Underwhelming Flagging

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Originally posted by Mark Novak:
agreed. but our cornerworkers are hardworking underpaid people that sit in the heat for 10 hours so we can play.

Mediocrity always has excuses. If all it takes to get a full compliment of competent corner workers is increased compensation, then I for one am willing to pay a little extra in the way of fees for that. An extra $2 per race entry would easily cover a doubling of the corner worker pay at OHR.

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I guess my point is we should be thankful for the folks who show up to do it

I'm thankful if they are competent.

Barry and Claire do an admirable job given their resources. Maybe they could use some additional resources?

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In a perfect world the flaggers would sprint to the correct spot and warn the masses, in our world they show up to a thankless job and do the best they know how.

In a perfect world there'd be no crashes or hazards. [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] Is it possible to improve upon "the best that they know how" and also the "thankless job" part? Actually I don't buy your "thankless" assertion. Quite a few riders wave to the corner workers during the warm down lap; I do, and I assume the other racers who do are also trying to convey their thanks and appreciation to the corner workers. As a former and future corner worker who was compansated, provided lunch and afforded an outstanding view of the day's racing, I never felt unappreciated. On the contrary, I actually felt honored that people would entrust me to look out for their safety. I felt a sense of real responsibility; and that vigilence and determination were my mission.

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Maybe we could hire full time professional cornerworkers? [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

Being a weekend only venue, and being only once or twice monthly, that might be difficult.

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I understand your concern Blake.

Thanks. I don't want to reveal my true nature and get into a brutal war of words here. :p [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] Just wanted to apprise those who are in a position to address such issues. If those same key people want some constructive suggestions concerning how to possibly improve things, I'm sure there are plenty of folks here with good ideas. [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

Quote:

Originally posted by Mark Novak:
agreed. but our cornerworkers are hardworking underpaid people that sit in the heat for 10 hours so we can play.

Mediocrity always has excuses. If all it takes to get a full compliment of competent corner workers is increased compensation, then I for one am willing to pay a little extra in the way of fees for that. An extra $2 per race entry would easily cover a doubling of the corner worker pay at OHR.

Quote:

I guess my point is we should be thankful for the folks who show up to do it

I'm thankful if they are competent.

Barry and Claire do an admirable job given their resources. Maybe they could use some additional resources?

Quote:

In a perfect world the flaggers would sprint to the correct spot and warn the masses, in our world they show up to a thankless job and do the best they know how.

In a perfect world there'd be no crashes or hazards. [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] Is it possible to improve upon "the best that they know how" and also the "thankless job" part? Actually I don't buy your "thankless" assertion. Quite a few riders wave to the corner workers during the warm down lap; I do, and I assume the other racers who do are also trying to convey their thanks and appreciation to the corner workers. As a former and future corner worker who was compansated, provided lunch and afforded an outstanding view of the day's racing, I never felt unappreciated. On the contrary, I actually felt honored that people would entrust me to look out for their safety. I felt a sense of real responsibility; and that vigilence and determination were my mission.

Quote:

Maybe we could hire full time professional cornerworkers? [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

Being a weekend only venue, and being only once or twice monthly, that might be difficult.

Quote:

I understand your concern Blake.

Thanks. I don't want to reveal my true nature and get into a brutal war of words here. :p [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] Just wanted to apprise those who are in a position to address such issues. If those same key people want some constructive suggestions concerning how to possibly improve things, I'm sure there are plenty of folks here with good ideas. [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/smile.gif[/img]

Blake, the only thing you seem to be forgetting is that the same face rarely shows up twice to corner work. Even you, who felt honored to be trusted with such a job ditched it for racing as soon as you could.

I don't believe compensation will yeild the competancy in every cw as you desire. $100 for a new guy doesn't get you better results than $50 for a new guy. He/She is still a new guy.

See the delimma in getting "regulars" who would be more in tune with the job task?

Perhaps you should postpone your racing endeavors until such a time as better trained personell can man the corners. [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img]

Blake, the only thing you seem to be forgetting is that the same face rarely shows up twice to corner work. Even you, who felt honored to be trusted with such a job ditched it for racing as soon as you could.

I don't believe compensation will yeild the competancy in every cw as you desire. $100 for a new guy doesn't get you better results than $50 for a new guy. He/She is still a new guy.

See the delimma in getting "regulars" who would be more in tune with the job task?

