[Richard Hunniford]

Hi,

I’ve just returned from the Donegal Harvest, where yet again on an event there were stages lost or curtailed due to lack of marshals, I know Rally Ireland is next w/e, but it seems every rally I’ve been at this year (or decade) has been short of marshals, the situation is becoming critical as more and more seems to be expected from those that do show up.

We were on the stage for 13 hours from 6 a.m. to cover setting up, three runs and breaking down and the club gave us 15 Euros (I’m not getting at Donegal MC here btw it’s better than a woolly hat or nothing!) we were cold, wet, miserable and abused by the spectators and residents for just over 1 Euro an hour, you couldn’t get a wee lad to deliver papers for that! In addition by the time we paid accommodation / food / fuel we were more like 100 Euros down on the deal, and you wonder why no-one wants to marshal?

There have been loads of schemes over the years to encourage marshals or persuade or force competitors to do it and not much seems to have worked. So my question is, if through improved terms and conditions we recruited a large team of marshals well licenced and trained in safety and first aid would the club (or actually the competitors) meet their costs on events? We’re not talking about shelling out wads of cash to each marshal, if the club was canny they could strike a sponsorship deal with a local hotel there would only be maybe a 20 – 30 Euro increase in the entry fee. Would the competitors stick this to ensure that all the stages ran, and were manned by well trained individuals rather than a random speccy who’s entire training is ‘let them stand anywhere behind the tape’? We discussed it over dinner last and we reckoned, we could have had double our number of 15 with us, notably younger people, had all the expenses been covered.

We’re not re-inventing the wheel here, some of the deals to encourage marshals are nearly at this level now, is it co-incidence that those events have fewer shortages? The competitor already pays the costs for virtually every other official on the event, so why should we expect the marshal, who has one of the crappiest jobs to volunteer and pay for the privilege?

Let me know what you think

 

[Kenny Wilson]

hunnifordr, I have been preaching for this for years, but every time I do, either at the motorclub, or this forum, I am told to wise up. Yes rayl, I am directing this at you.

Thank god someone finally agrees with me.

Meet their hotel and meal expenses, and throw them a few quid for fuel.

After all, the rally ireland organisers can go to germany, finland and god knows where else - all on government money - to chase a pipedream. Wonder what they will provide for marshals next weekend working at the event? I could hazard a guess.

Meeting expenses for marshals is the only way the sport is going to survive. Listen to me now, and not in 5 years time when we don't have any stage rallying in ireland, never mind a round of the world championship.

 

[All okay here]

Hi you a bit negative arent you. Why wouldnt we have a round of the WRC.

Well why shouldnt you pay officals for putting months in taking time off work and travel long distances to meet residence

Were your sponsorship coming from, hard enough to run a rally on the budget avaliable most of the time.

IRISH RALLYING ISNT A PROFESSIONAL SPORT!!!

[Edited on 9-10-2005 by All okay here]

 

[jp ruth]

IRISH RALLYING ISNT A PROFESSIONAL SPORT!!!

[Edited on 9-10-2005 by All okay here] [/quote]


True Irish rallying is not a professional sport but can we at learst make it professional i think a big problem is people wont marshal because of the abuse they get and nobody gives a fuck about marshals they get no thanks for it. Motorsport Ireland and Motor clubs will look after the officials and scrutineers, but not the lads and lasses who stand out in the wind and rain time and time again, if they added 10 or 15euro on the each entry fee to cover the people who marshal it would be a massive help and it wouldnt break the bank on a competitors behalf. i know the cost of rallying as much as anyone and its crazy the cost of it, but its a sport we love and enjoy but unless we all agree that marshals get well looked after give it a year or two and we wont have marshals because sooner or later the faithfull marshals that do it now will give it up and just go spectate i think if enough people got it together and put it to motorsport ireland we could make this happen before its too late

 

[Eugene O'Kane]

I have said before that if every competition license holder had to marshall at least once a year in order to keep their license then I think we could solve this problem .

What does anyone else think ? ? ?

[Edited on 9-10-2005 by sheriffsdeputy]

 

[McS]

Compulsory Competitor marshalling

Originally posted by sheriffsdeputy
I have said before that if every competition license holder had to marshall at least once a year in order to keep their license then I think we could solve this problem .

What does anyone else think ? ? ?

