BrokeAss

I've been the registrar for our local PCA region for two years now. The most rewarding thing about the position is getting to know nearly all of the "regulars" and everyone knows you. It's great being at the track with 100+ of your buddies.

There are a few things that do chafe my hide. Before I share, I'll preface it by saying that I'm a Type-A personality and enjoy (no require) things to be neat and well organized. Those are usually considered good qualities in a registrar.

Late registrations bug the heck out of me. Our next event starts on Saturday, registration closed a week ago and this morning I get an email from a student well known for not having their sh*t together bitching that they couldn't register.

How can people be so completely oblivious? As a student, you gotta have a set of ***** or no clue whatsoever if you're trying to get in the day before an event.
- Student and Instructor match ups were done long ago.
- Even if I agreed to register them, would they be able to get their cars teched in time?
- You're clue challenged and I'm supposed to scramble for you?

I'll nearly always take a late registration from an instructor or a solo qualified driver. It's not a big deal, they know the drill and don't need any hand-holding.

Usually its not one single late registration that gets me going. It's the 10th one.
It's the registration from the guy that's always late. You gave him a break once before and go out of your way to help him and then he expects it the next time. ...that bugs me.

Thank you - I feel better now!

Those that can't get it together probably never will and thats just life.
I really do enjoy the volunteer work! Most of the people are great and it all seems worthwhile when you get an unsolicted atta-boy or the occaisional cold Warsteiner.

DJF1

LOL... I bet you are having fun!

Although I do not belong to your region I must say that there are always 2 sides on a coin... In my case I have a very weird job and while I would have loved to register early all the time, most of the times I do not really know where in the world I might be a week from today so registering early is almost guarantee for me that I'm going to loose money... I have taken my chances in the past but there have been a couple of times where I begged and pleaded to get into an event the last minute...
So maybe...you should have a talk with these individuals and see why they do it especially if they are repeat offenders? Myself I have enjoyed the registars in my region and their understanding...If I had a "normal" job I would have loved not to be in agony days before an event if there is space for me or not...

RedlineMan

Hey Terry;

Hey... I'm one of those less organized folks. Good thing I'm a Chief Instructor! You are a much appreciated and prized commodity. Editor and Registrar are the toughest jobs in PCA. Good thing the pay is so great!

Former Editor. T-shirts galore!

dgz924s

Can you double the late fee?

BrokeAss

There are a few guys in my region with strange jobs. My one friend makes his living pulling stranded boats off of beaches and reefs. During hurricane he never knows if he's going to available to drive. The nice thing is that he knows his schedule is weird and lets me know ahead of time. So I don't mind going out of my way to accomodate him.

I keep preaching to folks to register early. I'd much rather give a refund, issue a credit, or tear up a check than to have to shoe-horn another driver into a jam-packed roster. That last minute scramble just makes us Type-A guys

mitch236

As a member of Terry's region I can attest to the fact that he is one of the best registrars in existence. Just check out his WEBSITE for registration, it is easy and very convenient.

As for the reason stated above I have one rebuttal. At least in our region, you can always register on time and then cancel later if you have to and since there is almost always a waiting list of students, you will receive a refund.

Cameron

Terry,

Don't feel bad if you have to say no once in a while. You can't please everyone and everyone knows that you do a great job for us.

Selfish question - tip your hand on who is my instructor on Sunday?

By the way, , don't be afraid to say no if you don't want to answer.

BrokeAss

Refunds? There ain't no stinking refunds? How do you think we can afford our instructor appreciation dinner! ;-)

Seriously though - our region usually issue credits instead of refunds, though there are exceptions.

P.S. Mitch thanks for offering to help us out Saturday morning. "Rev Limiter" won't be able to join me this weekend and I need a hand.

APKhaos

Terry, you are doing great work in one of the most challenging club positions - both diplomatically and in terms of time demand. Our region is generally oversubscribed in the instructed run groups, so any late cancels usually frees up a spot for a waitlist guy.

