Committee members arguing.
Committee members leaving.
Negativity surrounding events at Blyton/ND.
ND 2013 concerns.
Little interest for today's Pod day.
It's been a relatively happy vibe on the good ship rtoc for the past several years, but seems a bit 'edgy' at the mo.
Any particular reason why?
Must be a magnet stuck to the compass or stevie wonder is the captain ships off course atm
Don't know what's happened recently? Bad grog? Scurvy?
No MOJO BABY
Constant moaning by members? Members not turning up at events? Lack of smaller events? No appreciation of the effort that goes into the running of the club? Financial climate? To name but a few!
Theres still love around just a bit gay to post that and easier to moan i geuss
I love you all big hugs and kisses all round
You can all have my northern sausageas I love the RTOC
But Alex - you've hit the nail on the head. You can't, nor would you want to force people to to to events. If the wrong events are not attracting the members then it must be that the event is not necessarily wrong, but it doesn't matter what the event is - the current RTOC members would not attend to anything at all. Big Steve and the committee have done an amazing service to the club and should be commended for it, but if members don't or can't do events, then it's time to make an intelligent look at it and say, well ok we will offer this event or that event but there will be (in some cases) limited numbers. As for whining, I've been on here long enough to see my fair share of ungrateful children come and go and tbh, you're always going to get that, so don't waste your time worrying about it, you can never keep everyone happy.
Big hugs to all
Originally Posted by TNT ANDY
You can all have my northern sausage
But Alex - you've hit the nail on the head. You can't, nor would you want to force people to to to events. If the wrong events are not attracting the members then it must be that the event is not necessarily wrong, but it doesn't matter what the event is - the current RTOC members would not attend to anything at all. Big Steve and the committee have done an amazing service to the club and should be commended for it, but if members don't or can't do events, then it's time to make an intelligent look at it and say, well ok we will offer this event or that event but there will be (in some cases) limited numbers. As for whining, I've been on here long enough to see my fair share of ungrateful children come and go and tbh, you're always going to get that, so don't waste your time worrying about it, you can never keep everyone happy.
Big hugs to all
Thing is where is the happy medium i dont like santa pod type events but would attend if its was a National day and wouldnt moan about it,i like trackdays but others on here don,t fair enough the commitee are never going to keep a club full of rtoc members happy unless you give Hugh Hefner a ring and ask him if his pad free next year for a car based event of sorts
Yep. My spin on it is there isn't enough smaller events going on these days. ND is great and I think we should keep doing it, but at the end of the day it's expensive for people. Add that and Pod day and its too much for a lot of people.You can all have my northern sausage
But Alex - you've hit the nail on the head. You can't, nor would you want to force people to to to events. If the wrong events are not attracting the members then it must be that the event is not necessarily wrong, but it doesn't matter what the event is - the current RTOC members would not attend to anything at all. Big Steve and the committee have done an amazing service to the club and should be commended for it, but if members don't or can't do events, then it's time to make an intelligent look at it and say, well ok we will offer this event or that event but there will be (in some cases) limited numbers. As for whining, I've been on here long enough to see my fair share of ungrateful children come and go and tbh, you're always going to get that, so don't waste your time worrying about it, you can never keep everyone happy.
Big hugs to all
I agree, whinging and moaning has and always will happen in RTOC but it's become persistant recently for some reason?
it is the same all over the place! here in ireland one the most prominant car forums (dar i say the biggest) the same is happening, peoples opinions are changing with the times money is scarce and everyone weather they admit it or not is worried about moneyConstant moaning by members? Members not turning up at events? Lack of smaller events? No appreciation of the effort that goes into the running of the club? Financial climate? To name but a few!
Maybe too many committee personal opinions instead of traditional views of the club?
Maybe the status of committee members has gone to some heads?
Maybe majority of committee prefers track days so appears biased although does get better turn outs?
Maybe not many members can compete at pod now the goal posts keep getting moved and 12's are no longer deemed quick.
Maybe not many members want to take their mint oe, low mileage, 1 owner cars on trackdays?
Maybe we're just gettin old and grumpy?
Maybe
This vibe happend years ago, it will pass. All will be ok... Positive mental attitudes will prevale.
