Camping at MSV Circuits

[blackhands]

I was charged £5 to camp at Cadwell on Sunday, Is this now happening at all MSV circuits for marshals?

[Mark Mitchell]

Telepehone the Circuit Manager - MSV do NOT charge for marshal camping

[archaic gold]

Originally Posted by blackhands

I was charged £5 to camp at Cadwell on Sunday, Is this now happening at all MSV circuits for marshals?

To the very best of my knowledge - Marshals are always FREE, however the £5 is the normal charge for Joe Public - did you make a strong point that you were a Marshal? If you look at the A1GP thread, you will see the post I placed some while ago in respect of the Marshal's Campsite at Brands Hatch for that Meeting. This is in line with the World Superbike Meeting in August where the Racesafe Marshals were allowed to camp FREE.

[blackhands]

Yes I'm not stupid - I told the security man most emphatically (this was at at Cadwell on Sunday evening) that I was marshalling but he insisted that the charge was for everyone. He's even given me a ticket as a receipt.

I shan't waste my time phoning the circuit manager - as its apparently not their policy to charge then there's something amiss with their staff training.

[Ian Sowman]

Yes, it will be much better to leave him to do it again than spare a few moments to phone the circuit.

[Kicking-back]

Indeed.

If you like the service you get somewhere, tell other people.

If you don't like it, tell those responsible - so something can be done.

[John Watson]

To Blackhands

Having missed only about 15 Car Race meetings at Cadwell Park in the last 20 years, I can honestly say that this is the first time I have heard of any Marshal being charged for camping over the night before an event. It has never been the Circuits policy to charge Marshals for anything, and I have worked there under several different owners.

As has been said previously, complaining on this forum will not get you any response from the People who can do something about your complaint. As a phone call to 01507 343248 is too much trouble for you, let me have your name and address so that I can send you a fiver out of my own pocket. I will then speak to the Management myself this weekend when I am there for 2 meetings, and most likely will be joining a lot of Marshals who will be camping over for two nights free of charge.

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally Posted by blackhands

Yes I'm not stupid

Steady on fella - folks here are only trying to give you positive advice to your question

Originally Posted by blackhands

I told the security man most emphatically (this was at at Cadwell on Sunday evening) that I was marshalling but he insisted that the charge was for everyone. He's even given me a ticket as a receipt.

Often the security are not employees of MSV and quite probably there was a breakdown of communication or misunderstanding on his (Security guy) part

Originally Posted by blackhands

I shan't waste my time phoning the circuit manager

I'm sure he would be willing to help!

[Mark Mitchell]

Originally Posted by John Watson

let me have your name and address so that I can send you a fiver out of my own pocket.

John, I was charged £50 to camp!!!!!

[John Watson]

John, I was charged £50 to camp!!!!!

In that case you were robbed, but a nice try.

[Andrew Palmer]

Originally Posted by blackhands

(this was at Cadwell on Sunday evening)

One simple question Blackhands was this after the meeting?

I have stayed at all the MSV circuits during my marshalling time the night before a meeting, or the night in between two day meetings and never been charged. But I have not stayed beyond the end of racing. This may be MSV policy to charge if you out stay the meeting.

It if the guard gave you a ticket at least he is not pocketing the money.

[Retired]

I arrived at Cadwell at about 18.45 from Rockingham on Sunday with a caravan. I asked the circuit staff if it was OK to park onvernight as I was marshalling the next day and was told yes but there may be a five pound charge. If so I was told to try and get it back the next day from the management. Slightly confused (I've been doing Cadwell for nearly 40 yrs without camping problems) I thought it best to tell the security guy that I was staying the night and where my 'van was. He simply said OK. No charge. No problem.

[Hepatic]

I was charged last year for the BTCC at Oulton. The girl in the booth wasn't told that marshal's got in free so she did what she was told to do. I spoke to our Chief Pit Marshal who helped me get the money back there and then. If you don't report it to the right people, nothing will get done about it and more people will get charged in error. I'm sure it was just an oversight, but marshals never get charged for camping anywhere as far as i know.

