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safeguarding the future of the RBRR


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Some users spit their dummy out at the mere mention of SatNav. I can't see those ones liking the idea of having to use a phone for a QR code. Plus, now I've switched to Vodaphone I can't get a signal outside of a city, whilst holding the phone at arms length and jumping as high as I can.

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Quoted from mikew


You just can't jump high enough 😀



A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away (maybe 10 years ago at Bruntingthorpe) I was hitching a ride into Bruntigthorpe with a couple of mates who fly, in a PA38 having contacted B'thorpe and gained permission to land "At Our Discretion" when whilst on finals we saw a number of racing cars using the strip we were trying to land on. B'thorpe ATC weren't answering so we decided to phone them on my mobile. Unfortunately in order to get a signal we had to descend to a height not much greater than Ferny can jump - which was really fun! - so that's quite a narrow vertical band to aim for there, either way.

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Quoted from ferny
Some users spit their dummy out at the mere mention of SatNav. I can't see those ones liking the idea of having to use a phone for a QR code. Plus, now I've switched to Vodaphone I can't get a signal outside of a city, whilst holding the phone at arms length and jumping as high as I can.


understand now why you were driving the RBRR dressed up as a giant Cat...

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Quoted from Radders
Not only would you lose the breakfasts at JOG & LE,

In the case of JoG I would not mind much...
My comment, from someone who had its first RBRR last month. The event is a very good one, our team enjoyed it immensely. As could be expected it was sometimes a bit crowded at fuel stations / stops, but nothing too drastic.

We thought the breakfast at Lands End was very good. Not so much for the one at John O Groats though! The place is too small / cramped, dirty tables and a bad smell. After a few minutes looking for spaces we decided it was not worth the wait and left.
But if the majority feels the JoG breakfast is a must at the Seaview hotel then please leave as is.

Up to the next RBRR.

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However, we were there quite early on. Our food was served quickly, the staff were helpful and plenty of space. Guess we got lucky, but no complaints.

My previous experiences of lands end have been rather less than happy, this year was much improved.

Next time who knows!

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I'm always astonished at the general dissing of the JoG breakfast and praise for LE. In the eleven runs I've done, I've never once felt it was that way round. (OK, ten runs, because one of them was the year we didn't use LE). This year, we got the JoG a little early (but by no means one of the first), our food arrived promptly and it was quite decent. The coffee was poor, though. At LE we were plenty early, joined a long queue to be served with... well, suffice to say I didn't actually eat it all. And the coffee really sucked.

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It was a dinosaur, not a cat. 😀


At John o' Groats, I think I had a near 45 minute wait for breakfast. It's annoying, very annoying, as you've no chance to catch that up and it's not the first time it's happened to me. However, the staff make it "acceptable". Unlike when things go tits up at Lands End. That wasn't bad this year.

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  • 1 month later...

I have just read Bobbyspit's post (No.73), and it is along the same lines as I suggested to the organisers back in October when we retired from the event after a small accident which meant we found the Sugar Loaf Control closed when we reached it.
Here is a copy of the email I sent.

"I was a non-finisher in last weekend’s RBRR.

On the way to the Sugar Loaf control we had a bump, the car slid on the loose road surface and the car hit a large fence post. Fortunately neither of us were injured and the damage to the car was not major. When we arrived at the Sugar Loaf control it was closed. Whilst we were there, two other cars drove in.

When we signed in at Stirling the person signing the books said that there were approximately twenty cars that had not arrived there. We were given a similar comment at Gledrid.

My co-driver and I discussed what to do. On the basis that SL control was closed it was a reasonable assumption that all subsequent controls would also be closed. According to the Regulations for the RBRR if you do not get the Road book signed at each control then you are not classed as a Finisher. To me it was not about the Finishers’ memento just the satisfaction of completing the run, but, as we could not get the Road book signed there seemed little point in carrying on. As we could not get our book signed there would have been a number of other teams that would have faced the same situation.

This has got me thinking. The Club emphasis that the run is not a race or a competition, so arriving at each control within an hour’s time window seems almost irrelevant. I do realise that the Marshals at each control are volunteers and my comments are not a criticism of the SL Marshals. Could I suggest that when each control closes that either a code board is left at the control or a box of cards bearing the name of the control is left in a pre-defined place. Virtually all the controls are at service stations so the boards/box of cards would be safe from vandalism. This way entrants could have a visible record of having visited each control and when they arrived at the finish they could still be classed as finishers.


Regards

Graham Lewis Team 139

As the club keep saying the event is not a race or competetive so the use of time slots is, in my mind, immaterial and an alternative system for the "slower" teams would seem appropriate."


Graham

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Most cameras can leave an 'imprint' on a pic, of time and date.
I'm too ignorant of phones to know if they can do the same.
Texting such a pic to the organisers could validate a late arrival, and show that the car was still in the game and not lying upside down on some blasted heath.
No need for cards or a sign - most service areas have an identifying feature.

And for the same purpose, should there be a sweeper car?    Following on a hour or two behind the pack, with comms to HQ so that they can look out for any missing cars, between Controls.

John

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In practice, even if you miss a control (e.g. because you were relying on sat nav instead of reading the road book) and get marked as "probably retired", showing up within the window at the next control will reinstate you. Also, there are contact numbers in the road book so you can ring ahead to the next control and explain the situation, so even if you can't make up the time you can probably get the marshals to wait a bit longer.

That said, if a volunteer (or several) were available to act as "sweeper cars" I can see how that might be an added safeguard for folks unfortunate enough to break down in an area of zero mobile coverage.

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Rob I do agree with you and John about having a sweeper car, in theory
But in practice it would not work 100%, what if you have a team that have strayed off track and are making their way back via different roads than the recognised route, (or worse case broken down on some out of the way road) the sweepers can't cover all the roads.
But like you say there are contact numbers (if you have signal of course)

We had it a few times in 2014 where we was late for a control, most were still there waiting for a while,  one had shut up shop and gone, (no fault of theirs) so we continued anyway, then we heard rumour via another team who called me, that  'the renown is out of the run' (not so of course)
So if the marshal for that point or any heard that rumour, then they would not bother waiting any longer than needed if we was the last car or not.

Like John said, with modern technology now, we can just take a picture of that check point to prove you was there.

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Who needs to take photographs??? Technology is our friend here.

The soluton to all these problems is to have trackers fitted to all the cars.

Don't even need marshalls that way as the route taken by every car is known, and if cars stop moving you know they are in trouble (or having lunch)

No sitting there wondering where so-and-so is, you just look it up.

Will also ensure that all vehicles comply with all relevant legislation as they will report back immediatley, and that could result in immediate disqualification if so defined in the regs.

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Surely, the whole point of the RBRR is to recreate the original 1966 run as closely as possible?

This means, we use a road book, we navigate old school, you make it work as you go on (hence the utter confusion by most of us over the whole "OMG the A1 is closed what ever shall we do???!).

The RBRR has run successfully for 50 years now. No one has ever been seriously hurt on this event, sure, we have had a few minor accidents along the way, but accidents happen.

There is no reason whatsoever to change the format.

I have run late many many times. Usually by helping out others on the way. I have missed the odd control point too due to being there hours after it closes. so what?  

The run was completed, even if officially we didn't get every signature, who cares.

I have no done 10 RBRR's and loved every single one.

Please don't change it from its winning and historical format. There is simply no need.

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