Print your own tickets

[Dave Brand]

At MSV circuits, except Cadwell, from next year competitors, marshals & officials will be able to print their own tickets.

See:

http://news.oultonpark.co.uk/msv-int...mpetitors.aspx

Looks good to me!

[Pete Howarth]

All well and good, but what about those that don't have access to a printer, or those that don't use email (There are still some about)?

[numbersix]

Welcome, clubs, to the 21st Century.

[Woolley]

A very sensible move, as long as there's an 'I don't have a printer and can't use t'internet' option for PCs...

I like the idea of free WiFi too. If that's coupled with timing screens it could be a major boost for flaggies. We don't like to admit it, but occasionally some of us don't have a clue what's going on on circuit.

[Bodysnatcher]

At Brands we've already used the system for the CSCC meeting a couple of weeks ago.
Obvious benefits both to MSV (printing costs) and the club (mailing costs).

For MSV meetings at Brands we already have a hard card - in it's second iteration with a barcode that's read when we come through the gate. Why it is'nt used for all Brands meetings I do not know.

So, I have to ask, what's the benefit to us? It's just a cost that's been shifted onto us, albeit a small one.

BTW wifi to TSL? Using your phone or laptop when the track is live - some of the old skool would crucify you

[Adam43]

Originally Posted by Pete Howarth

All well and good, but what about those that don't have access to a printer, or those that don't use email (There are still some about)?

I'm looking forward to them posting their views here.

[kipper]

I have to admit that I'm not overly in favour. Whilst I appreciate that there is a financial saving to circuits, I'm not overly comfortable with this being passed on to marshals (particularly as I don't have a printer). Perhaps a sensible option would be on volunteering there is an option to select as to whether you need a hard or electronic ticket.

[mick from macc]

Before long this www. revoulution is going to f^%k itself up its own A$%s

[racerkeke]

In North America most tracks/clubs use either a Google form attached to their website or the MotorsportReg site. You find the event you want to attend, fill out the online form and hit enter. They send you an email or text confirmation. The club's admin has access to the list of registered marshals and prints it off for the gate and/or registration (even if you fill out the form the night before). Show your license to match up with the list and Bob's your uncle. No printer required. Would something like this work in the UK?

We also receive SCCA hard card licenses if we've submitted the correct forms for a yearly registration when we renew our licenses (for legal reasons the forms must be notarized by an event registrar or a notary public). The hard card contains all our medical and contact info in a scannable pattern on the back of the license. This allows us to skip the registration/waiver step which otherwise must be done every day.

Just some ideas from overseas that might work for you, too.
keke

[Dave Brand]

Originally Posted by racerkeke

In North America most tracks/clubs use either a Google form attached to their website or the MotorsportReg site. You find the event you want to attend, fill out the online form and hit enter.

BMMC's online volunteering website does that for its members, covering most organising clubs, circuits & disciplines.

The club's admin has access to the list of registered marshals and prints it off for the gate and/or registration (even if you fill out the form the night before). Show your license to match up with the list and Bob's your uncle. No printer required. Would something like this work in the UK?

The MSV system won't require the people on the gate to read through a list that can contain several hundred names (it will also be used for competitors), just a simple scan of the barcode on the printed-out ticket & thejob's done. The system will eventually be extended to include spectators. . . the list will then run into thousands!

Maybe one day we'll see clubs using barcode readers to speed up the sign-on process!

[M Greenslade]

Will we be able to print of a spare ticket for a friend, loved one or colleague etc or is the end of that very very small benefit.....

Bladders

[Bodysnatcher]

Originally Posted by M Greenslade

Will we be able to print of a spare ticket for a friend, loved one or colleague etc or is the end of that very very small benefit.....

Bladders

Bladders, our download allocation for the recent CSCC was 2 e-tickets.
However today was back to scan the marshal's hardcard.

[EnglishPaddy]

Bladders, our download allocation for the recent CSCC was 2 e-tickets.

. . . which you can forward by email to your guest.


C.

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

For MSV meetings at Brands we already have a hard card - in it's second iteration with a barcode that's read when we come through the gate. Why it is'nt used for all Brands meetings I do not know.

This. I already have a Silverstone hard card through their marshals' club. Wouldn't object to an MSVR one too. Quite happy with bar code on it to identify me as having attended.

In fact, why not a BMMC barcoded hard card which works at all circuits? Saves that 'where did I put the tickets?' the previous evening!

Originally Posted by Bodysnatcher

BTW wifi to TSL? Using your phone or laptop when the track is live - some of the old skool would crucify you

I know. I'm not advocating following it - and especially not for trackside, but as an aid to flags (and PCs?) used responsibly it could be a huge benefit.