[Andrew Palmer]

Is it me but,when I arrive at a circuit late at night with a caravan attached to my car. Why does the person on the gate always ask "Camping?"

I now answer "No, I just brought the big white thing attached to my car along for the towing pracitice"

[Woolley]

I tried "Where did that come from - it must have followed me!" once, but wasn't sure whether the blank stare was a result or not.

[numbersix]

I know it's off topic but I see Woolley's blank stare routine once a year when I licence my classic car, which has no charge as an historic vehicle, but still requires a road fund licence. I present insurance, Mot and forms. Then the 20 year old asks where the cheque is. "It's free", sez I. "That's what ' NO FEE' means". 20 year old gives blank stare and asks for money again. 54 year old goes into "explain like Peter & Jane book" mode - "Free ... means no charge ... no cheque required ... historic vehicle". 20 year old goes into screen-save mode until senior person presses his/her reset button and takes over. If I need two first class stamps he/she needs a bloody calculator.

[blackhands]

Apologies to anyone who took offence to my comments above. My point is not that I am concerned about the £5 in the total it cost me to marshal the three racing days of the tour Britannia is a mere trifle. Its the principle of the thing - all I was asking is whether or not (a) its now a general rule for MSV circuits to sharge - in which case I'll give up marshalling at them, (b) yet another case of the organising club not doing its bit for the marshal;s or (c) just a misunderstanding somewhere.

[Mark Mitchell]

I strongly suspect (C)!

[wensleydale]

I think its definitely a (c), I wasn't charged to camp at Cadwell this weekend, there wasn't even a person there to ask if I were a marshal, driver or other.

[blackhands]

I arrived after dark about 9.00pm and parked my camper van in the field on the LH side of the road approaching the paddock. Someone in a pickup truck drove up and asked for £5 so I told him I was marshalling and was told it didn't matter so I asked for a receipt before I paid him and he went off and gave me a ticket (which I still have) which says Cadwell Camping. I wasn't asked for moneyy when I camped at VSCC Cadwell or Oulton Park earlier in the year so I assumed that it was a new thing.

[Hepatic]

if thats the case, then i'm worried. Best try and get hold of the circuit manager and see what's going on then 'cos no marshal should be charged for camping.

[Mark Mitchell]

Going round in circles here me thinks!

[Stephen Green]

I have written to Jonathan Palmer to ask for a clear answer to this question and will let you know as soon as I receive a reply. My guess is that there is not a policy to charge marshals, in which case you should get your £5 refunded. Until I receive a reply from JP it's probably best not to speculate further.

[Stephen Green]

Ok let me put this matter to bed once and for all. The policy at all MSV circuits is NOT to charge marshals for camping. In this particular case marshals arrived at the circuit earlier than would normally be the case due to the particular event in question, hence the confusion. A visit to the circuit office on the Monday morning, or a telephone call, would have resolved the problem immediately. If there are problems like this in the future, it would be sensible for marshals to take this route rather than post the question in a public forum.

You may or may not be aware that MSV are extremely supportive of marshals and that Jonathan Palmer himself does a great deal to help our cause. Posting problems such as this in a public forum rather than speaking to the circuit to try and solve the problem only serves to undo much of the good work that has been undertaken by others. Which other circuit owner offers you free track days etc?

Please try to think of the long term implications in future before posting subject matter like this. If you are unsure whether it will cause problems then by all means drop me a PM or an e-mail.

Thanks in advance to you all for your help and consideration.

Stephen Green
National P.R.O.
British Motorsport Marshals Club.

[danccooke]

So what you mean so say is, that we don't get charged.....hehehehehe sorry couldn't help it, but i must agree with Steve, JP has made loads of effort in the last year or so. Also the preist catcher is a fabulous source of knowledge and a few times i have asked for advice over pm without the need for a heated discussion in the forums.

Which means we can all be happy marshals and enjoy what we do all the more.