![Mr. Green :mrgreen:](./images/smilies/icon_mrgreen.gif)
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Moderators: Mike Simanyi, Christine Grice, Rick Brown
Not my first rodeo... In case you were not aware, I've heavily involved in course layout professionally.Tom Denham wrote:I have a idea, put your knowledge to work and design a course.
I recall driving some of Craig's courses. I believe Craig understands just how difficult and how much work it is to be a course designer. It takes way more work than most people think. Thanks should go out to all course designers that step up. Course setup requires more than just the layout. It helps so much if the Event Chair, SS and the Chief of workers help with the details and they need to know how to layout course as well. If anyone sees a safety issue when walking in the morning please contact the EC, CD, CW, and the SS. The EC, CD, CW, and the SS should be able to work together to fix any issue.Craig Naylor wrote:You haven't been around long enough. In my 15 yrs Ax'ing, I've probably done a dozen courses, and chaired a few more than that too, and sourced three sites. (Soak City, NTC, and the return to Norton two years ago)... and spent about 8 years as a Safety Steward. Current job keeps me from being able to commit in advance to attend, let alone lead an event. Some day that may change again.Tom Denham wrote:I have a idea, put your knowledge to work and design a course.
That is a great resume. 15 years that is a long time. I can tell you are really proud.Craig Naylor wrote:Not my first rodeo... In case you were not aware, I've heavily involved in course layout professionally.Tom Denham wrote:I have a idea, put your knowledge to work and design a course.
But for the SCCA, you haven't been around long enough. In my 15 yrs Ax'ing, I've probably done a dozen courses, and chaired a few more than that too... sourced three sites (Soak City, NTC, and the return to Norton two years ago)... and spent about 8 years as a Safety Steward. Current job keeps me from being able to commit in advance to attend, let alone lead an event.
There was a drivers' meeting. All the stuff on the safety checklist were gone over - including what to do when you get red flagged & when to red flag a car. I don't remember if he was there or not, but I pulled aside all the newbies for extra course/safety information.Craig Naylor wrote:Lesson... I hate drivers meetings.![]()
We apparently need them.![]()
Oh Porta, at least you didn't cone away both of your winning times :barf: haha. Next time Gadget! Next time! Btw, I will post my vid soon so we can compare notes. Do you know how to sync up the vids side by side?Anthony Porta wrote:http://youtu.be/QC5gWrgmfAI 76.1xx so close to 75's
My point was... I was against them as I don't believe those who need it show, and or pay attention. I concede, even with those feelings, we apparently need them in some form or another.Quoc-Viet Dang wrote:There was a drivers' meeting. All the stuff on the safety checklist were gone overCraig Naylor wrote:Lesson... I hate drivers meetings.![]()
We apparently need them.![]()
Would it be possible to group novices into any group other than the first run group? That way they can get decent access to instructors. Also, if possible make it mandatory to have an instructor do at least a ride along for their first event/run?Craig Naylor wrote:My point was... I was against them as I don't believe those who need it show, and or pay attention. I concede, even with those feelings, we apparently need them in some form or another.Quoc-Viet Dang wrote:There was a drivers' meeting. All the stuff on the safety checklist were gone overCraig Naylor wrote:Lesson... I hate drivers meetings.![]()
We apparently need them.![]()
I still feel, they should be mandatory for novices. Check off sheet like... like we do the workers check in. And along that point, afternoon people are not always their in the morning, a separate one needs to be held for afternoon novices too in the same detail.
I think you might be over reacting to a rather rare, isolated incident.Sean Fenstermacher wrote: Would it be possible to group novices into any group other than the first run group? That way they can get decent access to instructors. Also, if possible make it mandatory to have an instructor do at least a ride along for their first event/run?
It would be nice to have more instruction more readily available for novices. While some 1st event novices may be shy about asking for instruction and moving them to a different than class run group may create a bit more work for registration, I think the potential time saved by reducing red flags/reruns and increasing course worker safety should be weighed.
True, but Leonard always makes an effort to recruit at least one person who isn't worried about points. If there was really a large amount in the first group I'm sure more could be found. We have even let some people run in the two driver line to finish early then instruct. Since the number of those needing instruction can vary from zero to several, it's mostly just a matter of identifying who needs help.Sean Fenstermacher wrote:If you work as an instructor before your competition runs, you forfeit your competition point, correct?
I thought that was always the case, thus the low availability of instructors on Sundays for the first run group.
I was aware of one after the course walk. The one on the course walk I informed we did not have a first group instructor. If there were two who requested for one, they weren't on the walk.Mako Koiwai wrote:I believe there were two folks in the last first run group that didn't get the Instructors that they requested
Maybe attitudes would be different if had one of those lost novices blow through your section of workers or the group of workers next to you? I know all of us working course experience it at least once every couple of events.Leonard Cachola wrote:...I think one wayward novice isn't a good enough reason to change existing rules.
Novices blow through sections with or without instructors in the car. I know, I've been on a few of those runs.Sean Fenstermacher wrote:
Maybe attitudes would be different if had one of those lost novices blow through your section of workers or the group of workers next to you? I know all of us working course experience it at least once every couple of events.
If there is something we can do about it while keeping the courses challenging, you'd think it would be worth discussing and finding a solution that would require Sunday drivers/workers to give up their own competitive status.
An other club does require novices/new members to have an instructor ride along to evaluate safety. Not that I'm saying this needs to be done nor would it be the "end all" solution, but it seems to be a step in the right direction. Also, you would think that exposing new drivers to some experienced instruction their first time out would increase the chances they would return to participate regularly. If numbers are as low as Rick suggest, maybe we should reasses how novice autocross drivers are treated to encourage their return and increase course safety.
If everyone did this, just saying howdy to one newbie, think of the impact it could have.Bobby Beyer wrote:I try to talk to at least one Novice an event...probably not a good thing... but its my attempt at least at making new folks feel welcomed, I know I had a hard time my first few events and it wasn't a particularly pleasant experience.
As a novice (first time ever autocrossing), I can say that I appreciated the clubs hospitality very much. Everybody I interacted with was quite friendly, and very helpful. I did have to be a bit assertive during registration (mostly because I didn't what the heck I was doing at all), but every single person I engaged did try to help keep me pointed in the right direction. It's tough showing up to something like this when you know absolutely nobody, but by the end of the day, I had at least 5 or 6 acquaintances that knew my name and I knew theirs.Bobby Beyer wrote:I try to talk to at least one Novice an event...probably not a good thing... but its my attempt at least at making new folks feel welcomed, I know I had a hard time my first few events and it wasn't a particularly pleasant experience.
"that puts him comfortably in 12th place!"......Had to be Max!Randy Gonzalez wrote: Anyway, for those of you that do extend that "olive branch" to the newbies, I just wanted to let you know that it's very much appreciated. I'll definitely be back....even with the announcers hilarious comment over the PA after my first run: "95.286, that puts him comfortably in 12th place!".....out of 12 in my class....it still makes me laugh when I think about it.