Perhaps you should postpone your racing endeavors until such a time as better trained personell can man the corners. [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/wink.gif[/img] [img]/ubbthreads/images/%%GRAEMLIN_URL%%/laugh.gif[/img]

I have to agree- the corner working was pretty bad this weekend. Endurance and sprints. I came on 3 wrecks with people/debris in the road and saw one flag. Not good odds if someone's life and safety is on the line. I guess we just get very spoiled having such excellent corner workers that when we have anything less than perfect flagging we tend to overemphasize the negative.

I have to agree- the corner working was pretty bad this weekend. Endurance and sprints. I came on 3 wrecks with people/debris in the road and saw one flag. Not good odds if someone's life and safety is on the line. I guess we just get very spoiled having such excellent corner workers that when we have anything less than perfect flagging we tend to overemphasize the negative.

barry and claire do an outstanding job. they are at the track well before you are to get things set up for your safety. barry gives a meeting with specific flagging instructions for the day. and yes, cornerworkers are underappreciated. How many days did you work? most people do what they are required and never show up again. It is something they have to do, not necessarily what they want to do. Flags go up on the prior corner to an incident. Sometimes slower than others as it is hard to hear the radios with all the noise. I dont believe i have ever seen after a race weekend someone come over and thank the cornerworkers. on the board yes after everything is said and done, mostly by barry and claire and someone that got picked up. There are only a few cornerworkers that show up race after race. The pay barely covers food lodging and gas. so where do you want to get your experienced workers? Most people think the cornerworkers do a good job, a very good job. Maybe you'll realize this, God forbid, if you ever go down and see just how quick they are there for you and try to attend to your needs. maybe you can start cornerworking on the days you don't race and help out? Off my box now

barry and claire do an outstanding job. they are at the track well before you are to get things set up for your safety. barry gives a meeting with specific flagging instructions for the day. and yes, cornerworkers are underappreciated. How many days did you work? most people do what they are required and never show up again. It is something they have to do, not necessarily what they want to do. Flags go up on the prior corner to an incident. Sometimes slower than others as it is hard to hear the radios with all the noise. I dont believe i have ever seen after a race weekend someone come over and thank the cornerworkers. on the board yes after everything is said and done, mostly by barry and claire and someone that got picked up. There are only a few cornerworkers that show up race after race. The pay barely covers food lodging and gas. so where do you want to get your experienced workers? Most people think the cornerworkers do a good job, a very good job. Maybe you'll realize this, God forbid, if you ever go down and see just how quick they are there for you and try to attend to your needs. maybe you can start cornerworking on the days you don't race and help out? Off my box now

You go, Mark! Couldn't have said it better myself.
Anytime Blake wants the job, it is his. We will deliver ALL the shirts, boxes etc. and he can wash all the CW shirts (50-100) after each weekend. Replinish the survival kits, keep tack of who worked for their license and who got paid and listen to the excuses of those who said they would be there to work and just didn't bother to show. Then figure out if Joe Blows girl friend or pregnant wife can handle it out on the corner while he sits in pits. Oh and yes, you have to buy all of the drinks, deserts and treats to keep the corner workers happy in the heat for at least 10 hours. On race days, you can figure a way to get water to the farthest corner, having to cross the track during endurance races, because somone ran out of water. And of course, you have to wear a helmet in the 100 degree heat.
Blake, I can take criticism but I expect solutions from those who choose to sit on the sidelines and find fault.
You want professional Corner Workers? They are located on the east and west coasts. $2 per entry fee will not fly them in, house and feed them and pay their salary. We have tried using organizations, they last maybe 3 races.
We have been doing this for 10 years and tried it all. We are ready for new blood. You find it for us and we will be gone in a flash.

Claire

You go, Mark! Couldn't have said it better myself.
Anytime Blake wants the job, it is his. We will deliver ALL the shirts, boxes etc. and he can wash all the CW shirts (50-100) after each weekend. Replinish the survival kits, keep tack of who worked for their license and who got paid and listen to the excuses of those who said they would be there to work and just didn't bother to show. Then figure out if Joe Blows girl friend or pregnant wife can handle it out on the corner while he sits in pits. Oh and yes, you have to buy all of the drinks, deserts and treats to keep the corner workers happy in the heat for at least 10 hours. On race days, you can figure a way to get water to the farthest corner, having to cross the track during endurance races, because somone ran out of water. And of course, you have to wear a helmet in the 100 degree heat.
Blake, I can take criticism but I expect solutions from those who choose to sit on the sidelines and find fault.
You want professional Corner Workers? They are located on the east and west coasts. $2 per entry fee will not fly them in, house and feed them and pay their salary. We have tried using organizations, they last maybe 3 races.
We have been doing this for 10 years and tried it all. We are ready for new blood. You find it for us and we will be gone in a flash.

Claire