Rally Chat Rallies and Meets - Rules - Etiquette

[Barclaybasher]

Having 'put my foot in it' by saying that I have turned up to rallies 'on spec' and being told it's discourteous I wondered if there are any rules .....official or unofficial regarding rallies

I know that at bigger rallies like Malvern there wouldn't be a problem with members not parked up with FUN turning up in the marquee ...........or is there?

Are the smaller Meets more of a 'private' affair when a FUN visitor might not be welcome....... a FUN member, maybe on another site nearby..............acceptable, welcomed or bad form?

I'm just looking for opinion/guidance................

Thanks

 

[Theonlysue]

I know at the shows where numbers are limited and funsters have to park in general, they are welcome into the funster marquee.

 

[haganap]

Having ran several rallies in the past, I wouldn't have anyone turn up on spec. The last person who done that was @Wildbill and we taught him a lesson he would never forget the poor bugger. Plied him that full of alcohol he couldn't move for the rest of the meet...

In seriousness though, it will depend on the organiser but I do think if you planned to stay the night you need to be making contact with the person running the event.

 

[JJ]

If you are attending a Fun Rally/Meet/Show and are then intending to visit Portugal later on, it is considered to be very, very good form to go around all the vans and collect items such as Fray Bentos Pies (no chicken or kidney), Oxo cubes (beef), Boxes of Ritz Crackers (original only), Tins (or boxes) of Birds custard, packets of Angel Delight and similar items.

These should be stored in a safe dry place in your van and then should be delivered to a distribution point in Central Portugal in due course, where a dedicated team of trained locals will distribute them amongst the distressed and needy old Funsters of the area.

This enables you to meet all the folk attending that particular event and make some life long friends whilst, at the same time, filling yourself with inner joy and happiness in the knowledge you are helping others.



JJ

 

[jollyrodger]

Personally on a smaller meet,if I was in the area ,or knew I was going to be nearby when traveling
I would first try to establish contact with whoever was running the meet or Marshall, if I could see he/she was online,before making a move in that direction to see if there was room .
Likewise if I was booked into a meet and couldn't make it, to contact to let them know,thus giving someone else a chance to attend.
Don't know if that's the rule.
Just good manners I think.imo

Edit @JJ bought some fb pies today in pound stretcher mince beef &onion ,emergency supplies

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[Wildbill]

Having ran one or tow it can be a thankless task in one hand as many will leave and not even give you a wave most will thank you from the bottum of their hart's and some will wonder why we put our selfies to all the stress.
A few will ignore the simple rules that make a rally but the majority will stick to them.
But in general there will always be a minority who no mater what you do you haven't done enough
Would i run another one i don't know.
bill

 

[Barclaybasher]

If you are attending a Fun Rally/Meet/Show and are then intending to visit Portugal later on, it is considered to be very, very good form to go around all the vans and collect items such as Fray Bentos Pies (no chicken or kidney), Oxo cubes (beef), Boxes of Ritz Crackers (original only), Tins (or boxes) of Birds custard, packets of Angel Delight and similar items.

These should be stored in a safe dry place in your van and then should be delivered to a distribution point in Central Portugal in due course, where a dedicated team of trained locals will distribute them amongst the distressed and needy old Funsters of the area.

This enables you to meet all the folk attending that particular event and make some life long friends whilst, at the same time, filling yourself with inner joy and happiness in the knowledge you are helping others.
JJ

Oh dear.............

In anticipation of my imminent trip to Portugal and Spain I have stocked up on Fray Bentos Chicken and Steak and Kidney (about 20) because they're only £1 at Farmfoods and Iceland (and the pastry's the best bit anyway)..............

..

 

[Barclaybasher]

Having ran one or tow it can be a thankless task in one hand as many will leave and not even give you a wave most will thank you from the bottum of their hart's and some will wonder why we put our selfies to all the stress.
A few will ignore the simple rules that make a rally but the majority will stick to them.
But in general there will always be a minority who no mater what you do you haven't done enough
Would i run another one i don't know.
bill

Went to two of yours Bill, enjoyed both........probably left without saying thanks, but thanks

 

[Oscar]

Do you know the worst thing about having Coeliac disease - I can’t eat FB pies anymore

Alb

 

[TheCaller]

Are the smaller Meets more of a 'private' affair when a FUN visitor might not be welcome....... a FUN member, maybe on another site nearby..............acceptable, welcomed or bad form?

I don't think it's a question of the meet being 'private' - more of an organisational issue. If the meet is full, then it's a space issue as much as anything - there just isn't room for anyone else. If the meet isn't full, then it's still the right thing to do to make every effort to contact the organiser first, but if that fails, then I would say it could be ok to turn up & ask if it would be possible to join in without disrupting plans they had already made - but accept with good grace if the answer was 'No'.

I'm sure at most 'free & easy' meets, if there was space you would be welcomed, but sometimes an organiser will have arranged the weekend around the pre-booked vans & adding a last minute extra may not be convenient. There is a lot of stress on an organiser already - last minute changes only add to it. But people drop out at the last minute, frequently for prefectly understandable reasons, so you might well find yourself welcomed into their slot with open arms.

It also depends what you mean by being a visitor. Just calling in for an hour or so while passing is one thing - expecting to stay for the full event is another.

Personally, I'd try very hard to make contact first & would be reluctant to turn up completely unannounced. I wouldn't want to put anyone in a difficult position.

