A suggestion to help eliminate confusion

[WAFlowers]

Quoting from another thread:

At the close of the driver meeting, which draws nearly 100% attendance, call out the names of the group A workers and send them to their posts. this will help with the start time as well.

Me and Kim discussed this quite a bit in length. I also still do not understand why it is that after you look at your designated work assignment, those that work group A all seem to disappear.

The problem ... as I see it:
Since our classes use letter to designate them (Class A, B, G, etc.) having the work and run assignments also use letter assignments is confusing even to experienced autocrossers is confusing. Case in point: on May 18 I was registered in G, worked A and ran in C. :shock:

Can you run that one past me one more time?

My suggestion:
Work assignments and run groups use numeric designations. So I would be registered in G, work the 1st work assignment and run in the 3rd run group. Straightforward and no confusion.

To my simple mind, this is much easier to understand and might help novices to better understand when to work and when to run.

[Jamie]

Can do, although I doubt it'll change much. Those who are are inclined to go out and get the job done, do. We'll still be chasing stragglers.

[Loren]

I say we invest in a cattle prod for the worker chief.

[Dave-ROR]

I think some of the workers go back to their cars, get a hat, get some sunblock, then go get water, etc. Since one person lagging delays the entire event, I don't really see a bulletproof solution to that. The quickest way I think will be to call out group 1 workers in the drivers meeting, that will at least save the time of shuffling up to see the assignment list.

[Loren]

The problem is that the general parking area is a distance from the autocross area. Like the man said, people need to go grab their sunscreen, water, hat, whatever from their car... that takes 10 minutes.

In the grander scheme of things, that particular 10 minutes isn't what's holding up our events.

If the driver's meeting were to begin at 9:30 rather than 10:30, we'd be started at 10am rather than 11am.

As has been said many times... if anyone has a complaint, sign up to chair an event and SHOW US how it's done!

[Dave-ROR]

I don't think Bill was complaining so much and he has a point that it would be more logical to use run group 1, 2, 3 and hopefully never 4.

Hell, that's what most of us call them anyways when we talk to each other on site.

[Loren]

Oh, I know Bill wasn't complaining. He was just offering a suggestion to help solve a problem that someone else brought up. I'm just saying that the problem in question really isn't much of a problem, at least I don't think it is.

[WAFlowers]

Yes, this isn't a big problem nor is is the most significant delay. However I did overhear a few people express confusion and, when I thought about it, realized that it was confusing.

It was one of those "squeaky wheel" problems that appeared to have a simple solution.

[Charles]

If the driver's meeting were to begin at 9:30 rather than 10:30, we'd be started at 10am rather than 11am.

Bingo, thats the problem..... enough said......

[Jamie]

If the driver's meeting were to begin at 9:30 rather than 10:30, we'd be started at 10am rather than 11am.

Bingo, thats the problem..... enough said......

We can solve that one pretty quick...get the trailer and the setup crew to the site by 6am, rather than 7. Anyone want to join me on the 21st?

[WAFlowers]

We can solve that one pretty quick...get the trailer and the setup crew to the site by 6am, rather than 7. Anyone want to join me on the 21st?

You can solve it even easier without having to get up in the middle of the night. At the May 18 event I had the trailer there at 7:25, but it sat there still mostly packed and without any course setup until 8:30.

The time the trailer gets to the site isn't the issue.

That said, people are welcome to tow the trailer at whatever time they want. The Flowers are giving up the trailer towing duties for a while.

I've been wondering what it might be like to get an extra 2 hours sleep the night before an autocross, and show up just before 9am instead of watching the sun rise while I'm towing the trailer.

[Dave-ROR]

If the driver's meeting were to begin at 9:30 rather than 10:30, we'd be started at 10am rather than 11am.

Bingo, thats the problem..... enough said......

We can solve that one pretty quick...get the trailer and the setup crew to the site by 6am, rather than 7. Anyone want to join me on the 21st?

No thanks, maybe if I lived closer

7AM can work, at brooksville we often start getting the course setup in plenty of time. Registration closes at 9AM usually, which means tech can not finish until 9:30 or so, no matter how early it starts. Going straight into the drivers meeting would be rough..

[Native]

I'm not in favor of this, but: close up registration at 8:45. Or even sooner. We have to very clearly advertise that if that's what we do, though...

But it isn't reg., or tech., that slows things down. It's when the drivers' meeting starts. Start it at 10, or even 9:45, no matter what. If setup folks aren't done, then they'll know that they have about 15 minutes to finish up before the drivers meeting ends. Announce work group 1 by name, and direct them - "get your hat, sunscreen, water, and hustle out to your station." Announce the first run group by name and direct them "get your car gridded up and hustle." Novice course walk after the driver's meeting. Unchalked cones can be chalked along the way if setup ran late. First car out 10:30, or sooner, as soon as the novice walk ends.

Never start the driver's meeting late, imho.

[Jamie]

The time the trailer gets to the site isn't the issue.

I agree, in part: it's the combination of trailer and people to unload it and start setting up the site. On average, it takes us a about two hours from the time we open up the trailer to the time the course is approved and chalked, at which point we try to do a group walk (which I'd hate to eliminate). Everything else -- registration, tech, timing setup -- is normally done or close to done by the time the course is set. I'm thinking through a couple of ideas on how to set up the course faster, but in absence of something brilliant, the only guaranteed way is to start that two-hour process earlier.

Of course, this is just a sidebar...I predict we'll still be chasing stragglers for work assignments, no matter what time we start! Actually the first group isn't nearly as difficult to round up as the last one...forget the cattle prod, I want one of those high-power microwave projectors.

[Loren]

The trick to quick course setup is for one person to "direct" the setup (nominally, the course designer and/or event chairman). That person hands maps to 3 or 4 people and directs each of them to grab a partner (if available) and set up a certain part of the course. "You set up the slalom and the sections immediately before and after it", "you set up the start area and the first section", "you set up the finish and braking zone", "I'll set up this section over here"... and when it's all done, the course designer walks through and verifies that everything was placed correctly and ties everything together. I've set up courses in about an hour using this method. Divide and conquer.

[Solar]

Of course, this is just a sidebar...I predict we'll still be chasing stragglers for work assignments, no matter what time we start! :

That's exactly what I thought when I first read this thread, no matter what time we start, when it comes to the course workers, all it takes is one or two people to slow things down.

[muddy]

The trick to quick course setup is for one person to "direct" the setup (nominally, the course designer and/or event chairman). That person hands maps to 3 or 4 people and directs each of them to grab a partner (if available) and set up a certain part of the course. "You set up the slalom and the sections immediately before and after it", "you set up the start area and the first section", "you set up the finish and braking zone", "I'll set up this section over here"... and when it's all done, the course designer walks through and verifies that everything was placed correctly and ties everything together. I've set up courses in about an hour using this method. Divide and conquer.

I agree. The chaiperson must be a strong leader and have enough volunteers to get the job done in a timely manner. However, we only designate two people for course setup before an event. 8 people, as in Loren's example, would be a nice luxury.

It also takes considerably more time to setup a course at SPC than Brooksville. The lack of grid lines and taking down the police course take extra time.