FORCC Grumpy Day

[yorkie]

Well I don't know how to start this but what a day yesterday was, Swearing ,Cursing,Arguing, you name it it was all there, and with young children and ladies present,
Why shout at the marshalls for your own bad driving methods ok maybe they were a bit slow in parts but that gives no exuse for the verbal comments.
I go there to enjoy racing, if I win that's a bonus if I am last then okay I will try better next time if I find myself in the tire or upside down that's my fault and hopefully the marshall will help me back to the track when it is safe to do and not at risk to his or her health and safety which seems to be the requirement of some drivers
I came to the club with my grandson after driving touring cars at various clubs most of which were very competative and aggressive so it was a nice feeling to belong to a club that was family oriented laid back and freindly I hope this was a one off because there is no fun in a agressive competitive environment
So come on guys get your act together lets have fun thats what it's all about

[goldy]

sounds like it was a continuation from last wednesday, which was to be honest why I didnt attend. I got shouted at several times by certain drivers who should know better, after leaving that night with a bruise on my ankle the size of a golf ball and getting hit in the shoulder which was so close to being quite nasty, I kind of took affense to the abuse I got. I would also like to add that I thought the racing in general was probably of the worst standard I have seen since I have been with the club, so perhaps it was due to certain drivers frustrations that they were driving like idiots, felt they had to take it out on the marshalls.

[Hog]

Hi Dave - thanks for your comments which are duly taken on board. I'm sorry you didn't enjoy yourself yesterday as much as with previous events, and I'm sure that other members of the club are too.

I think there were a few mitigating factors yesterday which led to some tempers flaring, and in no particular order they could be:

1. Some of the heats had a few odd driver gradings which led to some quite significant speed differential betwen some of the cars in the heats. I know myself, Scott D and Jordan were in your heat and we all had our fair share of scary moments when suddenly closing in on a slower car. Perhaps JP can comment on how the heats were allocated but I suspect I was graded down due to not competing in the finals at the previous Sunday meet. Through nobody's fault, getting tangled with a slower car just causes a bit of red mist to appear when you know that the faster drivers in other heats are getting a clearer run.

2. The centre section of the track was undoubtedly tricky to marshal. This led to delays in getting cars recovered, with some drivers' views being obscured causing further problems. Again this is all frustrating when you have a potentially good run ruined.

3. Perhaps the marshalling could be a little better? I'm no expert, and certainly not the most fleet of foot, but I did notice yesterday a few marshalls daydreaming. And yes I'm guilty - I did bellow from the stage when before one of my heats had finished the marshalls decided to start leaving the track and blocking the view of drivers who had yet to finish. Just remember chaps that until that final buzzer goes the race is still running!!

Time for us all to take a step back and reign our necks in with regards to the bad language though, especially with ladies, children and potential new members amongst us.

Anyway - hopefully we can learn from this and make things better for the next meeting.

On a plus note it's nice to see a few extra pairs of hands putting the track away - albeit not everybody who should be!!

And finally a big thanks to those that set the track out, JP for being our computer whizz, Alan for being FORCC's very own shouty man, and of course Miss Moon for doing the booking in!

Edit - having now seen your post Goldy I really think we must look at the positioning of larger jumps so that they are not in the middle of the track and consequently causing a potential health risk to the marshals. I know we are limited with the size of the hall and how many variations we can achieve, but if people are being hurt then that is not acceptable.

I will ask Alan to say a few words on Wednesday evening before we race to remind people of the points raised here, with a view to restoring people's faith in the good name and nature of FORCC. I can only apologise on behalf of FORCC for anyone that feels aggrieved at recent events and hope that these will go down as isolated incidents.

See you all Wednesday.

[Tractor Boy]

I must agree with Yorkie on this one yesterday was a bad day for the club and one i was not proud of at all.

Some of the laungue and shouting was well over the top and from people i would not except to here it from.

Yes some people where in strange heats in QF but this is because we take it straight from the championship table and it is not the fault of the so called slower drivers when they get in you fast boys way because there surrport for the club is great and we would not have a club without them.

What i think i will have to do for the next round is to camp on the stage and watch every race across the day and give up racing because i do not think things will change unless i take the bull buy the horns because i do not want a repeat of sundays events.

regards Alan

[Hog]

I certainly don't mind taking my share of turns refereeing up on the stage Alan if it's going to help.

[Rebelrc]

I now know why i was graded down i forgot that i couldnt make the december meet
We dont just need to look after the slower drivers we need to look after all the drivers!
especialy with the brightlights of the martime club night (not event) starting to glow
i have only gripe with the other drivers (not just the slower ones as we have all been there) and that is the lack of courtesy that has been shown lately
ie
if you are being lapped move over (yes its tough but thats the game we are playing)
when qualifying you are racing the clock no one else,
if you crash and have reverse dont just reverse out into other cars, lap up or down

this next bit everyone should agree with
You see thats my expensive car you are smashing that cost alot of cash and time!
also if you knock some one off on the same lap wait for them....you will feel beter its called respect and dignity
when you ruin my run cause you reversed out into me it makes my evening a waste of time/effort/money and i get angry
might as well stayed at home as the wife would then be alot happier
dont shout at marshalls unless they are just chatting like i do ( wont be from now on )
on sunday most people in my heat would not let the faster car through at all...then when alan called it they were all very capable ...that makes me f and jeff
then i am ashamed of my self
clean it up!!!!!!!!
thanks to all involved in the running of the club
i am sure sunday was just a little blip in a fantastic club

[Team No Idea]

Originally Posted by Rebelrc

IWe dont just need to look after the slower drivers we need to look after all the drivers!

i have only gripe with the other drivers (not just the slower ones as we have all been there) and that is the lack of courtesy that has been shown lately
ie
if you are being lapped move over (yes its tough but thats the game we are playing)
when qualifying you are racing the clock no one else,
if you crash and have reverse dont just reverse out into other cars, lap up or down

this next bit everyone should agree with
You see thats my expensive car you are smashing that cost alot of cash and time!
also if you knock some one off on the same lap wait for them....you will feel beter its called respect and dignity
when you ruin my run cause you reversed out into me it makes my evening a waste of time/effort/money and i get angry
might as well stayed at home as the wife would then be alot happier
dont shout at marshalls unless they are just chatting like i do ( wont be from now on )
on sunday most people in my heat would not let the faster car through at all...then when alan called it they were all very capable ...that makes me f and jeff
then i am ashamed of my self
clean it up!!!!!!!!
thanks to all involved in the running of the club
i am sure sunday was just a little blip in a fantastic club

Sadly i couldn't make sundays meeting ( i cant wait for the next one! and get back to slippery floor rather than carpet!) but i can relate to that Scott. I'm guily myself of getting aggy, i dont shout at people but i mutter to myself and then feel bad after! but like you say, a bit of respect is needed by everyone. The club is AWESOME and run by fantastic people and its only us that can ruin it and i'm sure none of us want that!

[4ndyB4te]

Sunday was disappointing due to reasons already mentioned.
We all have bad days, just seems more people than normal, on Sunday.
My biggest moan is Marshaling and my view is, that when it is your turn to marshal you concentrate on your section of the track and don't allow yourself to be distracted or watch cars going around other parts of the track.
On three occasions, two of which I was knocked 'accidentally' into a tyre, right infront of a marshal, waited a few seconds before having to attract their attention. The third occasion, I was the innocent party caught up in a collision, yet the crashed vehicles were put back infront!
This did/does not only happen to me as I witness many times every race meeting.
I don't think it will do any harm to remind racers of the etiquette whilst racing, marshaling and off the track.