fiasco Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sofa King Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
> > I worked a rally once.
> >
> > It's not an experience that I care to
> repeat.
> >
> >
> > Kevin Hawkinson
> > Seattle, WA
> > 83 Volvo 240 Gp5 (in progress)
> > 35-ish
>
>
> Hmmmph. The first rally I ever went to I signed up
> to work, without much of a clue of what I was
> getting into. I showed up and my assignment was to
> follow John Buffum and do what he tells you to do.
> Which was quite the adventure in my XR4 at Maine
> Winter.
>

The first rally I ever went to I signed up to work, without much of a clue of what I was getting into. It was 2000 DooWops. I got stuck watching some pieces of orange tape out in the middle of some random stage (now know as "Smith Creek". I had no idea what the schedule was, and I was alone. The weather was typical NW coast drizzle. I was cold, wet, hungry, bored, alone, and had no idea how long I was going to be there, or whether anyone would even stop by to let me know when it was over.

> What would whoever have to do to have you re-consider?

- I won't go alone.
- I want a radio, or scanner, or SOMETHING so I can hear what's going on.
- I want a schedule.
- Hot food (and I don't mean the spaghetti dinner after the rally)
- Shelter (not the vehicle we got there in)
- Heat (outside the vehicle)

I'm not expecting the organizers to supply anything but the schedule and a list of operating frequencies. I totally realize that workers gotta bring their own gear.

But because of that experience, it'll be a long time before I volunteer again, and definitely NOT before I have the gear to make the situation reasonable comfortable.

---

Monika Hawkinson
Seattle, WA

Kevin,

Man that must have sucked! There is no way that any worker should be out on there own like that. Do you have a HAM license? If you ever want to try working again you are welcome to come with me. The last two rallies that I worked were fun.

Robert.

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

Oh, that wasn't too far off what Brett and I did with Buffum at that Maine Winter, and we froze and realized we needed better preparation next time. But we still had fun. Unfortunately there is sometimes a breakdown between organizer and worker with regard to food and documentation/schedules. Then again, sometimes I've gotten shirts, meals, and even had a twenty handed to me to cover some of my gas.

Getting radio frequencies is a HUGE help, although I figured out after a while to just scan up and down the 2 meter range (144-148 mhz) and you could usually find them out yourself. Now that I have my ham ticket, when I work, it will probably be at a start or finish as a radio person/control worker, although sometimes it's nice to just go block a road, keep an eye out for civilians, and watch the cars go by.

---

Andrew Steere
Lyndeborough, NH
KB1PJY

At least in Maine (now NEFR), you can still bring a few cold ones, in a cooler, out with you (to enjoy after the work is done). I have heard from reliable sources that this year, the STPR Fun Police are gonna do complementary rectal exams (with a post hole digger) to anyone found in the woods who fails their sobriety test.

---

Ted Mendham
www.rensport.net

Ok, I filled out my forms abnd emailed them off for the Oregon Trail rally.

Racinkid13 Wrote:
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> Ok, I filled out my forms abnd emailed them off
> for the Oregon Trail rally.
>
> - Max -
> 01 Taco
> 84 Burb
> 83 GTI


Thank you so much! Maybe you'll get stuck working with me bwahahahahahahah!

how close are the stages to hilsboro? if close enough, i have a place to crash.

no where near ... they are running out of Mt. Hood this year.

---

First Rally: 2001
Driver (7), Co-Driver (44)
Drivers (16)
Clerk (10), Official (7), Volunteer (4)
Cars Built (1), Engines Built (0) Cages Built (0)
Last Updated, January 4, 2015

Quote
john vanlandingham
Blame is for idiots. losers.

Racinkid13 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> how close are the stages to hilsboro? if close
> enough, i have a place to crash.
>
> - Max -
> 01 Taco
> 84 Burb
> 83 GTI


Rally America hasn't updated their site yet to show the change to the Mt Hood area. If you need a place to stay, I have a little "flip and fuck" couch in my spare room and you're welcome to use it. I'm in Fairview which isn't all that far from Hood River (or at least I don't think so) and I'll be heading home each night afterwards (it's also not too far from PIR either).

I may have a teenager or two with me, but they can just sleep on the floor in the living room, teenagers are flexible like that.

12xalt Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> here
>
> they have a form to either print and
> mail/fax/email back to them, right now they don't
> have one to just fillout online and hit submit
>
>

This is one thing that could probably be improved right there. I would imagine that direct communications with all potential workers is a major factor in volunteer turnout. All the rallies in the state (or perhaps both Oregon and Washington, and even BC) should have one online database and online form for volunteers to sign-up for, and that would retain their contact information. That way the list of past and potential volunteers is shared by all events and the organizers don't have to start from scratch every event every year, and end up losing a lot of potential workers in the process. This is how the California Rally Series does it - look here: http://www.rallydata.com/default.cfm

Oh, and swag, food, a lottery for rides in rally cars, and if possible, hotel, would all help as well, like others have said. Maybe work on people's sense that they're special for doing this - exclusive t-shirts for workers only that cannot be purchased? Exclusive worker bumper stickers? Both of these with the year of the event prominently displayed, so that they want to come back to renew them. How about exclusive groups on myspace and facebook too so that people can "show off" online too? These are just some examples, but you can follow the core ideas and extend them into other things.

