[Fot] VTR & FoT

[John Macartney]

Andy Mace wrote:
This does raise an interesting possibility, were FoT members so inclined: perhaps we could become some sort of "Special Chapter" or "Affiliate" of VTR? 

I take a very 'broad church view' on issues like this, essentially summarised as follows:

1. It doesn't really matter how you use your Triumph (or Standard) and because of that, there should be room in your local or national club to accommodate your usage preference.
2. The vehicle parc is getting smaller each year and current owners are getting older. This largely explains the diminution of club memberships
3. A surprisingly large number of cars will outlive their enthusiast custodians and will need to have 'a home'
4. Clubs (national or local) need to recognise this - and its my perception in the UK that clubs don't adequately do this
5. There will come a time when the vehicle parc and custodian base is so small that clubs as they currently stand will probably not be viable as heretofore. This begs the question
6. What plans are national clubs making to address that inevitable eventuality?
7. No-one can confidently expect to substantially 'grow club membership.' The vast majority of cars that will survive are already known. Barn-Finds will become ever more infrequent

With regard to point 6, my perception of the evidence as it relates to the UK (and probably elsewhere too?) is "nothing at all." Additionally, for as long as clubs and others continue to provide 'free' technical information on "How to .....?" projects via the internet, clubs will continue to diminish in size.

Rant off

Jonmac


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