Oulton Park Gold Cup 25/26 August

[Tony_J]

Following on from HSCC letter re-camping I contacted Oulton Park about camping security etc. Apparently it is a separately fenced area adjacent to the public camp site but with open access and no security. Loos and showers are provided but I suspect shared with the general public. I don't think I will bother!!

[Flagman]

Probably the same layout as last weekend and for the TOCA meeting.

Didn't seem too bad as they limit public camping to couples and families only - which tends to keep out the noise makers.

I doublt that an HSCC type meeting would attract the noisy type of 'yoof' culture anyway...

[Craig]

There were problems at the TOCA meeting with people having their wallets stolen overnight due to lack of security. I don't wish to appear rude here, why should marshals expect to have security and the general public nor ?? Surely if we're paying five quid a go then we should ALL have security ?

And I don't know about the couples only thing - when did that come in ? And what are the rest of us supposed to do ??

[Tony_J]

Its not a case of why should marshals expect security and the public not, but more a case that marshals are away from there tents and equipment for a minimum of 8 hours and the tea-leafs know it. The general public/spectators can return anytime to check their gear.

[Dave Brand]

Originally posted by Craig Antill
I don't wish to appear rude here, why should marshals expect to have security and the general public nor ?? Surely if we're paying five quid a go then we should ALL have security ?

A point to bear in mind is that marshals are out on post early in the morning & (apart from the odd meetings where we get a reasonable lunch break) do not return to the campsite until racing is over. The thieves know, therefore, that they can go about their business secure in the knowledge that the owner will not be around.

And I don't know about the couples only thing - when did that come in ? And what are the rest of us supposed to do ??

Buy a blow-up doll????

[Tony_J]

As a PS to my previous posting, when I asked the circuit management about security I was told that any security staff employed on such a task would only wander off thro' boredom. Sorry, but if you get paid to do a job you should do it. Boring or not

[Craig]

That is fair enough I guess, but so do many of the spectators and team peeps who camp. If it's a case of the a marshals campsite being more prone to thefts due to the fact there is no one wandering around on it during the day then why have a marshals campsite at all ? Why not just have one campsite for everyone ?

Tony, I love that last post - typical isn't it!

[redshoes]

Don't wish to put too much of a downer on this but I was on of the people Craig was refering to during the TOCA meeting. I had my wallet stolen, not during the day but overnight, whilst I was asleep in the tent! Local security's atitude was "oh well, that's another one" and "hopefully they will be back tonight (so we can catch them)". Sure enough they were back the next night and at least 2 other tents in our group were hit. This time nothing was taken as the people inside heard the tents being unzipped and woke up.

I fairness it's a fairly large area to cover with plenty of trees so would be dificult to patrol the whole area and even if someone was stopped they could just claim they were on their way to the toilets.

[Piglet]

I know this doesn't really help...but on the odd occassions that we camp we either lock everything of value in the boot of the car or take it into the sleeping compartment of the tent with us. Perhaps as well as this being a security issue everyone needs to be a little aware of the risks of leaving stuff in a tent either at night whether you are in the tent or not (I sleep like the dead I doubt I would hear anyone unzipping the tent) or during the day.

Presumabely the stuff being nicked is wallets and the like rather than camping equipment?

[redshoes]

I normally do lock my camera etc in the car overnight. In this case the wallet was in the back pocket of my trousers which were laying next to my head, with my feet facing the opening. Bare in mind that it's only a small 2-person tent so whoever took it would have had to crawl half into the tent. To be honest I'm glad I didn't wake up.

And yes, it was only wallets. My car keys and mobile phone were in other pockets and not touched.

[Piglet]

Bl**dy hell that's scary Redshoes, I'd assumed that they were just reaching into the openings of tents and nicking stuff. Could have been nasty.

[Craig]

At Brands Hatch at the weekend everyone was all in one campsite which seemed to work just fine. I would imagine this is the best method of ensuring that the issue of unattended tents is resolved but, as Redshoes says, it can happen at night too and more security is in order for everyone - not just the marshals.

[Maisie]

Still didn't stop the drunken oaves parked 20 yards away from keeping us awake half the night I politely pointed out the time and the general silence of the rest of the campsite at 20 to 1am, and asked them nicely if they could keep the noise down. When I got back to the camper, I could hear them taking the mickey and yelling "go to bed, it's nearly 1.00!!" They stayed yelling and screeching until past 2am. Come 9am, we'd woken, as had most of the rest of the campsite, but not a peep from our neighbours...

... so Chris got the airhorn and leant out of the van, giving the airhorn a long blast, and yelled "Wake up!!! It's nearly 9.00!!"

[Craig]

haha!!

Brands Hatch is a nightmare isn't it ? Can you believe there was a lunatic rallyiong round in a Subaru at the first TOCA meeting this year ? The same group were letting off air horns well gone past midnight. Disgraceful.