Just to throw something out there

[Tim]

On Saturday morning I flagged for a couple of hours . Not "bigging" myself up , rather , it was the first time I had ever flagged at a TMCC road race meeting............

A few things immediately became apparent -
I only did it for a couple of hours , our flaggies usually do it for a minimum of 8 hours...
We can "get away" with 1 flaggie on each point , but 8 hours is a long time to talk to yourself , remain alert etc....I got bored with mooning riders very quickly , especially when a certain Mr Taylor kept asking me to do it again.......
I was concerned that if a rider fell , natural instinct would be to help , when it is imperative that we remain on our post .

So - 6 flaggies best , maybe a four hour stint max .

We have looked at many options from within over the years , tried different things , and still find ourselves short of flaggies .
I have yet to hear a rider comment that entry fees are cheap . I wonder if we introduced a scheme whereby if a rider provided a flaggie for a given meeting , their entry fee would be heavily discounted for that meeting . This hasn't been before the committee , just wondering what you all think .

[number2]

Hi Tim
I'm not sure what happens with 'Flaggies' presently. I know that Alistair Reid was 'our' appointed 'Flaggie' Co-Ordinator back when he was part of the Sub Committee.......
Then Donna used to make up 'Snack bags', issued to the Guys and Gals.....
The Flaggies were also given 'free rein' of the "Chuck Truck's" finest. And a freebie beer or 'Run'n coke'  after the Action.
I believe that a "Flaggies" Appointment should be as much part of the "Sub" guys as the other positions. And be issued with 'Walkie Talkies' and kept informed with what's going on, or directed by Chief Marshal etc where needed. Perhaps it may help when planning Meetings that, FINISH time be taken into account? Aside from the Riders, what about the 'others' involved?  Work tomorrow? Missus's expectations? Kids? Planning a meeting is hard. Those that don't know, have no idea! But if anyone wants to talk to Donna, her number is 0414 365778. Anyone doesn't? She'll still sleep like a log! Thinks we're all mad anyway.
Lots of Love
#2
IMO: Winter start early. Summer start late. Rocket Science?

[Matt69]

And be issued with 'Walkie Talkies' and kept informed with what's going on, or directed by Chief Marshal etc where needed.

This would definitely be an improvement. I did a short stint as flaggy last weekend and there was a minor problem that I had to run back to the pits to sort out whereas if the falg points had 2 way radios could have been sorted more easily...oh and I wouldn't have been yelled at by Shane.

You'd probably need 6 for down there one at each flag point, one for the tower, one for the grid marshall and one for the CoC.

Matt

[Will]

[ I wouldn't have been yelled at by Shane.

What if we all get walkie talkies so that Shane can yell at us from further away? 

In seriousness I think that walkies are an awsome idea, it also gives the flagies something extra to do, a few extra flags and a walkie might mean a faster and more local warning of fluid on the track rather then just a general warning at the canteen turn flag point. Some of our more experienced flagies may be able to radio the COC before a rider on a damaged or leaking machine can make it to the main flag point and miss the needed black flag.

But my guess is the issue is that standing out in the sun waving a stick at motorcycle racers isnt as great as it sounds. Its hot and you have 0 things to do until someone does a helmet test. In all other tarmac sports I have been involved in the flaggies were radioed for a track condition report after every 2nd or 3rd event. It ment that everyone had to keep an eye on things. Also they had SHADE, lots of shade. Young Joel came back in on Saturday looking really red and we were lucky to have him back on Sunday. Shade devices can be cheap and as long as they are anchored so they cant kill anyone I cant see how they would hurt.

Please dont get me wrong, Im not saying we are screwing up or doing a bad job, I think the club is outstanding. Im just throwing some thoughts around.

Maybe a few hundred bucks worth of walkies and some decent portable shade divices might be the go.  As for the people doing it, why not pay some poor uni students to do it? Smart kids and they could use the money!

[Tim]

I remain vehemently opposed to the use of walkie talkies by flaggies at our line of sight track.

[Tim]

I did a short stint as flaggy last weekend and there was a minor problem that I had to run back to the pits to sort out whereas if the falg points had 2 way radios could have been sorted more easily

Matt

A minor problem...........and you left your flag point ?

