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« on: 07 Feb 26, 11:08 am »
Ian, I have just read your posting on the possible/likely need to limit the number of entries to some, of this year’s events, so in order to seek clarification, I have felt the need to reply.
Normally I would have left this to be raised and debated by the membership at an A.G.M. as I believe it will have a major impact on most, if not all of those seeking to attend events throughout the coming year.
I say this as we appear to be no nearer fixing a date for said A.G.M., therefore I believe your posting represents the best avenue to air and generate a discussion regarding the “selection process” of who gets to play and who gets excluded.
This can of course be continued at the A.G.M. if thought necessary.
First off can I take this opportunity to thank you and the other members of the committee for all the work you have done behind the scenes in order to keep the club going and expanding.
So down to the matter at hand, that of the methodology and criteria proposed for selecting the numbers able to attend the club events and the thorny issue of “Novice Drivers”, the track time allotted to them, not to mention how the assessment of “Novice Drivers” can and will take place thus allowing them to graduate to go play with the “Big Boys and Girls”.
In addition, you also took the opportunity to highlight, “the known reliability issues of certain karts”, being a problem area, referencing, “the time taken to recover broken-down karts”. Can we also assume that these areas of concern were extrapolated from data compiled during the recent safety review undertaken by the committee and did this review consider or identify any causal links with or to any drivers?
With regards to the issues surrounding the build quality of certain karts and issues that may have been identified on driver performance as it relates to safety, you might wish to address these matters separately along with the progression of “Novice Drivers”.
I appreciate there is, or will now be, a need to restrict the number of attendees at certain events but to achieve this you seek to implement a selection criteria based on the following:-
1) When a request to attend is/was received
2) How likely is it that the person applying will attend and
3) Has the person in question attended past events
No selection process can be completely flawless but I do see a number of issues which require clarification and may require further scrutiny and refinement.
THE INITIAL APPLICATION TO ATTEND.
When a request is received, what audit trail exists for said application?
This initial stage is probably the best indicator of a person’s intent and willingness to attend, after all if you are following the “event announcements”, then that says a lot. Only one problem, a large number of members names appeared on the list of those wishing to attend but there does not appear to be any posting made by these individuals seeking their inclusion.
Surely if this is to be a recognised “criteria” then the same application process should be followed by one and all as this process will generate and confirm the, “when an application was made and by whom”.
HOW LIKELY IS IT THE APPLICANT WILL ATTEND
Difficult one, but as we all know s*** happens. Perhaps a “sanction-based system” would work better, in that first time you are a “no show” without good or timely reason then you get a yellow card. Second time a red, and you are automatically excluded from that event the following year. Discuss.
HAVE THEY ATTENDED PAST EVENTS
Very controversial.
There appears to be several factors or elements at work within this selection criteria which need to be examined in isolation.
Past Attendance.
Let us consider the, “Novice Drivers and New Members”. This should raise an instantaneous red flag. This group or section of our membership are at a distinct disadvantage having little or no “previous history of attending events”. Are they to be automatically excluded or placed at the bottom of the “invitation list” meaning little or no chance of getting to play with the other members?
If we strive to be a Club seeking to include a representative cross-section of ALL MEMBERS at events, then this element of the selection process needs to be revisited. Surely it cannot stand as it unfairly favours one group over another.
A further factor to be considered is the event locations. Yes we do all know where these events are held and yes this does not change year on year but this is the problem for some members ( full disclosure I mean myself and some others ).
Realistically it is easier for members living in the Midlands or South of England to attend all or as many of the events as they wish, unlike those North of the wall and on the extremities of the Cyclekart GB empire. A round trip for me to one event is 1000 miles ++ and 3 or more nights’ accommodation. As the Americans say, “you do the math”, and calculate the cost of attending multiple events. It’s not the lack of commitment on our part, just the lack of funds. Are we to be excluded because we are the poor relations in the North?
One final thought, by implementing a formal and strict selection process, based on the above, you appear to have failed to recognise or mention the occasions when members have committed to attend events and at the last moment it has been cancelled. So, will those members who committed to go to these events, be given an, “attendance credit” to be offset against a “no show”? Just asking!!!!
Regards,
Scotty ( a.k.a. Charlie S )
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