Rally Chat Communicate when booked on a rally / show / meet

[Kannon Fodda]

We get it, best laid plans change: you're going to be arriving very late, different day, not at all. Just let the fun rally organiser / marshalls know.

Please simply put a post in the rally thread, or if there is one the more private rally conversation. They are monitored by the funster crews.

Those who run rallies are volunteers. It's time consuming. The organiser has been scheming for months dealing with the bookings, monies, site owner. The rally field is set up before arrival day. Then a marshaling team are available to welcome and park you up. It can be very long days yet we are inevitably still waiting out for the no show.

Our only means of contact is this very forum. We rarely have phone numbers and we can't email (data protection). On Warners shows fun marshals get told surnames, yet we know you by funster name (why we ask you to fill Jim's form) and dont get late cancellation or you're parked elsewhere messages passed over from organisers. So please use this forum and tell us direct.

In a similar vein, if you book, check the rally thread for any updates. Your fun organiser can't email you with changes to an event. If you check your settings you can have notification email of conversation updates in which you are involved. Oh and don't put your fun rally organiser / marshal on ignore

Thank you.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

9 No shows at Newbury is a new low (after deducting those who had the courtesy to tell us). Some 10% of those expected for the Funster field.

For Warners shows do let us know on the forum, as well as changing any arrangements with the organisers themselves. The lists we get are from those when they close bookings for club areas, a fortnight before the show date.

It's not really fair on those who have volunteered and are sitting out waiting in all weather conditions. With that level of apathy from those who book there will become a similar lack of motivation to get people to either marshal or run rallies.

 

[Grummyb]

I feel sorry for the Marshall's having to wait about and IMHO it's just plain rude not to notify people or ignorant im not sure which

 

[MisterB]

If it wasn't for volunteers carrying out the steward duties, there would be no rallies .....

So please, be respectful and follow the above requests to keep the organisers and stewards updated with any unforseen delays .....

And buy them a beer or glass of wine, AFTER they've finished herding us cats!!

 

[meanders]

So sorry to hear that Rob. We know only too well that after 10 or 11 hours, that last couple of hours of arrivals (or lack of) especially if its cold and/or wet can be an experience no-one should have to go through. It's really not that hard for people to put a change of arrangements into the thread, but all too often it doesn't happen. I well remember the late Brisey getting upset about it in the very early days of Fun along with the late Dave 'Toledo' and Polly. While we know there will always be the very rare occasions that it's not possible to post, but 10% of attendees???? I think not. Not making the effort to let people know is frankly rude. I am assuming it's only Kannon Fodda Rob, Lee Fryer and possibly Jim marshalling getting on for 100 Funsters at Newbury this weekend. (Wish I was there with you )

I remind Funsters that the Fun marshalls at Warners shows (or anywhere else for that matter) are not paid. Yes they get a free pitch for the weekend for which you have to arrive the day before, set up and mark out the area and put signage up. Find out where taps and facilities are, and then are on duty welcoming and parking up arrivals from 8am to 9pm Thurs and Friday with the occasional Saturday. Always the last the leave as usually someone leaves a mess that needs to be cleared away plus help is often needed by a Funster with a problem with their van, or in getting it off the pitch. Those that have marshalled appreciate what's involved. As Rob warns, if we do not all respond to his plea to communicate arrival difficulties, the handful of people who do the job will decide it's not worth the effort for the small reward. I really regret that that for reasons out of my control, I have had to stop marshalling as oddly enough, it was generally great fun and meant I met many Funsters I probably would otherwise not have done.

Come on guys and girls... we can do better than this.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[Just smiffy]

And those that couldn’t go because the rally was full and on the reserve list is irritating….

 

[Jev88]

There have been quite a few new members this year and last (imho) so perhaps it is 'new' people not really understanding how grateful we are to have marshalls ?

Just an idea, not that it helps. But refreshing this post will hopefully filter the message around.

