You won't get flamed for that Craig. I have said pretty much the same thing
to the powers that be many times in the past year. I remind them (and the
use of the word "them" is not to imply any sense of exclusion) that what
worries a new comer is not the same as the more experienced. A year ago, I
didn't know there was a such thing as magnetic numbers and chasing around
the house the night before my first event trying to find tape was a panic.
Hell, making a sandwich for lunch that day, something I can usually do
fairly expeditiously under normal circumstances, put me behind schedule. I
would probably have sent this privately, but instead I'll use the forum to
repeat the mantra. And heeeeeer it is:
" Solo II events in the San Francisco Region are unique in that we enjoy
wide participation in the sport, with average turnouts for single day events
frequently above 250 entrants. It is therefor critical that our events run
smoothly and on schedule. This can best be accomplished if we have the
largest possible number of willing and qualified people available for all
tasks. It is hoped ...."
The quote is taken for the SFR Events Guide introduction which is still
under construction but does have the beginnings of worker descriptions.
Well, reading stuff will never be a substitute for doing. The task in front
of us is firstly, to recognize that the ability to successfully run 280
people through during daylight savings is a minor but serious miracle, and
one probably few other folks around the country could manage. Our only
problem, if you can call it that, is to make this miracle easier and less
stressful. It is a truism, but one worth repeating, that VERY few people
actually do all the work to make these happen. You wouldn't believe how few,
considering that there are 250 plus available, and they justifiable have to
be a little short during the heat of battle. But nobody will ever discourage
anyone from jumping in and learning how to do a new job.The best way to help
is to resolve to learn on of the more specialized jobs, walk up and be an
observer during your off time. Any timing and scoring assignment volunteer
is like gold to a Chair. So is Grid, and now that we regularly tech on grid,
so especially is Tech. I felt really bad that Vernon needed help with Tech
for run 5 last week, and I didn't know how. I will fix that. Teach ya Grid.
All you have to do is be surly and authoritarian. Deal?
Tony
----- Original Message -----
From: "Craig Haggart, Accelerator Ops" <haggart@SLAC.Stanford.EDU>
To: <BA-AUTOX@autox.team.net>
Sent: Wednesday, January 31, 2001 11:22 PM
Subject: On behalf of newbies
> Well, since people seem to be getting into a lot of
> constructive dialog here, I'm going to take a chance on
> getting verbally thrashed again in the hope that it might help
> the sport.
>
> As someone who is pretty new to autocrossing, I have a request
> for you experienced folks: please try to remember what things
> were like for you before YOU knew the drill. Everything may
> be entirely obvious to you now, but I'll bet that wasn't
> always the case.
>
> When someone asks you a question at an event that seems
> foolish, please remember that this person is not necessarily
> stupid and they're most certainly not trying to waste your
> time. They simply aren't yet as knowledgable as you are.
> Please at least try to be friendly and polite rather than
> annoyed or dismissive. (Yes, I saw this happen last Sunday.)
>
> When people seem clueless about things (like the proper way
> to put numbers on their cars, which happened more than once on
> Sunday), remember that there's a really good chance they just
> aren't aware of what's acceptable and what's not. They have
> no idea what things look like inside the timing trailer
> because they've never BEEN inside a timing trailer. Let them
> know nicely what needs to be done -- and why.
>
> Without the understanding of a race official's perspective,
> they don't know what's important, what's difficult, and what's
> time-consuming for people who run the events. Cut 'em a
> little slack and try to keep it fun. They'll learn.
>
> Thanks for listening!
>
> --
> -Craig "Flame Suit: ON!" Haggart
> haggart@slac.stanford.edu
> Sunnyvale, California
> '96 Miata M Edition
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