Anglesey Sunday 28th November

[Mark Mitchell]

Shame! Perhaps someone should give the Anglesey Circuit Website a poke as they say it's still going ahead!

[brsccnw]

The BRSCC NW website is being updated

AliG

[Mark Mitchell]

It has already!

[SRPhoto]

I was there today for the testing, by 1pm their was still some patches of ice on the circuit (Race cars did not even make it on to the circuit), if that freezes again tonight (Highly likely as it was about 3deg with the sun out) and snow on top... It would have been a wasted journey for everyone.

Shame as I had booked the travelodge for tonight and was looking forward to the racing, but safety first! fun second.

[Dave Brand]

A well-timed announcement! We were just about ready to leave, car all loaded up & everything, but I decided to check first, as I'd been half-expecting that the meeting would be cancelled. Am I psychic?

Ah well, let's hope the weather's better on Boxing Day!

[Magnet]

Originally Posted by Mark Mitchell

Shame! Perhaps someone should give the Anglesey Circuit Website a poke as they say it's still going ahead!

Just to keep you in the loop Mark, following calls between all concerned, regular meetings with the drivers on site and several track inspections I made the final call to cancel the test day at 1250 and with the full agreement of Drew Furlong at BRSCC I also cancelled the Sunday Race Day and informed all the drivers and marshals at around 1300 (ish!). I then telephoned our website administrator to ask him to amend our website at 1310. The weekend was cancelled primarily on safety grounds and with the full cooperation of the drivers who were in attendance. The weather forecast which we use (RAF Valley should be accurate enough!) said that we could expect ground temperatures of -5c and a severe wind chill with snow likely during the early morning of Sunday the 28th. On behalf of all the staff at Trac Mon Ltd may I take this opportunity to wish all the marshals and officials who have supported us throughout the 2010 season a Very Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year
Terry Breese
Circuit Activities Manager
Trac Mon Ltd

[Mark Mitchell]

Thanks Terry.
I am looking forward to Marshalling more again next season and hope to get back to Anglesey more than the one time I managed this year!

[Mike Kelly 1]

Originally Posted by Magnet

On behalf of all the staff at Trac Mon Ltd may I take this opportunity to wish all the marshals and officials who have supported us throughout the 2010 season a Very Happy Xmas and a prosperous New Year
Terry Breese
Circuit Activities Manager
Trac Mon Ltd

Thanks Terry. Already looking forward to many weekends at Trac Mon next year.

[Keith Lewis]

Originally Posted by Dave Brand

A well-timed announcement! We were just about ready to leave, car all loaded up & everything, but I decided to check first, as I'd been half-expecting that the meeting would be cancelled. Am I psychic?

Ah well, let's hope the weather's better on Boxing Day!

Not quite so well timed for me. I checked about 5 mins before Ali G posted the cancellation notice, and set off 20 minutes later. So didn't I know the meeting was cancelled until I arrived at the circuit, 2 hrs and 106 miles later !

[Alan.F]

Originally Posted by Keith Lewis

Not quite so well timed for me. I checked about 5 mins before Ali G posted the cancellation notice, and set off 20 minutes later. So didn't I know the meeting was cancelled until I arrived at the circuit, 2 hrs and 106 miles later !

I went this morning got there about half 11 unpacked the car in to hotel med set everything up for tonight walked over to race control then found out it was cancelled so came home, we phoned everyone we had numbers for but didnt have everyones

Maybe it would be a good idea for all the regular guys that we all know swap phone numbers next season.

[steverob68]

Not well time for me either. I headed down at 12:00 yesterday as I wanted to get some time to do a bit of photography. As the data reception was patchy I only picked up emails and only found out about the cancellation this morning when I turned up. 240 mile round trip plus B&B costs wasted.

Surely cancellation at short notice warrants an email via the forum admin? After all i for one submitted my interest via this very forum. We are all volunteers and don't mind spending our hard earned cash and giving up our time to attend but wasting time and cash needlessly is simply annoying.

[Justin Moran]

Steve, its not for this forum to inform via anything other than posts. Im sure the Admins will be along to confirm that. I can tell you that the decision was not made lightly and it was under constant review until the final decision was made due to safety concerns at aprox 13:00. Any event at this time of year is a risk due to possible inclement weather. Nothing is a given as we know. You arent, and wont be, the only one to be put out by this, but it is a very rare event brought about by unseasonal weather. Surely you can see its no-ones fault?

