The Current State of Improved Touring

Tech/Stewards on a power trip like Mr Mustache are not welcome to any SCCA that I'm a part of. And not that I necessarily have much to say about it, but I will actively try to get rid of anyone that gives people crap simply for the sake of it.

On the other hand, I'm sure you've met That Guy, usually having breakfast at the hotel in his driver's suit, that walks into the paddock with this big piece of wood on his shoulder (usually stating something about how he paid his entry fee and demands assistance, blah, blah, blah). Those won't last very long either, if I have anything to say about it.

GA
 
I'm also an occasional scrutineer, more often in the past before my kid was here and the ITB car completed.

I've worked with several overly ambitious tech workers, some stewards who had a chip on their shoulder, and seen many arguments between racers and scrutineers and plenty between 2 or more scrutineers.

it's definitely one of our biggest problems. the balancing act of getting a knowledgeable volunteer to promote safety and take a hard line between legality and illegality while NOT getting on personal quests to address issue X and NOT getting overzealous, and keeping it cordial in that environment is NOT an easy one. that we mostly have "aged out racers" working in that capacity who are tired of excuses doesn't help. I've not seen the Dick and Amy show at work, but I've heard good things. time for some training on customer relations?
 
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Greg and Dick make it fun to go to tech...they have free beer and hotdogs. Well, OK, it's not fun, but at least it's not a crap shoot. And maybe they don't have beer and 'dogs, but you can bribe them with same. OK, I may have exaggerated a bit....they're above average.
 
Tech is a problem, I have spent plenty of time on both sides of the tech line and I certainly know as much as anyone that the club needs to be user friendly but I got to tell you work Tech all day and it is pretty tough not to let someone get your goat. As a driver you are very careful because these people have the ability to make your life harder and as a tech worker it seems like you are bound to come up against someone who is just not easy to deal with.
I wish I had the answer other than both sides need to understand the end goal for everyone to have fun safely.
 
and rules clarity.

big things like jakes roll cage to simple things like having "OFF" stickers on the side of the car and at the location of the switch, or just on the side of the car...

people get really frustrated when the left hand and the right hand don't agree with one another. when your car is deemed legal one day and illegal the next, with the only thing changing being the day, something is amiss. it's a big rulebook, it's hard for ANYONE to know it inside and out, but the basic safety elements - cage, seat, belts, decals, kill switch, fire system/bottle and the like should be crystal clear. there should not exist the opportunity to have 2 contradicting opinions even when cage design is otherwise open.
 
Chip42 said:
... there should not exist the opportunity to have 2 contradicting opinions even when cage design is otherwise open...
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And if there is, I let folks know that $25 and a simple form and you can get it resolved. And unless you're just being an a*****e you'll probably get the $25 back, regardless of the answer.

Dick, I think that time you were just having a bad day...or you allowed "that guy" get under your saddle (which you're very good at avoiding...)

GA
 
Greg Amy said:
And if there is, I let folks know that $25 and a simple form and you can get it resolved. And unless you're just being an a*****e you'll probably get the $25 back, regardless of the answer.

Dick, I think that time you were just having a bad day...or you allowed "that guy" get under your saddle (which you're very good at avoiding...)

GA
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on the first point my advice is when you are told something is wrong you do not think is correct try, "i did not know that can you show me in the book where it explains that".

on the second point it is more than a bad day, working tech I often find competitors nervous, defensive and needy. there is a structural problem with the interaction that I wish I had a solution for.
 
I especially like Dick, Chip and Greg's opinions here because they are both current tech guys as well as current racers.

I laughed when Greg mentioned 'that' racer. There are dinks on BOTH sides of the isle. We are more lucky than not up here in New England. Great group of tech guys from my experience.
 
Andy Bettencourt said:
I especially like Dick, Chip and Greg's opinions here because they are both current tech guys as well as current racers.

I laughed when Greg mentioned 'that' racer. There are dinks on BOTH sides of the isle. We are more lucky than not up here in New England. Great group of tech guys from my experience.
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Yes, having Dick, and now Greg in tech, and having them both be active racers, is awesome.
Those who know me know I'm pretty hard to REALLy get pissed off. The thing with my cage happened when i was really new to SCCA. I modeled my cage after the one that the tech guy did in his OWN RX-7, so i was aghast when I was "Non compliant" and sent home to rip out members and place them differently by a guy who literally threw my logbook into the back of my car. Honestly, if I hadn't invested so much into the car at the time, and if the then current CRB chair wasn't a close friend, I think I would have fixed the car and bailed.

If that was my ONLY WTF experience with tech, I'd be fine, writing it off as a one time thing. But I've missed sessions due to things being judged 'inadequate' that were perfectly fine the previous year. ???? And those same solutions were better than other solutions that were signed off by other tech inspectors in the SAME tech session! (When challenged, Mr Tech Inspector says, "I don't have to show you the rule, it's your godamn life I'm saving, now go fix it!". Of course by then it's written in pen in the book, and going 'up the ladder' means finding a Steward, (not knowing who or how to find that guy adds to the fear factor) hoping HE will have time, that be in a good mood, will NOT the best friend of the Tech guy, means probably missing ANOTHER session before it's all resolved, so, the path of least resistance was to source ANOTHER solution ($$$) to the issue, go BACK to tech, (this time getting ANOTHER tech guy who was really confused as to why I was dinked to start with) and ended up missing most of the next session.

Now, that guy I've later found, was deemed by his region to be a 'bad guy', after many many similar complaints, and was asked/told to leave.

So, thats the good news. And the new people are great. I certainly understand us racers are a mix of nice guys and assholes, geniuses who 'know better' and forgetful morons, and dealing with us all day can really sap ones will to smile...but forcign us to miss races and sessions and waste time and money isn't great for our will to continue in a sport where most outside influences (a draining bank account, a semi tolerant wife/family, etc) are pulling us away..

NER has taken a great step forward in having Stewards there just for "contact impound', and they've also been aggressive about staffing the tech area with not just the right people, but enough of them.

I think THATS key. Instead of one guy arguing with a racer over something, bringing a second calmer voice in with a 'fresh take' can help.
 
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I'm new to SCCA, and have only raced at NHMS and NJMP. Both regions run great tech operations and were very kind to me the first time thru.

I've worked with and been on the boards of a bunch of car clubs, so I know what it takes to pull off something like a race weekend. Without exception, everyone I've interacted with in the SCCA from registration to getting my novice permit signed off were helpful.
 
^
Good! In general, the registration folk have historically been great and helpful, and friendly. Like go out of their way friendly.
Of course, the "other club", NASA, has issues too, like the rule where you can drive another car off the track, as long as you leave 3/4 car width, and you're within your rights. (!!??)
And if you want to track your car with the PCA, you have to get it to a shop thats PCA approved, pay them to go through the car and give it their seal of approval. And it aint chump change either.

So, there are warts everywhere.
 
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