[Mark Mitchell]

Why can't they develop an app like other ticketing people do? Like a boarding card for eg. This could be scanned without the need for printing!
It's not really going to affect me too much as the only MSV track I'm planning on going to next season is Cadwell Park

[Paul Newns]

[QUOTE=Woolley;3590583]

In fact, why not a BMMC barcoded hard card which works at all circuits? /QUOTE]

Or your MSA licence. The gate scans it. Details collated onto a database. Match that with the volunteering list (also held electronically) and any discrepancies can be queried by the club or circuit. The technology must exist or be fairly easy to develop (I'm happy for a techie to shoot me down on this).

[Greem]

The technology exists (clearly).

The ability to produce a system to collect and maintain the data, scan cards at the gate, collate the results against the expected cards, flag discrepancies, allow last-minute additions, flag no-shows at a set point in the day (which will be different for every combination of club, circuit, meeting and whether the day has an X or a Q in it), make it easy for all parties to use the system, keep registrations on the system up to date, keep it secure, make sure all the loaded details are correct, ensure connectivity to the system at all venues, make sure the terminals/laptops/tablets/whatever are robust enough, etc etc etc - it's all possible.

It would be an immense project - one with potentially immense rewards for all concerned. I've only scratched the surface of the scope in that preceding list.

The question is (and this is a genuine question): Who would pay for this? What is the business case for it, who defines the benefits (the way it benefits us as boots through the gate is different to, for example, the way it may benefit the clubs or the MSA), who deals with the inevitable breakages at 0700 on a Sunday morning?

Sometimes technology for technology's sake isn't the answer.

And that's coming from someone whose profession is based around really quite large IT systems...

[MGDavid]

We all already do it for gigs, ferries and airlines so the only obstacle is Luddites ;-)

[Slipstick]

Originally Posted by MGDavid

We all already do it for gigs, ferries and airlines so the only obstacle is Luddites ;-)

And those are all things where the cost is included in the ticket YOU pay for.

Unless there's been a major change that I've missed we don't pay to go marshalling .

Steve

[M Greenslade]

Originally Posted by Slipstick

And those are all things where the cost is included in the ticket YOU pay for.

Unless there's been a major change that I've missed we don't pay to go marshalling .

Steve

What about fuel costs, B&B, evening meals out, it costs me several hundreds of pounds a year to go marshalling, but I don't complain about it, but a very big YES we do pay to go marshalling and sometimes we get treated very badly.....

Bladders...

[Slipstick]

Jeez you do have to be precise round here if you don't want to get jumped on...so let me try:
"we don't pay anything to anyone who might fork out all the money for a ticketing system, like the clubs or the circuits, in order to go marshalling.

Good luck trying to get the fuel companies, restaurants and B&B owners to chip in to improve our lot .

Steve

[Woolley]

Originally Posted by Greem

The question is (and this is a genuine question): Who would pay for this? What is the business case for it, who defines the benefits (the way it benefits us as boots through the gate is different to, for example, the way it may benefit the clubs or the MSA), who deals with the inevitable breakages at 0700 on a Sunday morning?

If they're intending to scan the self-printed tickets, then the jobs already done, surely? Just need to put the bar code onto the marshal's annual pass instead of e-mailing a ticket each time.

[The Fat Clerk]

Wales Rally GB use a good system:

You log into their system saying which day (s) you can do and who you want to be with.

Nearer the event.

You log in, download your signing on card, which you sign and hand in when you enter the Stage, and get your Programme etc.

One of the advantages yesterday was our sign on time for Alwen was 3-30 / 5-30am, which was very dark and very wet. Just handing over a card and picking up a carrier bag whilst sat in my car was quite acceptable.

[The Fat Clerk]

A problem I can see for the Bar Code scan system is for under 18's & their Parent / Guardian.

[Gordon Knight]

Originally Posted by Woolley

If they're intending to scan the self-printed tickets, then the jobs already done, surely? Just need to put the bar code onto the marshal's annual pass instead of e-mailing a ticket each time.

The barcode on the self print ticket will be event specific and can only be scanned in once. You will only receive the link to the self print ticket from the Chief Marshal
if you have volunteered for that specific meeting.

The event specific barcode is also marshal specific so any abuse of the system can be traced to the marshal concerned and the Chief Marshal advised accordingly.

To have a single barcode on each marshals hard card ( BMMC or MSA), as some have proposed, would mean free and open entry to all meetings whether you had volunteerd or not. Such a system would be wide open to abuse.

Regards
Gordon