[Edited on 9-10-2005 by sheriffsdeputy]

I AGREE .... and if they fail to marshal ... give 'em a 12 month suspension from holding a comp.licence... and if they want a new one... have to provide proof that they marshalled during their suspension !!
or what about doubling the entry fee for competitors who do not marshal ... they'll soon get the hint :laugh:

 

[x-works]

Compulsory Competitor marshalling is the best solution i can see, with an MSI official travelling around with the road opening car signing a dedicated space on each persons competition licence. Those who go to renew their licences the following year without signatures pay an increase over the normal cost. 1 signature for a single stage or multi-stage rally and 2 signatures (signed each day) for a 2 day event. Two signatures required for licence renewal. This however must be strictly monitered to ensure all signatures are genuine and that the person did indeed marshal, which if an MSI official were to be the one signing can easily be done, if the face on the licence doesn't match the person thats handing it to you, no signature.

 

[Mark Lowe]

Pay for Marshalls and clubs will put Entries up to get back what they have to put out.

How many marshalls do you pay without upsetting the non payed marshalls?

 

[shamrocket]

I THOUGHT THAT IN ORDER TO GET AN ENTRY NOW THAT YOU HAVE TO SHOW THAT YOU MARSHALLED FOR AT LEAST 2 EVENTS????? I KNOW A FEW COMPETITORS THAT HAVE TOLD ME THIS ALREADY, AM I CORRECT?

 

[Big_Brother]

I think Northern Ireland Championship you have to marshall one event to get card signed? get points taken off for not doing it - points added for marshalling

 

[anto]

us meaning mayo motor club wont spam your liance if you dont have marshaled 2 events and 1 small one ( autocross of hill climb etc)

andtrust me there will be people who wont get a liance next year from us...

 

[Pat Condon]

i agree that it should be compulsory that you must marshel at least one event a year to optain licence

 

[Eoiny]

Galway motor club sent out little membership cards last march along with a letter stating that you have to marshall/timekeep ect. at one or more events and get you're card and licence signed by the official in charge of you or else they will not stamp youre licence next year so you will end up paying double for you're licence. If more motor clubs took on this scheme we should have plenty of marshalls!!

 

[William Neill]

i like this idea but dont agree that doubling their entry fee will help as some of these top guys moneys nothing but NO RALLYING FOR 12 MONTHS great idea McS

 

[angleboxman]

Having marshalled on many occassions myself I must agree that it is a thankless task but to levy competitors furthur in order to pay marshalls seems a bit harsh. After all when a theatre hosts a show they don't charge the entertainers to participate - they in fact charge the audience to watch the show and the proceeds pay the entertainers and staff.

Would there be no possibility of looking into a system of charging the spectators at big events and using the takings to subsidise marshalls at all events?

Think of the clubman competitor who prepares their own car spending endless nights in the garage and spending money that could be better spent elsewhere. Obviously they enjoy their sport but so do many others who contribute very little.

 

[Ray L]

When yous talk of paying and professional marshals you are treading a thin line as when you pay eg give cash over, the club running the event would need to source employeers liability insurance to cover any signed on person getting injured on the event(more expense if cover can be found) and professional/ licensed marshals, whos doing the training and licensing because who covers the legal aspect of a marshal trying to assist an injured crew and doing more harm than good, whos going to court? The COC will say we paid him for his professional service, therfore the marshal is up in court!
Yes i have no problem with subsidising accomodation etc but the majority of marshals who volunteer are only to happy to be treated with a bit of respect, a wave etc from an official car and a decent meal at the end of the event!

 

[Steve]

any word on the wolly hats from ulster RayL?

 

[Kenny Wilson]

rayl, time wake up and smell the coffee served at the meals at the end of the event

In the meantime, if I ever marshal again, I will be over the moon and feel greatly honoured to be waved at by some ponce in an official car - that will really make marshalling worth getting my bollox froze off, being abused by spectators for putting them behind the tape, only for them to be moved by the waving officials as they are not standing in a safe place.

And the decent meal at the end of the event, forget it. I have a 4 hour drive home ahead of me - gimme 5 euro for a burger and chips instead.

Seriously though, I would love the spirit of marshalling to be refuelled. Subsidise our overnight stay and €25 for petrol - that would be enough for me and my old buddies to get out marshalling again.

 

[Mike Hunt]

I think the top 10 -15 should be made pay more to subsidise the marshalling as a lot off them have big sponsorship deals free tyres and get all the press and tv coverage .as the rest off us have too buck our own goat and pay the same entry fee .you might get 2 sec coverage if you crash or get a class win .after all a lot off spectators clear off when the main field go through except for a few hardliners

 

[leitrimabu]

The motor sport marshaling partnership have gone to a lot of effort to try and reward marshals and the efforts have NOT been responded to with great enthusiasm. What has happened is increasing numbers of marshals on safety plan rather than quality. My personal belief is that roads should be closed a mile away from stages and then the troublesome spectator who wishes to drive to the mouth of the location and do doughnuts will be deterred. Also they will not be able to carry their 6 packs that distance - they will have it consumed by the time they arrive and then they will have to walk back and DRIVE for more.