Maybe too much is happening on the committee boards behind closed doors. Obviously some stuff should but why not have it open to watch what is being talked about for the benefit of the club so people can see, have it set as read only unless you're a committee member?
I 'm nearly on here every day but I missed that the pod day was today, thought it was next week. My fault as I look at last 24hrs, comment if anything takes my interest then check back later. Wouldn't have attended as I'd rather do a track day and couldn't afford both, not that I could afford that either at the knock down price offered.
Couldn't agree more
We all have the same common interest after all.
Just got back from pod and really enjoyed the whole day Christ those Hondas just get better and better but how I feel about all this is I have always enjoyed pod more than track days But I will always try to attend the track days as I just love anything to do with 5's and I love the friendly social/banter we all seem to have but the Rtoc scene just looked completely out of place today and I think without upsetting anyone is it was put on the wrong day it was great watching some super quick cars but the vibe was missing as normally we would run/watch on a Friday and pretty much Have the whole of Santa pod to ourselves then it would be back to the campsite for a great drink a laugh and a BBQ with our own music then watch or race again on the saturday again dont want to upset anyone but I do feel others who enjoy pod may agree
Cheers Phil
we're not getting any younger and the average age of members must be higher these days..
So is the crux of the problem simply that there's a lack of events? I personally don't buy into that, as upto a couple of years back we only had one club-organised event (ND), yet the vibe was still a happy one on here.
I've been around this club since the mid 90's, and yes, there has been a few bad spells since, but there was usually a reason for that; eg, the President at the time, people getting bored with ND at Pod, members moaning their yearly membership fee wasn't exactly great vfm, etc etc.
However, as said, I don't understand why it's all edgy at the mo? Dawn has just stepped down, and that's a major loss to the Committee/club whichever way you cut it. Steve's p1ssed off, Shopboy left on, what appeared to be, bad terms, and I believe Clee is only tieing the Club shop over until someone else takes it on full time.
That's all within the space of a couple of months or so.
At this rate we'll have no-one left on the Committee come Xmas time...
i joined the club in january this year and the amount of help and advice i have had off different members has been great. i went to santa pod today and had a good time and its also the first event i have been to. my car isnt finished yet but thought i would go along to watch the racing and hopefully meet some of the members. i did meet a couple but being a new member i could only speak to someone if they were stood right next to their car because i dont know who is who. maybe if there was an agreed place that everyone parked under (a rtoc banner for example) when they werent queing for the strip lol then it would make intergrating new members easier and give the club more of a united feel. i am not criticising the club just making a suggestion
Agreed chris
I spoke to a few members at ND but only because i made the effort, i dare say apart from the few i actually went with, no-one would have spoken to me or my dad all day if i hadn't.
Just out of interest how many of the actual committee attended ND?
One of my regrets was not getting round more people at ND, the evening before i managed to speak to alot but the majority of the next day i was on track :S
Committee boards are really boring... believe me...
We dont have secrets, just easier to talk to one another without getting shot down on the boards or having a thread messed up... or divereting from the main subject (which stil happens anyway)
i'd personally say it's down to a few factors:
as has been touched on earlier, most of us are getting on- as are our cars.
the number of 5's has rapidly decreased in the last 10years- we are now a smallish club, rather than a medium sized club.
the cost of fuel has really put a dampener on just travelling across most of the country to meet up with a few mates for an evening. - it does go on, but it certainly used to be alot more widespread.
if people think that an event isnt going to be well attended, then it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy, as people can't be bothered to travel to stand on their own somewhere.
events seem to need a 'draw' - back in the day at the Pod it was GT Tunings car, then it was Ktec's car, then glen tuffnell, then DD autosports, then Mike Spencer. every time people knew they were going they would turn up. - now its Scoff or Glenn pulling the crowds, be it at a rolling road day or drag strip. - i can guarantee scoff's RR day will be very well attended.
as has been mentioned before, the goalposts have been moved along way from what the average gtt owner can afford, so power tussles dont seem to occur now. - which was another reason for people to go to 'competitive' events.
i'm sure i could come up with other reasons off the top of my head, but i'll clear off back into the 'website editor' corner.
