth time..

What has been your clubs stance on damaged pt's?

Have you had any go missing? One suggestion has been holding car keys as a deposit... You're going nowhere without handing back the pt! PT's easy to forget about...

Thanks for your input.

[kayce]

Originally Posted by Dazzler

That's not a bad idea Kayce, obviously a little more administration for the club, but does offer the regular racers a way of obtaining a pt in an affordable manner if buying one outright isn't an option. Also, if it gets damaged, at least there's something in the pot towards paying for it.. (from their hire, and other one time hires).

Furthermore, most regulars would eventually have one. The only thing that may be required is to agree on a number of hires in a set period, as I doubt we'd want someone demanding their pt in a couple of years time when they've eventually hired it for say the tenth time..

What has been your clubs stance on damaged pt's?

Have you had any go missing? One suggestion has been holding car keys as a deposit... You're going nowhere without handing back the pt! PT's easy to forget about...

Thanks for your input.

As I said initially, it seems most "regulars" would or should have their own already.
But, any regular (say if they get a new car, that they don't have one for yet) could "rent/borrow" one for the day as anyone else.
The idea being, if you're going to race you have to have your own transponder, yet we still want to be able to facilitate the new guy getting with the program and not feeling like he's not welcome.
But our policy has been, say if you've rented it twice, you do have the option of paying it off at any time and taking immediate fulltime possession.

The "rent to own" plan is really intended for the new guy, that shows up every week (or for every race) and will pay if off in due time - otherwise, they're told upfront that if they're just an occasional competitor that their "rental fee" will just be a donation for upkeep and repairs and having PTs on hand.

We haven't had a problem, yet, with damaged PTs - but we do keep a list of who is renting each unit (and try to keep them using just that one each time, and so we know if one gets damaged with rough handling who's to blame). But the compact ones don't seem to get damaged as easily as the old rechargables, and we give strips of sticky-back velcro to attach them inside the cars.

We haven't had a problem with them disappearing, either, as we hold a driver's license/permit (car keys would work too) as a deposit.

I wasn't too sure about it when we first started it, as we'd always had the rechargable (old school) ones along with charging stand that just turned into a pain to keep up with over time - but our new rental plan has worked out well, better than I thought, for over a year now, and all we have to keep track of is a small box for their transport.

[Dazzler]

Seems you have had the same concerns we are deliberating over... And over time squashed them...

Hopefully most will either have one or sort themselves out, I know this to be the case to be fair, and We will have this discussion with our racers.

Seems the hire thing could be the way forward.

Playing devils advocate, has anyone tipped up, no pt, not wanting to hire one, but wants to have a race. I guess I'm thinking of kids who might not be able to stretch to race fees and hire fees.

I was thinking they won't get timed, so won't automatically get entered in a final, and certainly not graded accordingly. Would you just let them get on with it, then drop them in the bottom final?