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[Terry]

Hi Vic, seeing as it was our 3fffs meet that you refer to "putting your foot in it" I feel I should explain myself....infact, no I don't need to explain good manners to you or anyone else...but I will give you an example ....you turn up at a meet and I turn you away saying I have given your place away to a funster who just turned up .....At what point do we throw a meet open to "special" funsters to take preferential treatment ?
I see there are some 20,000 people that joined fun before you, should they have the chance to go on a rally before you?...No ....lists are there for a reason and in our case were posted in order that people asked to be put on it.
Meets take a lot of organising and a lot of work is done that no one realises ( unless they have organised one )
our meet consists of over 70 vans and we have to be organises to ensure that things run smoothly.
it's common courtesy to contact the organisers.Others have answered your questions....No offence or malice intended
Terry

 

[EX51SSS]

Oh dear.............

In anticipation of my imminent trip to Portugal and Spain I have stocked up on Fray Bentos Chicken and Steak and Kidney (about 20) because they're only £1 at Farmfoods and Iceland (and the pastry's the best bit anyway)..............

..

 

[Puddleduck]

Do you know the worst thing about having Coeliac disease - I can’t eat FB pies anymore

Alb

I thought that was the only good thing about it........

 

[Oscar]

I thought that was the only good thing about it........

Ah, but that gravy soaked pastry .....

 

[Puddleduck]

Having 'put my foot in it' by saying that I have turned up to rallies 'on spec' and being told it's discourteous I wondered if there are any rules .....official or unofficial regarding rallies

As space might be limited it would probably be best to contact the organiser (or someone else attending so you can get the organiser's contact phone number as the organiser might be too busy to check messages) in advance as there may not be space at some venues - but again people sometimes have to cancel at very short notice. The other issue might be that if the finance has been sorted in advance an extra van might complicate things.

Are the smaller Meets more of a 'private' affair when a FUN visitor might not be welcome....... a FUN member, maybe on another site nearby..............acceptable, welcomed or bad form?

I'm just looking for opinion/guidance................

Thanks

At the Kelso rally I would be happy to welcome day visitors, especially if they let me know first so I could make sure there was someone available to "meet and greet". Personally I don't like people just coming into the rally area and walking round the vans without letting the organiser / marshal know who they are because of security concerns. I can't speak for any other rally of course.

We have been day visitors at a couple of rallies but we did ask the organiser first if it would acceptable.

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[Barclaybasher]

Hi Vic, seeing as it was our 3fffs meet that you refer to "putting your foot in it" I feel I should explain myself....infact, no I don't need to explain good manners to you or anyone else...but I will give you an example ....you turn up at a meet and I turn you away saying I have given your place away to a funster who just turned up .....At what point do we throw a meet open to "special" funsters to take preferential treatment ?
I see there are some 20,000 people that joined fun before you, should they have the chance to go on a rally before you?...No ....lists are there for a reason and in our case were posted in order that people asked to be put on it.
Meets take a lot of organising and a lot of work is done that no one realises ( unless they have organised one )
our meet consists of over 70 vans and we have to be organises to ensure that things run smoothly.
it's common courtesy to contact the organisers.Others have answered your questions....No offence or malice intended
Terry

Terry, I appreciate the effort you and others take organising meets and the marshals that spend their time......

This thread was just to clarify what is or is not acceptable.........

When I arrived at Southport I went straight to the marshals........there was space but I also realised that next to the FUN area there was space.............free

My question is - can I if I'd parked elsewhere could I join in with FUN ?

I haven't ever stayed for the whole of any rally, preferring to spend a day or 2, which would if I'd booked, prevent another member attending for part of the rally.

If I had been aware of any way to contact the organisers/marshals I would have done.

My main reason for pulling out of your rally was that I would probably only attend for a day or 2, my life isn't yet 'organised enough' to plan much at all

Best wishes

 

[Terry]

Hi Vic,
only my take on what is acceptable
Big rallies where fun is just part of it, you parked in general...yes you would be welcomed into tent,indeed i have turned up in general myself and been told by marshalls to bring my van into the fold.
Day visits welcomed but tell marshalls on arrival/departure or in advance would be better
My thoughts on allowing extras just turning up when it's full ..that again is down to marshalls or organisers...but I would always try to contact next on reserve's list
This year we have made it a 4 day rally at a set price to make sure we cover costs...we realise some will come late and leave early but to be fair to everyone the costs must be met/covered hence set price rather than jiggling figures trying to allow for 1 or 2 day funsters/non shows.Anyway mate I think you have a good idea that it is best to contact rather than just turn up
Terry

 

[Wee Bold Davy]

Having ran one or tow it can be a thankless task in one hand as many will leave and not even give you a wave most will thank you from the bottum of their hart's and some will wonder why we put our selfies to all the stress.
A few will ignore the simple rules that make a rally but the majority will stick to them.
But in general there will always be a minority who no mater what you do you haven't done enough
Would i run another one i don't know.
bill

I know exactly where you are coming from Bill. I had a stint as the competition secretary for the SFCA the governing body for coarse fishing in Scotland. The competitions ran like clockwork, but there was always someone ready with a gripe. The planning took forever and even after the match was finished and the results announced and everyone has gone home. I still had to go home and get all the results updated for the league, write out a match report to be in the angling press for publication two days later. As you say 'thankless' is a good way to put it, although you know your efforts are appreciated the ones with a gripe are always loudest! I did it because I loved the sport and just wanted everyone else to get the pleasure from it which I'd got. I wasn't paid for my efforts, I was glad to do what I did, but the gripes still stung.