 

[Red Sonja]

Could you not send a text to the people you are expecting? I've seen other forums insist on telephone numbers so they can do just that. If no answer to text then take them off your list.

 

[meanders]

Not as easy as it sounds unfortunately. The list from Warners we don't get until the Wednesday on arrival. That only has surname, postcode, registration number and arrival day and has to be the master booking in list. Jim provides a list of people who have completed the form, but that shows forum name, name and arrival day&time and sometimes phone number. Most you can cross match by registration number and name, but it has always astounded me how many are wrongly keyed between the two systems. There are always more on the Warners list than on Jim's. Sometimes these are people who selected Fun on the Warners list in error so their first experience of us s when they turn up and don't know their forum name. However we have signed up many of those.

So as the day goes on you look to see if the missing names are on Jim's list IF you can find it you can then contact them. Invariably though, they are also the ones not on Jim's list or where they have just changed the phone number, so you are no further forward.

Of course when you have three Smiths coming it gets more difficult still. You would be surprised at how many turn up and do not know under what name they booked!

If people could reliably put the same spelling of surname, and reg number into two systems it would help.

 

[Janine]

Well said!

I have long suspected that some people take the Warners £2 club discount with no intention of parking with the Funsters.

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[meanders]

Well said!

I have long suspected that some people take the Warners £2 club discount with no intention of parking with the Funsters.

It's fair to say that many are in one of the other clubs beginning with M. I only ever had one person get really upset at being with us and they promptly went off to try to get moved to the 'dark side' by Warners, only to be refused.

 

[dabhand]

If people are not turning up because they don’t know who they booked with etc etc not only are they rude and ignorant but they are arseholes who shouldn’t be allowed to book another rally, common courtesy costs nothing, ok, maybe a phone call of brief pm

 

[meanders]

If people are not turning up because they don’t know who they booked with etc etc not only are they rude and ignorant but they are arseholes who shouldn’t be allowed to book another rally, common courtesy costs nothing, ok, maybe a phone call of brief pm

I think that's a tad unfair and muddling things I wrote about some of the challenges of being a marshall and what has been the experience at Newbury being no-shows. Lets deal with the no-show issue first. We have found a number of very reasons over the years:

• Bad accidents in the roads towards the venue. One year the M4 was closed near Swindon for hours on the Friday. Unless people have hands free or someone else that can use the phone or tablet to post a message AND there is a signal available, then there was no way of posting a message. Those people generally arrive after the gates have closed for the night and cannot gain entry.
• Some-one taken seriously ill.
• Breakdowns.
• People being sent to the wrong part of the venue by the Warners Marshalls.

None of those can or should we blame the individual.

However, nine people affected like that? I doubt it very much.

The ones that irritate me are the Funsters who complete Jim's form, you have worked out who the are and you contact them to be told they are somewhere else entirely having decided something else was more important, or had forgotten, or something happened a few days before meaning they could not attend but they have not thought to tell us. You usually get an apology, but it's still annoying when you have been sat out in the cold and unable to do anything else meaningful for hours on end waiting for them to arrive. We of course have no control over who books Warners Shows so no chance of stopping them booking more. As far as Warners are concerned they have the money and care not if some-one attends or not as there are no refunds.

 

[Red Sonja]

I don't know if this would work but if the weather is cold and you are down to the last few to arrive or not arrive. Could a sign be out up to either park up or knock on a certain van door marked Marshall. It would save you being out in the cold. It's what happens in some temporary holiday sites. I think it's incredibly rude not to inform Marshalls or organisers if you can. When we were booked into Drax and had been held up and sent on diversions. I contacted Lisa and other funsters I knew who had arrived on site to pass the message on.

 

[Kannon Fodda]

Yes we do use sign boards. But they are often missed and ignored. We can have a group of hi-vis clad marshals ready to greet yet the motorhome sails past and we're running after them.

We do also huddle in tents, vans or whatever yet we have to be on standby and if it is cold, worse wet, do we have a shower and get into nice cosy clothing, or do we still be prepared?