[steverob68]

Hi,

I fully understand that it is not anybody's fault and can fully understand the reason why the event was cancelled. After all safety comes first.

Let me clear up one statement you picked up on. I did not imply that the forum admins should notify everyone. (note the use of the word 'via') I was simply suggesting that, as forum members can receive emails from the admin (unless they untick the box at signup) then this would be a useful way for the Organisers to get a message out to all concerned when such things happen.

I am sure that many people, whether marshals, drivers or indeed anyone else involved, have been put out by this turn of events and I am sure you may have been one of them. Better communication is the obvious solution, although I know that is not as simple as it sounds.

I have learned from the experience and will look at steps I can put in place for the future to safeguard against any repeat.

On a plus point, at least I know where the track is now should I volunteer for another event next year.

[Justin Moran]

No probs, just defending a very useful information source, there is no easy way to nofify all in a case such as this, I was already there for the test day and had been from Friday evening. I, too, was disapointed that the meeting was called off. That said the same meetng will take place in March 2011 I believe, same format and same (possibly more!) entries.
The circuit is one of my favourites and there are many excellent meetings there throughout the year. All the staff and us regular marshals are a very welcoming and friendly, so come along next year and you will be made very welcome indeed!
Have a great Christmas and New Year!

[steverob68]

Couldn't agree more. I'm fairly new to Mashalling and have found 10-tenths to be an excellent source of info and provided me with a lot of useful links to add to my favourites. Having been a forum admin (for a completely different subject) I know its not an easy task.

I certainly do intend to try again next year to get to one of the Anglesey events and will make sure that (not just for that track) I enclose full contact info for each event, plus, of course, keeping an eye on the Interweb! I appreciate contacting people is difficult and if theres anything am I able to do to improve things I will.

I plan to have a great Christmas thanks. It's 31 degrees C today where I'm going to be!

You have a great Christmas and New Year too.

[Piglet]

Some confusion here I think. Ten Tenths is a stand alone internet forum owned by EP and MagnetON (not to be confused with Magnet who posted over the page). Tenths isn't connected to any race organisers, circuits or similar. It simply offers a place, where marshals can "meet" and "chat".

There are links to Julian's volunteering site and it may be that the Organisers of a meeting chose to communicate with volunteers via PM's but Ten Tenths has no role in this or the organisation of the meeting and wouldn't be involved in sending PM's to notify cancellation.

I sympathise with anyone who got there to discover the meeting cancelled, I'd be pretty peeved myself. With regard to exchanging phone numbers, surely these would always be on a volunteering form and should be held by an organiser anyway? At worst so that the NOK details are available in the event of an illness or injury.

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by steverob68

Let me clear up one statement you picked up on. I did not imply that the forum admins should notify everyone. (note the use of the word 'via') I was simply suggesting that, as forum members can receive emails from the admin (unless they untick the box at signup) then this would be a useful way for the Organisers to get a message out to all concerned when such things happen.

Emails can be sent via members' profiles; however, of the 100-plus people on the list for this meeting, how many are ten-tenths members &, more importantly, how many of them are actually identifiable from their username?

No matter how you do it, at such short notice some are bound to slip through the net - this time, I was lucky, next time, maybe not.

To keep things in perspective, this is the first time in ten years' marshalling & well over 400 meetings that I've ever known a meeting to be cancelled at such short notice & the cancellation, while disappointing, didn't really come as a surprise. I understand your frustration, but don't let it put you off volunteering for this meeting next year!

[RetroWheelsRacing]

Originally Posted by C9/89

That said the same meetng will take place in March 2011 I believe, same format and same (possibly more!) entries.

Hope so, i was really looking forward to this meeting.
Me and a mate who had also entered were halfway there when BRSCC rang, so a quick u turn and back home for 3pm...

Had to console myself last night ,with a bottle of red wine and a copy of this months Octane

BTW
Let me extend my Thanks and Appreciation to you lot in orange , for the job you do ..
Driving Tivvers i tend to have a quite a few unsceduled meetings with you folks throughout the season... and hence have a lot of oppurtunity to see how profesionally you work.