Mart - You always seem to be spearheading these type of threads, do you have any constructive suggestions to inject the much needed va va vroom back into the club?
Steve
Dawn
Ashy
Blunty
Alex
Miller
so 6 out of 10.
like someone said above i joined last year and without rtoc i would not have got my 5 to the stage it is now i have never attended any shows or meets due to my car still being on axle stands but i will. the way i see it you carnt alway please everyone and thats just a fact of life. i think the club is great and i am gald i found it. ive been a member on a few car forums and this one is the most friendly. sometimes people dont realise how much effort other people put in so they can have a good time looking from the outside in is always different to the visa versa. and just imagine what it would be like without a comitee. but like sparkie said fuel is a big factor in peoples lives nowardays and as a whole so is money and every penny counts.
theres my few pennys worth anyway but say keep up the good work guys and girls
Im sure Blunty didnt attend!
So thats only half the driving force of our club present at the biggest club event of the year!
Regards events, I think the majority, myself included, usually will only attend if their 5 is working/road legal. If its not then the day isn't the same and the cost could get the car one step closer. Once you have the car to a decent spec it tends to get the same results at pod and rollers events so after a while it can feel a little pointless as you have to spend more between events to improve making rollers more of a social event and more cost effective between tune ups. Once at the stage where your happy with the tuning attention then usually goes on the looks, bodywork etc which can then put people off giving it everything on track days.
Maybe the club should just offer one nd and leave others to organise smaller events thus not getting the blame
Why is everyone arguing? Who really gives a ****, the politics are stupid. Alot of points are valid. I enjoyed myself this weekend. It could of been better. If the committee don't like 'moaners' then call it a day. That is one job where you have to be fair, almost certainly thick skinned. Never goin to please everybody. So if we all join together matromony and stop firing daggers at one another maybe we will get somewhere. Cause this is ridiculous.
I enjoyed national day and pod. Any day out with your pals is fun. The forum is well run and funds are up. Happy days. Just need some fresh blood to replace the committee who have stepped down.
There just doesn't seem to be any local events like there used to be. When I was an area rep I would organise 5-6 meets a year and pm every local member to try and drum up interest. It don't seem to happen now
Like mentioned before its expensive to have a ride out to a meet and only 2 people turn up. I still meet up with friends who are rtoc members on a weekly basis which is all good but most cars in our area are having upgrades and are rarely on the road at the same time so that affects meets too even thou I would still take what ever car I had at the time
Everyone who has been here for a long time has changes in there life and time can be an issue like myself got a busy job and a little one due so I only go to meets that are worth while now. Rtoc will continue and has some fantastic members but it's going to be on a smaller scale so like mentioned before we need smaller local events with one big ND maybe we could change area reps more often and they should be chosen on a yearly basis maybe to try and keep ideas fresh, include the local member with a voting system. Keep everyone interested
Im sure Blunty didnt attend!
So thats only half the driving force of our club present at the biggest club event of the year!
And your point being ?
Mate, none of this is having a pop at the Committee or anything like that. If you read my 2 posts in this thread, I'm asking just a simple question - Morale seems a bit down, and certainly within the Committee (ref' the number of people who's stepped down in the past couple of months), and given we don't see what goes on behind Committee closed doors, I think it's a valid question to ask.
I'm sure none of us want to get to the stage where we have no Committee members, and/or club events that have all pretty much dried up due to Committee people feeling generally peed off & having the 'can't be arsed' attitude.
As an aside, how's the rtoc coffers looking? Did we break even/make a profit from ND? No-one has commented on that yet.
No ones arguing dude, just giving their opinion which I think is positive
So, more smaller local meets needed?
I don't see any arguing in this thread?
So you won't give a **** if we end up with next to no Committee, no ND, no events per se?
That if members are of the general opinion that the committee are pissed off and cba then everyone else will most likely have, or end up with the same attitude too and not bother attending future events.
Im not having a go and i appreciate how much work is done behind closed doors.
I enjoy this club and the people, information and expertise avaliable are second to none, but im the same as everyone, i dont want to lose that
Like sparkie said
Money plays a big part into things
Fuel
Running costs
Parts are not cheap any more
Everybody is resorting them to persevere them.