The most frustrating aspect of this is late cancellations and no-shows. Sure, we have the money in hand, but it often means that a spot in an instructed run group is unused when there are guys out there who will kill for it.

Over the last season we 'informally' had one or two really keen waitlist guys have their cars teched and turn up at the track. Most of the time they get in to replace the no-shows. Amazing!

Sounds like your efforts are much appreciated by the guys in your region. Keep up the good work, man.

BrokeAss

I'm with 'ya on that one! I had a student driver drop me an email the other day withdrawing from the event. It's practically impossible to clear another driver from the waitlist. He'd have to bust *ss to get the car prepped, teched, packed, get a hotel reservation, etc, etc.

Thats frustrating because I think of the guys that I've told can't come to the event because we've got a full roster. ...then we get a last minute drop.

Nothing throws a monkey wrench in your machinery like a no-show instructor! Especially in events when you've got instructors with two-students. That'll keep 'ya on your toes.

DJF1

Cool Since I'll be in South Florida for this year, I may end up doing one of your events! In this case I will register early!!!!!

Just don't tell me I did not tell you so if I have to cancel

Looking forward to meeting ya

Z-man

I feel your pain, but not on the scale that you experience. I'm one of the 'track tech co-chairs' for my region, and there's always this one guy that's either the last car that goes through the morning track side tech, or he comes a grovelling after the tech line has closed requesting that his car be teched. I HATE THAT! I'm at the track usually an hour before most folks get there to set up the line and tech as many of the tech line worker's cars ASAP. Coming late to the tech line really messes up the schedule for a few people, myself included. There have been times where I missed half a run or so because people decided it wasn't worth getting up early.

I guess it's the same attitude as those who register late expecting to get in - they feel they need to be catered to and those who run the show should accomodate them in every way, shape and form! After all, they paid a great deal of $$ to play... (Yeah, and I GET PAID A TON TO TECH CARS!!)

Rant over. I feel better now...
-Z.

Bob Rouleau

Ahh we who organize events all have our crosses to bear. John H and I could entertain you with tales of no-show instructors or instructors who break their cars in the first red run of the day and leave. PCA works because of hard working and (usually) patient volunters.

Z-Man this season we are using different color tech stickers for each event. If that leads you to think that some guys tried to use the tech inspection sticker from a previous event because they didn't go through the tech one ....well you'd be right.

Best,

BrokeAss

ahh but it feels so good to bitch about it once in a while!
I know I feel better! I'll bet Z-Man does too!

tntporsche

Redline man - You forgot to mention that you are very organized . . . . you register everyone else from your region except you forget to register yourself .

I love the job of track chair / registrar - I guess that's why I volunteered to do it for another year. Sure it's busy - we will be running 12 events this year and I will probably register close to 2500 drivers (Get your stickers ready Z-man) but think of how many great people I will meet!

If I had a pet peeve, it is instructors who register late. I always have waiting lists of students. Students require more attention and they need to know well in advance so they can prepare for the event. INSTRUCTORS - please register as close to opening day as possible.

I have another pet peeve . . . . cancellations when the five day weather forcast is posted. We give refunds up to 10 days prior to an event. We like to be flexible after that date and will always give a refund when we can fill the slot or when there are some real extenuating circumstances. I can't tell you how many people have close relatives who die when bad weather is forcast for an event. On my first round as track chair about 8 years ago, I think over a dozen people had deaths in the family when snow was forcast for our April Lime Rock date. There were another dozen or so who needed emergency surgery. The excuses can be quite funny. Over dinner just after that first event, the family wrote a pretty humorous "Twas the night before Lime Rock".

and I do like flowers (for those of you require special attention)

better yet . . . . just bring me a Corona at the end of the day!

Who said the track chair doesn't get paid

I wish we could have found the time to get down South this winter - we had a great time at your event last year Terry!

Guess I will just have to wait for Lime Rock in April!

Arlene Novack