Here! Here! Thanks, Sherry.
There is one other job that is rarely taken, and that's posting, which
is very important at GGFs, as a way of communicating to the drivers what
is actually on the card.
The posting person (hereafter called "PP"), needs to develop a system
where s/he gets the card from the scorer, posts the time on the sheets
on the back door of the MH, and returns the card to the card sorter. The
PP should Not rely on the displays, but take the times from the actual card.
The posting sheets have a place for car #, driver's name, and places
for all three run times. Cones should be shown. I've done that with a
circle around the cones hit #. The times listed should INCLUDE the cone
penalties.
When times are posted, it is then the responsibility of the driver to
check at during his/her heat. If there appears to be a discrepancy
between the timing slip and the posted time, there really should be
someone who can snake out the card to show the driver what's on the
card. This should be done AT THE EVENT, not a couple of days later.
You've heard at other events for "So and so, please bring your timing
slips to the MR!" This is to straighten out errors on putting the wrong
score on the wrong card.
In spite of the excellence of the T&S crews, errors do creep in. T&S
crews should be able to communicate with the starter with a radio to
tell him/her to hold the cars until the T&S crew gets the problems
squared away.
Okay, I've vented. :)
--Pat K
"Grantz, Sherry" wrote:
>
> Michael makes a valid point here, that although he DNF'd, he was given times
> in the results. I hate to admit it, but I too had a DNF (I know you would
> have thought that was impossible), and was given a time in the results (a
> 57.xxx I think on the second run, although the timing slip said 71.xxx DNF).
> I don't think my time for the first run was right either; but the only run I
> cared about - the good one - was right - so I' m not complaining.
>
> The times on the results are only as good as the timing crew in the trailer.
> Everyone we had in T&S last Sunday was good. The problem was, often there
> were only two people inside and at the most three. This is with no announcer
> confirming times for anyone listening, no backup for the timing slip person
> (he can only see the display - not get a confirmation from inside on every
> run), and often the person writing times is on the radio talking to the
> timing slip person, starter, and getting cone counts from the course. With a
> car finishing every 20 seconds.
>
> Why are we so short staffed? Is there a lack of workers? No, it's because
> 90% of the people who sign up to work flip to the back of the page and sign
> up for course. They want to watch cars run before they go out, they think
> T&S is too difficult, or whatever. Several times I had to twist arms and
> browbeat people to get them to work inside (not that I really mind that
> part).
>
> We need more people to take on the responsibility of working in T&S.
> Remember - your times will only be as accurate as the crew inside - and if
> they all act like your work group, don't expect accuracy.
>
> We are willing to train T&S workers - remember it's out of the wind and
> you're sitting down, not chasing cones.
>
> And if you can't get the numbers on your car right - don't even expect T&S
> to try and fix the problem for you. The people inside don't have the time to
> solve problems while running cars every 20 seconds. Don't come to the motor
> home during a run group and ask someone to spend 5 minutes sorting out your
> times and timing cards. After the run group someone may be available to
> help. . . or not.
>
> Sherry
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