The cars are getting fewer and fewer by the day and so will the members.
We will all stick together in the end.
Everybody has an opinion.
Not saying I don't care if we lose the club. Wrong end of the stick. There is underlying issues. I for one think people who are keen should join the committee like Nottswoody he's a good lad. Think the national day should be 1 day and someone should organise a rwyb pod day for those interested. Cause people were turning up and paying @ pod yesterday. I thought we had some exclusivity?
I think the nail has been hit on the head already. Driving the length of the country with fuel prices the way they are isn't easy especially with the rising age of owners. It's harder to do once you have kids and responsibilities and also harder to keep the cars on the road all the time.
The only way if people aren't willing to travel often is to have more local meets. Phil has done an awesome job organising the monthly meet down here. I am guilty as I haven't attended as its a week night and a little far but maybe take a leaf out of his book? Or if we at least try and get 1 kind of event in each area each year be it a RR, track day or something and dress it up a bit. The RTOC southern annual RR day might attract a bit more than a mesage on the boards saying anyone up for a RR day down x. Is this something the club can help area reps with more?
Overall I have not done much with events but I will say every person from RTOC I have met has been very helpfull and friendly. My car would be even worse than it is now without RTOC and my membership fee I have paid for the last 6 or 7 years has been worth every penny and more.
Anyone up for a RR day down south?
From what I heard there was a muck up with the tickets, there was only supposed to be 100 people who had track tickets, but they forgot they had sold us 40 tickets, so they sold 100 and we sold on or sold to members the 40 tickers or there abouts. so there was 140 in total on track. As for attending, people who have got the 5s off the road of repairing them could still turn up and support the club. I attend the meets for the people and atmosphere not if I can drive my 5 there or not, even though its nice having the 5 there its not that essential.
Well all in all the day was a good day for those who turned up, did glenn manage to get into the 10s in the end? and weather held off, had left by the time it had started raining.
Exactly why I started this thread asking what are the issues?
I don't see the link between the price of fuel, cars becoming more rare, expensive parts, etc causing people to leave the Committee/morale to be low?
I think somewhere along the way it was decided morale is low because people aren't attending events? So that makes the question why are people not attending? Sure there are more reasons for low morale but that is 1 possibility
It is mate, but you know all to well where this thread will end up after posting "A simple question" on the open forum. Some things never change and threads like this, no matter how genuine the reasons are for posting, always end up making the situation worse.
A number of CM's have stood down, thats correct.
Miller - was a missive driving force behind the Committee for a number of years but he has other priorities now and can't give the time required.
STU used to push "All" events and attend them sort out tickets etc etc and has been a big miss since standing down.
Dawn - although it wasn't her role gave up huge amounts of time to work behind the scenes and get the finer detail of organising events sorted. She also helped to pull the CM's together and keep us on the right path when we lost our way.
Clee - Ran the shop single handed and thats not a task to be underestimated.
Lomo - was making good progress with the Area Reps.
Blunty - Was making good progress picking up from where STU left off.
Steve - Sorts out ND, and did a very good job and then gets a a load of unnecessary grief, over the show and shine event, making him think twice about bothering the next time.
So with those CM's standing down or moving to a non-active roll we are going through a difficult period but it doesn't have to mean the end of the RTOC.
Life goes on, RTOC will roll on regardless, perhaps some new blood will step forward and offer help not criticism?
At the end of the day, we are all 10+ years older than we were in the good old days, that means mortgages + wives + more responsible positions at work + children = Less time for the RTOC.
I wish I was still 20 years old I'd be up to my elbows in it but I'm not and I can't.
I think that's the main point .I don't understand this us and them thing about CMs .
We are just a bunch that try to put more in than we get out and that's it .......
If a few of the professional whiners spent more of their obvious energy helping rather than pointing out where we're always going wrong
If new blood is required, maybe a thread should be started asking if anyone's interested, which roles are available/required, etc?
If you don't ask (or if members aren't aware), you don't get
No doubt that it is a thankless task, but one that's certainly (or at least should be) appreciated by all members.
That defo wasn't & isn't the point of this thread.
I had a grand total of 1 for the shop role .
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