Its The Anwer !

Beardy359 · 9 Oct 2002, 19:14 (Ref:399570)

Readers of “Motorsport News” today will be amazed to find the answer to the shortage of marshals is revealed in a new column entitled “Marshalling matters”. Written by Mike Petch, newsletter editor of the BMMC, he exclusively reveals the main reason for the drop in Marshals attendance over recent years. No its not poor facilities, lack of respect, early start times or any of the things that have been mentioned on this august forum. No it is (roll on the drums) – television!

Yes according to Mr Vetch we’re all too tied to the omnibus edition of Dead Enders to be bothered to go to a motor race! Apparently all other reasons are secondary, especially expense because “we try our best to subsidise equipment like overalls through sponsorship”. Pardon? In over 20 years marshalling the only clothing I’ve ever been offered was a free Candy-Tyrell tee shirt! Oh and don’t ask for huts to keep your gear in because “It’s not something we can sensibly do anything about. Not unless we erect bus shelters around the entire length of Britains’ circuits.”

Please read this article for yourselves and comment if you feel like it, if you here of an explosion in the south of England it will be me!

:confused:

icklimp · 9 Oct 2002, 19:59 (Ref:399598)

If only i had known, all we have to do is lobby the bbc to show repeats all day sunday and marshalling numbers will rocket!

Ian Smith · 9 Oct 2002, 20:14 (Ref:399617)

What are Dead Enders, is it a nickname for formula zip drivers??

rick vaux · 9 Oct 2002, 20:19 (Ref:399620)

No, i thought he was the brother of Jackie Van-de Enders..

rick vaux · 9 Oct 2002, 20:20 (Ref:399624)

OOOH, That was sad.....

wiggles · 10 Oct 2002, 08:26 (Ref:399979)

Hmm... I actually go marshalling to avoid crappy programs like Dead-Enders.

sss · 10 Oct 2002, 08:33 (Ref:399989)

just set your video so u can watch it when you get home

Rod Birley · 10 Oct 2002, 08:43 (Ref:399999)

Brilliant replies....who says you guys don't have a sense of humour!

sss · 10 Oct 2002, 09:03 (Ref:400010)

or, get a portable with battery pack

Novice · 10 Oct 2002, 09:13 (Ref:400016)

Surely people do not want to stop in and see Dead Enders or the Ferrari procession each week.

As for the bus shlters around he circuit, dont you need level ground?:confused:

Sponsorship, I think Octagon would want to chage for that.

**Stephen Green** · 10 Oct 2002, 12:04 (Ref:400182)

Can we read this article on the internet can someone tell me?

If this article has been written by the newsletter editor of the BMMC and has half the content you say, I will cease my membership forthwith. May I suggest that someone sends a copy to George Copeland with a rather heavy complaint.

If it's not on the internet, could someone cut and paste it onto this site for me?

Piglet · 10 Oct 2002, 12:47 (Ref:400236)

As a BMMC member I'd LOVE to read what my club are saying about this type of thing. Could someone post it if they have a chance?

Bodysnatcher · 10 Oct 2002, 12:49 (Ref:400239)

off to WH Smiths now...

**Stephen Green** · 10 Oct 2002, 12:57 (Ref:400246)

Cheers Ali...

Bodysnatcher · 10 Oct 2002, 13:10 (Ref:400268)

part 1

From “Motoring News” Oct 9th 2002

Where are all the new volunteers?
This is the first of a new series if regular Motorsport News columns from the trackside to discuss the latest news and views from the world of marshalling.

Where have they all gone? The number of marshals turning up to officiate at events is receding. It’s not necessarily the number of people who are members of marshalling clubs that is declining, but the number that turn up on the day.

What’s the problem? Although there doesn’t seem to be anything you can put your finger on straight away, there are factors that are contributing to this trend. Some of which are directly related to the sport, some of which are not.

I have been marshalling for ten years and have noticed something odd. The number of people who I would describe as experienced marshals that are turning up week in, week out seems to be the problem. The number of new2 marshals arriving seems consistent, if not better.

Why? Well, firstly I blame television. It’s far too easy to just sit in front of the “box” and vegetate. If it’s not your beloved motor racing that you’re watching, then it’s re-runs of Eastenders or a bunch of muddy men chasing an egg.

part 2 follows hold any comment until then if possible

Flagman · 10 Oct 2002, 13:14 (Ref:400273)

I've read the article and I must admit it doesn't sound like the Mike Petch I know...

