[LM24 Race] What kind of spectator are you ?

[PascaLM]

While the race is on, how do you behave as a spectator ? Are you one of the proposed types ? A mix of them ? Or sometime being one or the other, depending of the events ?

Propositions :
1 - I love staying close to the track during the whole race, timing the gaps between the cars. Buying a beer or sandwich is wasting time. I listen to RLM all the time, I can't stand to miss a single information.

2 - I watch the cars and the big screens, spend some time in the village and go from place to place. I listen RLM to get the main informations and the standings. I can also see the pretty young lady, there, in the middle of the crowd.

3 - I watch the cars but I spend much time in restaurants, talking about everything related to motorsports, I feel the atmosphere and get the main informations about the race.

4 - I spend much time in the funfair and the village, going from bar to bar ; I will see the reports about the race and technical reviews later, the main thing to do is a big fiesta !

[Mike E]

I am not very good at sitting still, even though I would love to spend a couple of hours or even 1 hour in the same place. I must try harder to be more lazy.

[nobster]

# 2 for me, but also want to soak up the atmosphere and have time for a talk when a familiar face passes by.

[isynge]

I'd mark myself down as somewhere between 1 and 3. Watching cars and a good race is the core reason for being there, but it's made much better by the sort of friendships, conversations, and enjoyable ways of passing the time that there are.

[Aysedasi]

I've put 1 Pascal, but I'm actually somewhere between 1 and 2. After waiting a whole year to be at Le Mans again, I hate to miss any of the on-track action, but I do still have time for a beer and some food! I listen to RLM a lot and like to stay up to date with what's happening, but sometimes need to take a rest. I consider it sacrilege of the highest order to sleep during the race night.

[CTD]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I've put 1 Pascal, but I'm actually somewhere between 1 and 2. After waiting a whole year to be at Le Mans again, I hate to miss any of the on-track action, but I do still have time for a beer and some food! I listen to RLM a lot and like to stay up to date with what's happening, but sometimes need to take a rest. I consider it sacrilege of the highest order to sleep during the race night.

Well I second that!
However all food and drinks will be carried to the track and eaten there.
All visits to the toilet is delayed until there is water in my eyes and RLM is on from 9 am till it goes dead on sunday.

So I guess I'm an extreme 1, while the race is on. Otherwise I'm very much for soaking up the atmosphere and socializing

EDIT: Oh, and Ayse, whats the biggest sacrilege, praying for rain, or sleeping during the race?

[GT6]

I think 2 suits me best

[Mike E]

#2 for me as well, I reckon.

[Richard117]

1 for sure. Thats why i arrive at scruteneering Sunday

[GTfour]

Originally Posted by Aysedasi

I consider it sacrilege of the highest order to sleep during the race night.

Hahaaa, same here, by the way.

I basically follow the race continuously. Preferably next to the track, otherwise with RLM and/or MotorsTV/Eurosport footage on our camps telly. We do light the bbq during the race and spend about two hours replenishing.
After that it's back to the track untill way past dawn.

[whitemr2]

2
spot-on.

[Gingers4Justice]

I think anyone who's a 1 or a 4 is missing out myself. It would be a shame to miss out on the atmosphere, but by the same token, there wouldn't be an atmosphere without the world's greatest motor race being in the middle of it all.

I went for 2, because I'll be trackside for around 75% of the race with RLM plugged in. The rest of it is reserved for beer drinking, BBQs having a rest in the ACO Enclosure, having a laugh with mates or napping.

[garcon]

I know many regulars who would be:

5. There's a race?!

[GT6]

i doubt very much if anyone who frequents this forum falls outside the 1 or 2 categories

[Mal]

2 for me.

[Simmi]

I think for me there's elements of #1 but with a bit of realism thrown in, averaging me out at a #1.5.

I do stay pretty much glued to RLM whenever they are on air. I like to know what's going on and I don't really want to lose the thread of the race. But obviously you need to go get a beer and merguez. And what's this about there being a girl in the crowd?

I think if you wanted to follow the race to the absolute nth detail you wouldn't actually go to Le Mans - you'd watch from home with a bank of monitors and a high-speed internet connection.

Being there in the days leading up to the race let's you sample the atmosphere, watch it build, go visit places and meet people. Then once the race starts it's go time!

[Aysedasi]

Originally Posted by garcon

I know many regulars who would be:

5. There's a race?!

That's quite true too Garc - it used to go for some of the guys I used to travel with!

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by Simmi

I think for me there's elements of #1 but with a bit of realism thrown in, averaging me out at a #1.5.

I do stay pretty much glued to RLM whenever they are on air. I like to know what's going on and I don't really want to lose the thread of the race. But obviously you need to go get a beer and merguez. And what's this about there being a girl in the crowd?

I think if you wanted to follow the race to the absolute nth detail you wouldn't actually go to Le Mans - you'd watch from home with a bank of monitors and a high-speed internet connection.

Being there in the days leading up to the race let's you sample the atmosphere, watch it build, go visit places and meet people. Then once the race starts it's go time!

I can see you have a very rational approch.
I mean that some are very focused on the race, some others let themselves being distracted by several subjects (a look at a pretty girl or a small fireworks). And about the 4th category, I was sure that no one here would have ticked it but they exist.

Concerning myself it's :
1 : from the start to the evening ;
2 : till the morning ;
2 or 3 on sunday morning or 1 again in case of emergency event (engines suddenly on fire for instance, ahem).

[Le Vieux]

Started out a 1 when in my thirties.

Thirty years later I'm definitely a 3

[nobster]

Once we stayed at campsite Expo( long ago!) and one of our neighbours sat in front of his tent for three days. Never saw him leave his place. At one point we thought hè had died but then all of a sudden he moved around.

[wewantourdarbyback]

I think one may be a little misleading, cars on track then I'm there watching every second, but that isn't the full week is it? You can spend a whole load of time soaking up the atmosphere and relaxing and still not miss a single moment on track.

It's what makes LM so great.

[ATLFalconsFAN]

Originally Posted by garcon

I know many regulars who would be:

5. There's a race?!

I think this is half the crowd at the Sebring 12 Hours!

[GT6]

Well on here we still have no votes for 3 or 4

[bella]

somewhere between a 1, 2, and a 3. there are moments when i'm obsessive and listening to rlm. equally there are moments where i'm strolling around unplugged from the race, or sat staring blankly at a big screen.

and i don't look at boys in the crowd. the crowd is not a place for windowshopping, it brings out the worst in everyone

[PascaLM]

Originally Posted by bella

and i don't look at boys in the crowd. the crowd is not a place for windowshopping, it brings out the worst in everyone

Excellent !