Actually, it won't really solve the problem. What's on the timing slip (or PA),
is whatever a harried announcer accumulates from one of the four times on the
clock and a muttered cone count for any of three cars, which may not be
reconciled until after the car is back on grid, while simultaneously trying to
announce a car entering the course and the progress of one or two already on it.
That's why the scorer carefully DOESN'T listen to the announcer, but watches the
timer and listens to the cone auditor. What goes down on the card is then
transcribed by the time poster, who has only one job to concentrate on.
This is why it's IMPORTANT to post the times, and IMPORTANT for drivers to check
them. We've somehow gotten to a position where it is considered more
significant to hand out unofficial timing slips than to post official (well, the
card is official, but close) times. This is simply wrong, and while a number of
the SC members are aware of it, there's a lot of momentum to be turned around
now.
Indeed, since we have the timing displays now there is very little reason to
hand out slips at all; the best is the safety aspect of ensuring drivers come to
a complete stop before returning to grid.
All that being said, we as a region are not giving the necessary effort to do a
proper job working the course and accurately recording cones. It was noticeably
bad last year and it is very noticeably worse this year. I made the suggestion
privately last year, and I make it publicly this year: I think we ought to
start handing out some DNWs for course workers who don't announce cones promptly
and accurately, don't reset the course promptly and accurately, and basically
don't give a damn about whether the competition in other classes is scored
correctly or not. I'm tired of sprinting around from the PITS to reset a cone
so that we don't have yet another rerun, while the course workers stand
indolently by and snicker at the admittedly humorous sight of me sprinting. I'm
tired of hearing cone counts come in on "the red car" (which has two-foot class
and numbers on the sides) AND on "the 1982 magenta Toyota Corolla with a driver
with a white helmet, a slight ding in the front left fender, license plate
321LX2, registration expires October of 2000, and no number on the side".
And I'm tired of having my times and scores screwed up. And I intend to do
something about it. Consider yourselves warned.
KeS
> -----Original Message-----
> From: owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net
> [mailto:owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Navid Kahangi
> Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 20:18
> To: lollipop@ricochet.net; Steven J. Sherwood
> Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> Subject: RE: One problem with Albany
>
>
> This problem will solve itself once we get the FM radio transmitter going.
> Of course that only applies to cars with radios, but we don't want to go
> there again, do we?
>
> --Navid
>
> > -----Original Message-----
> > From: owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net
> > [mailto:owner-ba-autox@autox.team.net]On Behalf Of Pat Kelly
> > Sent: Wednesday, July 12, 2000 7:22 PM
> > To: Steven J. Sherwood
> > Cc: ba-autox@autox.team.net
> > Subject: Re: One problem with Albany
> >
> >
> >
> > Steve,
> > The timing slips are a courtesy used only in California; if you run
> > most anywhere else, you will not receive one, like at Topeka for the
> > nationals. All you'll see at nationals is a scoreboard like ours with
> > the time displayed.
> > Timing slips serve two purposes: 1) to inform the driver
> > what the base
> > time was, and 2) to bring everyone to a full stop at the end of their
> > run. To depend on the T&S crew to get out the cone counts before the
> > competitor drives off is a high demand, though there are some crews that
> > could do it in the limited time available. But that would mean the
> > timing slip person would be juggling a radio, pen, and paper, handing
> > the slip out. If I were to do it, things would be flying!
> > What we are lacking is regular posting of scores on the side of the
> > motorhome. The last 3 groups were posted, just like at nationals. That's
> > the place where you go look to see how you did, and everyone else in
> > class, too. It's also the place to note penalties...and the time is at
> > the event to make those corrections, if needed.
> > --Pat Kelly
> > Chief result producer
> >
> > "Steven J. Sherwood" wrote:
> > >
> > > Since we had no announcers...and only during some runs
> > > did the timing slips individual have a radio...I got
> > > a reported second run of 56.7 seconds. I made the
> > > assumption that it was clean..since my timing slip
> > > didn't show Plus anything. I also did not think I
> > > got close to a cone, so I had no reason to question
> > > my time. On my first run I spun, so that was no
> > > good...so for the last run I tried to increase the
> > > speed and smoothness...well, I failed and got a 57.4
> > > second time with a goof in the back section.
> > >
> > > My issue is that since I thought my second run
> > > was clean...I went for it in the third run..and
> > > messed it up. Without having an announcer..and
> > > without any clear and quick communication going to
> > > the timing slip person..they did not indicate
> > > anything in terms of cones down.
> > >
> > > My suggestion is that the next runs at Albany
> > > make sure that the timing slip person have a
> > > radio (on another channel of course) and that
> > > people in the trailer quickly tell the timing
> > > slip person of any cones. That way the competitor
> > > can get a true picture of the results.
> > >
> > > This is not meant as a complaint..just a
> > > comment and suggestion. BTW, I didn't change
> > > in relative position in CSP this event because
> > > of this issue. So, it may be a mute point.
> > >
> > > (off the podium now)
> > >
> > > Steve S.
> > > 00 Audi S4
> > > #47 CSP
> > >
> > > John Kelly wrote:
> > > >
> > > > -------------------- Begin Original Message --------------------
> > > >
> > > > Message text written by INTERNET:bchafin@attglobal.net
> > > >
> > > > "Charlie,
> > > >
> > > > Another GREAT course design and John, what a nice site.
> > Amazing that it
> > > > worked
> > > > without the communications system.
> > > >
> > > > I am just a bit perplexed... what kind of mechanisms are we
> > contemplating
> > > > in the
> > > > future for goose control? DNFs for on course excretions? :-)
> > > >
> > > > Barry"
> > > > -------------------- End Original Message --------------------
> > > >
> > > > We're assigning Giles and everybody else who thinks "heaven"
> > is someplace
> > > > else to take care of it since they won't be driving. They're
> > requested to
> > > > stand guard near both the start and finish timers and wave their arms
> > > > wildly to shoo the seagulls, ducks, and geese away. It'll be
> > fun to watch.
> > > > <G>
> > > >
> > > > --John Kelly
> >
>
>
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