Think of what are all the factors that motivate workers to volunteer and to return? I think they work for the fun of it, for feeling appreciated, and for feeling proud that they are a part of this. Try to maximize each of those for each worker. And try to minimize any factor that would keep them away: boredom, tiredness(?), stress, confusion, or the lack of any of the positives above.

Good luck!

---

-----------------------------
http://www.max-attack.com

Years ago we had the Olympus/Nagel group and Rainier Auto Sport Club both doing PNW rallies. Rainier was an actual club and had the club attitude. That is a good thing btw, they knew each other, met regularly, had a bond that just volunteering doesn't create. I remember a group of workers that were called Time Bandits. they had signs and banners on their stage. I also remember a group of ladies that always worked together and handed out candy ( may have been the Time Bandits also...been a long while ).

We have a bit of that now with the ORG stage group but not quite as strong. Very little of that with the PRG.

There is no organized recruitment from PRG. No soliciting high schools, civic groups, car clubs etc. Feeble attempts at a data base. Never a mention in the local areas that a rally is coming and help is needed AND more importantly TRAINING provided.

A good start would be someone actually doing a data base ( and not someone volunteering to and never doing it ). Without mentioning names there is a person who always volunteers for stuff, usually before anyone else can get a hand in the air. That person means well but has so much stuff on their plate from personal and professional life that nothing ever gets done right or on time, sometimes not at all. Find an outgoing, non ego driven person that can start and maintain a data base for volunteers, aid with recruitment and we're on the right track. Training is easy with a venue and bodies. We just need the jump start and a feraless leader type with no other rally commitments.

You are right on Gene. I have been thinking the same things. Do you remember the Black Sheep Marshals?

Merrilee and I are working on a booklet and getting a training seminar together but we can't do it all.

Robert.

---

Robert.

"You are way too normal to be on Rally Anarchy." Eddie Fiorelli.

One nice thing the Mt. Washington "Climb to the Clouds" did was hand out pins in a ceremony for workers after working 5 years. Of course, my 5th year they ran out of pins, and that was the last year the true all-out cars ran. Last one I worked as well, so no pin for me!!

Taking Rallymech's advice and deleting !



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 05/05/2009 12:05PM by Morten2.

Morten2 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> Sofa King Wrote:
> --------------------------------------------------
> -----
>
> > - I won't go alone.
> > - I want a radio, or scanner, or SOMETHING so
> I
> > can hear what's going on.
> > - I want a schedule.
> > - Hot food (and I don't mean the spaghetti
> dinner
> > after the rally)
> > - Shelter (not the vehicle we got there in)
> > - Heat (outside the vehicle)
> > Kevin Hawkinson
> > Seattle, WA
> > 83 Volvo 240 Gp5 (in progress)
> > 35-ish
>
> I see a whole lot of "I WANT" !
>
> You're not a high maintenance primadonna volunteer
> are you ?
>
> Without volunteers "sucking it up", alot of event
> wouldn't happen.
>
> Imagine when you do your first stage rally and
> rather than having a volunteer every 5KM on a
> stage who's cold, alone, hungry (because he didn't
> have the foresight to pack a lunch or bring a
> power bar) that the distance was 10KM... you and
> your co-driver go off, get hurt, and the
> difference in response time that exists between
> having a guy every 5KM to 10KM due to a lack of
> volunteers "who WILL suck it up" is crutial to the
> well being and physical recovery to you and your
> co-driver...
>
> People make sacrifices for others.
>
> When you do your first stage rally, are buckled
> in, the time is getting counted down... think
> about this thread, and all the people who are
> alone, cold, hungry and making a sacrifice for
> your well being as you're doing the sport you
> love.
>
> Without volunteers willing to suck it up... we
> wouldn't have Rally !
>

Shut up, fool.
Kevin has done tons of work on lots of people's cars.
Volunteer work. Physical work. Welding, installing, wrenching.

Without people having cars to rally there would be no rally.
The biggest whiner in decades to be telling people to suck it up deserves far more contempt that I can manage.

The rest of your general fluff, oh fuck, give us a break.

He was left in the woods alone unprepared and was never talked to, relieved, told when it was all over, anything.
Even a dolt as thick as you ought to see that is not how to treat volunteer which we all know all without your pap, all events depend on.



>
>
>
>
>
>

---

John Vanlandingham
Sleezattle, WA, USA

Vive le Prole-le-ralliat

www.rallyrace.net/jvab
CALL +1 206 431-9696
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is 3 hours behind Eastern Standard Time.