If it's on.. see you back at Anglesey in march, with some better weather

[Justin Moran]

Thanks Anita, I was hoping for a more "official" line, I think the frustration Steve was showing had a vent on here.
Sad state of affairs really but the facts were it was too dangerous to run. Shame as I know how many people look forward to this meeting.
Have a great Christmas and super New year!

[KayBee]

I'm upset I didn't make it to Anglesey this weekend especially as I was looking forward to seeing the Christmas lights being switched on in Rhosneigr on Saturday night.

Merry Christmas everybody and see you next year unless you're going to Mallory for the Plum Pudding meeting.

[steverob68]

Originally Posted by Piglet

Some confusion here I think. Ten Tenths is a stand alone internet forum owned by EP and MagnetON (not to be confused with Magnet who posted over the page). Tenths isn't connected to any race organisers, circuits or similar. It simply offers a place, where marshals can "meet" and "chat".

There are links to Julian's volunteering site and it may be that the Organisers of a meeting chose to communicate with volunteers via PM's but Ten Tenths has no role in this or the organisation of the meeting and wouldn't be involved in sending PM's to notify cancellation.

I sympathise with anyone who got there to discover the meeting cancelled, I'd be pretty peeved myself. With regard to exchanging phone numbers, surely these would always be on a volunteering form and should be held by an organiser anyway? At worst so that the NOK details are available in the event of an illness or injury.

No confusion at all on my part Piglet. I work in the world of EBME where there are a number of independent forums and I am aware the ten-tenths operates in the same vain. In am in no way implying that the organisation of this forum was at fault.

The point I was trying to make was simply that the as organisers are willing to accept expressions of interest via the forum then that also gives them one avenue to contact people who otherwise they may be unable to do so. Yes it was exceptional circumstances but there are several weapons in the arsenal to make sure as many people as possible are aware.

I have viewed several pages on the BRSCC site earlier today and it was not at all obvious that this event was cancelled unless you happened to chance upon the right page. The BRSCC NW site had one mention of it whereas the main BRSCC site had nothing.

Hopefully this is a lessons learned for everyone involved and we can move on happier and with better knowledge.

[White flag man]

Originally Posted by steverob68

Hi,

I have learned from the experience and will look at steps I can put in place for the future to safeguard against any repeat.

Not sure what safeguards you can really put in place.
I feel very sorry for all that made the trip. When I first saw this thread I was going to congratulate you all for even going.
I've had similar things happen to me a couple of times, not least driving 110 miles to Snet, to wait 3 hours and then be told the meeting has been rained off!!
With meetings at the end (and beginning) of the year, it's a risk that we, who aren't fair weather marshals, take.
It is annoying, is it expensive, but we don't want to see anyone getting hurt.

[steverob68]

I was referring to personal safeguards I could take such as ensuring I was able to check relevant sites on a regular basis.

Safety, of course, is top priority and something that I consider both in my 'hobby' as well as my daytime employment.

It's a case where 'lessons learned' (grabbed from the NHS) plays a part and will change the way I plan in future.

[warweezil]

I think sometimes a little too much reliance can be placed on the web as a form of communication - especially in the case of last minute changes/late cancellations. Some don't use the web - others don't use this forum. Having to cover a number of different possible avenues leads to problems like this. I certainly don't look at this forum before setting off in the morning so a message like that would miss me - and I'm sure many others. Given the last minute nature of this cancellation I'm not sure emails or PMs via this site would be much use.

A much better idea is to be sure that there is a phone number where a targeted notification can be directed - its worked well for me in the past when things have changed at the last minute or finals have not arrived and as my mobile number is on all my volunteering forms, I would expect a call or a text message from an official of the club in event of a sudden cancellation.

As a site Admin myself (elsewhere) I'm surprised you feel that the membership database could be used in this way - especially as this would require some linkage between volunteering for an event and the site membership database - which doesn't exist. I'd also want to be very sure there are no DPA implications - the whole area can be a minefield, thats without the complications of requesting/authorising a mass messaging by a forum on behalf of another organisation.

Interesting question though... do Chief Marshals etc carry a list of contacts "just in case"?

Just My Opinion.. YMMV

[gravel_monkey]

when justin said the decision was not taken lightly, i belive the drivers who were there was allowed to go on circuit in there road cars to check the conditions and even then the guys were struggling with grip so when they say the decision wasnt taken lightly i do belive it