I don't blame the stadium staff for the track, but what a more misererable, unhelpful bunch of people I have yet to meet. From Friday morning when we were trying to find the paddock to pick up passes and kept getting referred to a locked gate on what turned out to be the wrong side of the stadium, despite explaining the situation as best as we could (albeit in English). To later in the day, trying to get to practice when we found ourselves on the wrong level and couldn't get anyone who would either tell us how to get downstairs or open a door into the seating area where we knew there were steps down to the pit area. This became even more frustrating as we could hear what turned out to be the only on-track motorcycle action of the whole weekend taking place. It got even more farcical later, when having walked out of the stadium and completed a circuit of the venue to get down to the tunnel entrance which was below us, we sat in the one of the stands with of bunch of other folks awaiting practice and were then told the area was closed, we had to leave (no explanation, just 'It's Closed'. We were directed to the standing section where there was a Press area (we're not Press), but were refused acess at first and told to stand on the outside of the airfence in the middle of turn 1/2. There were several germans in the same area who politely explained to this football steward that this wasn't the best idea both on safety grounds, and also for the fact that you couldn't actually see anything unless you were about 7ft tall, but this didn't seem to make any difference - we were still told to leave. Those of us with kids managed to put them onto some leftover tv packing cases to watch before eventually someone from BSI, followed by a posse of rider WaG's and children managed to finally get the jobsworths to see sense and start/finish grandstand was opened up........... shame we just watched tractors going around the track but on the big screen there was some good shots of Jason Crump's young son doing some spectacular micro-scooter riding!
On Saturday there was an amazing chap who was stood at the top of the steps that led from the track, up past the Press Room and then up into the main stadium entrance. He was suited, and had a very elaborate bandage on his hand which I hope was covering an injury that gives him incredible pain. I think the stadium was running a competition for the most unhelpful member of staff, and this guy must have been a clear winner. I was there with my 7 year old son, who, due to the delayed (rescheduled) practice was desperate for a drink, and as there were no trackside facilites we were trying to get higher up to find a vending machine or kiosk. However, he stood on the stairs shouting 'Stop, No', to anyone who dared go near him with just a mere Paddock Pass - despite the fact that all we were tring to do was get into a 'public' area and find at least a tap! I even showed my seat tickets to show I'd paid real money to be there but it was still no use.
I'll send a message to the Arena management just for fun, as I've no intention of ever setting foot in the place again.
So my 2 days consisted of a 900 mile round-trip, a hotel bill, a tunnel bill, and about 2.5 tanks of fuel; to hear 3 laps of track action, watch some tractors, and be shouted at by some of the most useless people I've ever met. I'll then have to go to work tomorrow and explain to colleagues that I've attended an indoor event, that got cancelled because the track was waterlogged. Brilliant! Interestingly, I get an e-mail about 1 hour after the event was called-off advising me how to get a refund on the ticket - now that must have taken some slick organisation and sharp communication. If only the person organising that could have been around on Thursday to ensure that something was brought in to dry the material before it was laid!
What happens if it rains in Poland next week?