Warners shows are one part of the issue as you book with them entirely separate to the fun website. For data protection, even if willing, Warners can't cross check membership with us. Hence the separate fun form which we are lucky to see 75% usage. The noshows maybe never intended to be with us but get their £2 Warners club pitch discount yet somehow park with mates in general camping? Or are they the types that reserve a restaurant table, but don't arrive?

But this thread started from a small meet, directly booked, and paid, to a fun organiser. Not a hint of why the person didn't arrive and noresponse to a direct message. They were at the time subscribed, and viewed the forum even on the rally day. But membership has since lapsed even though they still visit the site.

Problem is this thread, and similar discussions will be seen by those who are already considerate. Reality is how to engage with those who don't engage, don't participate in the forum?

^{_{Subscribers  do not see these advertisements}}

 

[dabhand]

I think that's a tad unfair and muddling things I wrote about some of the challenges of being a marshall and what has been the experience at Newbury being no-shows. Lets deal with the no-show issue first. We have found a number of very reasons over the years:

• Bad accidents in the roads towards the venue. One year the M4 was closed near Swindon for hours on the Friday. Unless people have hands free or someone else that can use the phone or tablet to post a message AND there is a signal available, then there was no way of posting a message. Those people generally arrive after the gates have closed for the night and cannot gain entry.
• Some-one taken seriously ill.
• Breakdowns.
• People being sent to the wrong part of the venue by the Warners Marshalls.

None of those can or should we blame the individual.

However, nine people affected like that? I doubt it very much.

The ones that irritate me are the Funsters who complete Jim's form, you have worked out who the are and you contact them to be told they are somewhere else entirely having decided something else was more important, or had forgotten, or something happened a few days before meaning they could not attend but they have not thought to tell us. You usually get an apology, but it's still annoying when you have been sat out in the cold and unable to do anything else meaningful for hours on end waiting for them to arrive. We of course have no control over who books Warners Shows so no chance of stopping them booking more. As far as Warners are concerned they have the money and care not if some-one attends or not as there are no refunds.

I don’t think it’s unfair at all, re read my post, a fair excuse is a fair excuse, I said If people are not turning up because they don’t know who they booked with etc etc, which is just stupid

 

[CazPaul]

Yes we do use sign boards. But they are often missed and ignored. We can have a group of hi-vis clad marshals ready to greet yet the motorhome sails past and we're running after them.

We do also huddle in tents, vans or whatever yet we have to be on standby and if it is cold, worse wet, do we have a shower and get into nice cosy clothing, or do we still be prepared?

Warners shows are one part of the issue as you book with them entirely separate to the fun website. For data protection, even if willing, Warners can't cross check membership with us. Hence the separate fun form which we are lucky to see 75% usage. The noshows maybe never intended to be with us but get their £2 Warners club pitch discount yet somehow park with mates in general camping? Or are they the types that reserve a restaurant table, but don't arrive?

But this thread started from a small meet, directly booked, and paid, to a fun organiser. Not a hint of why the person didn't arrive and noresponse to a direct message. They were at the time subscribed, and viewed the forum even on the rally day. But membership has since lapsed even though they still visit the site.

Problem is this thread, and similar discussions will be seen by those who are already considerate. Reality is how to engage with those who don't engage, don't participate in the forum?

Probably the only way would be some sort of refundable fee/deposit or something that gets returned back when they turn up, but maybe difficult and time consuming to instigate?

 

[meanders]

Sorry. I agree entirely when it's a Fun organised rally. Deposits and in some cases full payment are taken ahead of time. Even then there always seem to be some no shows, but at least the organiser knows who they are expecting. If someone messes you about you could refuse them the next. So those turning up at Swaffham next week should be on John Jaws list. To be fair, when I marshalled for John, there were very few queries, and if Funsters were delayed they would let John know.

I'd missed that Rob had posted in an earlier thread so incorrectly assumed we were solely discussing the Warners Shows, that for the reasons highlighted are more difficult. Apologies.