[Matt69]

I did a short stint as flaggy last weekend and there was a minor problem that I had to run back to the pits to sort out whereas if the flag points had 2 way radios could have been sorted more easily

Matt

A minor problem...........and you left your flag point ?

There was actually a young fella there who just needed a bit of hand holding so it wasn't abandonded. the minor problem was actually no flags on flag point one so it really had to be fixed. Maybe I understated it.

[Tim]

The young bloke did a great job - as did all our flaggies ( thanks guys and gals)

If the flag - (we only need the yellow) was missing from the point , there was a breakdown in procedure .

I may be old fashioned, but relying on radios to "fix" such problems means there is other problems that need addressing .

Points to ponder :

We have used radios in the past .The noise of bikes , coupled with radios worth " a few hundred" , and lack of radio procedure training , has revealed that the only time radio comms is effective is between races . Reliance on them is a folly .


We use a line of sight track

Flaggies don't need to be kept informed of whats going on , their  role entails knowing what's going on from their flagpoint to the next one, and displaying the yellow flag as appropriate.

Yellow flag as a catch all - do competitors at Suncity  react differently to a yellow flag / a yellow with red stripes - seriously  , do they
The allocation/use of flags as precribed in the GCR to/by flaggies  is solely at the discretion of the COC. This allows the COC to exercise his own discretion in the use or otherwise of each particular flag by flaggies , and his judgement in whether those flaggies have been appropriately trained in their  judicious use of each flag.The steward of course can demand  use of the other flags - I wonder if that person would also be happy to train the flaggies "on the spot" ........

Shade structures - each flag point , with the exception of pit lane - has a fixed shade . Addition of portable shade structures will restrict vision , and introduce more "furniture" to the track area.
Racing - ( not practice , as flaggies weren't required for practice a few years ago ) , was almost always done at late evening/night.......I wonder why.

Payment of flaggies - During my time on the committee , I / we couldn't find any service organisations / scouts / students etc etc interested in reliably providing flaggies that didn't dictate  another $ 10.00 in nominations per rider.......

I know this all sounds negative , but I am a keen observer , and have officiated at enough meetings at Suncity to be able to make what I consider to be reasoned informed comment.

For the record , as a competitor I have never been troubled by the performance ( or lack of ) of any flaggie at Suncity. As an official , any problems with flaggies were minor , and quickly addressed


I am only one club member , with no role apart from occasional race participant - and foul mouthed commentator apparently -  , but hear me well - until we have  a core of regular , keen and trained flaggies , co-ordinated by a permanent , keen and trained co-ordinator , introduction of new methodology / extra flags / radios  is at best a bandaid measure , and will create more problems than it solves .

[Will]

So you have some strong feelings on this one Tim? 

[Tim]

Hey Will

Not really - although the way I type - short and to the point - has got me into trouble before......

Time and motion efficiency  is a fundamental part of my business operation , which I monitor closely . This also spills over into my day to day observation of my surroundings , be it at work , in the supermarket queue or at a race meeting .

My post - while lengthy ,  was reasonably concise and factual and an attempt to identify things that have been tried in the past , and to provoke new thought and ideas , rather than rehashing the same old ones that haven't worked

It is interesting to note that while supplying flaggies has always been a difficulty , 6 years ago - 30 to 40 competitors at a meeting - were able to produce 6 flaggies . We now have meetings with 60 plus competitors , and struggle to find 3 flaggies ( this is not intended as a good old days speech , I hate that crap ).

Rather , my post is about trying to foster a sense of meeting ownership  - dare I say responsibility - from within that takes the supply / procurement of flaggies from being "some IHAVETHEMOUTHOFADRUNKENSAILOR will do it" , to enabling a competitor actually make a significant contribution to a meeting that will

- help relieve race day organiser's stress
- possibly lower an individuals entry fee
- give a rider a warm fuzzy feeling , without actually doing anything themselves , except bring a mate etc along ...


and is a one - off thing , that doesn't mean losing a ride , or lead to any long-term committment .

Our road racing is  constantly evolving , let's see what we can do with this aspect........

[Tim]

Time and motion efficiency  is a fundamental part of my business operation ,

Actually , time and motion efficiency dictates that a two-stroke machine  be used for racing...........