I wonder how much the article was rewritten by Motoring News staff - after all the headline seems to contradict the contents.

Bodysnatcher · 10 Oct 2002, 13:19 (Ref:400278)

part 2

Then there's the money. Not that marshalling is any more expensive, on the contrary, we try our best to subsidise equipment like overalls through sponsorship to keep them as cost effective as possible. No, I mean work. With sunday opening, more and more businesses require staff to put in hours at the weekend, and motorsport suffers.

Conditions on post don't help. Not necessarily the circuit conditions, but the weather. It's not something we can sensibly do anything about. Not unless we erect bus shelters around the entire length of Britain's circuits, and I don't think it would be feasible to do in a Welsh forest, for instance, to keep rally marshals dry.

You could put falling nmumbers down to tedious racing. Some of the races we see have hardly any cars and are processions. The MSA has implemented procedures theat should remove this factor.

You have to be pretty hardy to stand in the sort of conditions that we do. When we promote the hobby to newcomers then we needn't dress it up as something it isn't. Exciting? Yes. You can't get much closer to the action without being able to afford the sometimes-huge costs of competeing yourself.

If we can get 600 officials together for the GP then I see no reason why we shouldn't be able to support club level motorsport to a high standard.

Mike Petch, editor BMMC Newsletter

end
discuss

Piglet · 10 Oct 2002, 13:30 (Ref:400286)

I'll comment more on the points raised when I've had chance to digest them a little more.

Bodysnatcher, is there any comment in there about these being Mr Petch's views and not those of the BMMC or is it as you've shown it with the BMMC newsletter title thingy underneath?

Bodysnatcher · 10 Oct 2002, 13:30 (Ref:400287)

yep - it looks pretty severely edited by MN, or Mike Petch isn't in touch with the grass roots feeling.

I mean what a load of bollux - blaming TV - I think computers (and I include game consoles here) have more to do with this. Total excitement and immersion just about every lap from the comfort of your own home.

Costs - err - haven't our political leaders, of whatever hue, been increasing the tax on fuel above the rate of inflation, so unless you walk or cycle to the circuit, in relative terms, it's costing more to get there. As for subsidised gear - I'm still peeing myself over that contender for the marshalling community's joke of the year.

Bus shelters, we'd settle for one every couple of hundred metres Mike, no need to use sarcastic overkill. (that's my territory here is'nt it?)

As for the experienced marshals vs newbies - I seem to see the same old faces every week although there has been a reasonable influx of new faces recently. This is something that could vary greatly depending on locale.

Finally, Flagman, since you seem to know Mr Petch for info, where does he mostly marshal and what grade is the chap?

wiggles · 10 Oct 2002, 13:32 (Ref:400289)

How can you blame the decline on the weather? Since the last ice age the weather in this country has been pretty consistant year on year!

Bodysnatcher · 10 Oct 2002, 13:34 (Ref:400291)

piglet, every word is as was in MN - starting with the words
Where are all the new Volunteers?
and ending (apart from the obvious break)
Mike Petch, editor, BMMC Newsletter

edit bit - nothing missed out at all apart from the column's heading "Marshalling matters"
and a digitally "shadowed/silhoutte" type of photo of a big beardy bespectacled bloke on probans that seem to bear allegience to the BRDC marshals club

**Stephen Green** · 10 Oct 2002, 13:37 (Ref:400294)

I've read it twice now (thanks for posting it Al) and to be honest I'm not too sure what to make of it. Nothing much seems to have been said other than we stand out in all weather which we know already. The Sunday working does have some relevance but I'm not too sure about the TV comments. It will be interesting to see what the rest of you think of the article.

Piglet · 10 Oct 2002, 13:37 (Ref:400296)

Thanks BS, I think it might be reasonable to ask for the comments of the BMMC on this then, are we to take it that this is their stance on the whole issue, if it is that might explain why nothing much seems to get done.

wiggles · 10 Oct 2002, 13:42 (Ref:400300)

Hmm... At the end of the day the article is putting over the fact that active marshal numbers are in decline, for whatever reason.

I suspect that the 'bus shelter' comment is supposed to raise a laugh.

**Stephen Green** · 10 Oct 2002, 14:03 (Ref:400317)

ha bloody ha