Starting On Time

[hiley]

Took this from the Swindon webpage, the fixtures section.

 

Please note that the fixtures and dates below are subject to change at short notice.All home matches start at 7.30pm (parade 7.20pm), unless otherwise stated.

 

 

Does your local club start its fixtures on time? I froze waiting at Swindon recently, and while not blaming Patch and Rosco for the weather, they always seem to start late. And they can't claim big queues outside waiting to get in. I'm sure this is the same with many clubs, and even when rain is threatened they seem incapable of getting a move on.

 

Promoters please note!

Edited April 11, 2013 by hiley

[remembertheracers]

Reading never seemed to start on time at Smallmead and, on my trips to Blunsdon, Swindon seem not to. Their local news reporter Andy Warren times the start of each race, so its easy to check on the Swindon Advertiser site.

 

Unless there is a compelling reason not to its just unfair on the fans who have got there on time after work etc and with work the next morning.

 

I see Birmingham finished their 15 races just before 9pm last night.

[SteveLyric2]

Poole usually start the Rider Parade at 7.30, with first race at 7.45pm and are usually spot-on! If bad weather is forecast, then they dispense with the parade and go straight in with the racing. On Good Friday they started bang on 12 noon, as advertised, but the meeting took nearly 2 and a half hours to complete with track work, fence repairs and rider injuries!!

[mrss]

if you want to go to meetings that start on time dont go to milldenhall as they never seem keen to start on time

[kelvinht]

Kings Lynn tend to start on time. 7.30pm parade, 7.45pm first race. If there is a big queue outside they do delay the parade 5-10 mins, but still seem to start first race around 7.45pm.

 

Not really sure why lots of people always seem to turn up at the last minute...does annoy me when things are delayed due to queues still outside when I've made an effort to get there on time. You never hear of football kick off being delayed due to queues outside.

 

It is a 2 way thing though - if promoters were more professional in running a tight ship, then punters would know better where they stood.

[Deano]

Seemed to stand around for ages in the cold waiting for a "dodgy" parade to end at the Coventry versus Birmingham match. From where we stood, we really didn't know or see what was going on.. just a load of white noise and inane chatter from Yorkie.

[RonButler]

I have long wondered why people on speedway forums continually compare the sport to football. There are so few ways in which a reasonable comparison con be made in the 21st century.

 

How can a minor entertainment which cannot attract a crowd to a stadium the size of the GRA stadium at Kirkmanshulme Lane to a spectacle which can fill a Premier League football staduim where spectators numbering many thousands converge every Saturday/Sunday.

[The White Knight]

Kings Lynn tend to start on time. 7.30pm parade, 7.45pm first race. If there is a big queue outside they do delay the parade 5-10 mins, but still seem to start first race around 7.45pm.

 

Not really sure why lots of people always seem to turn up at the last minute...does annoy me when things are delayed due to queues still outside when I've made an effort to get there on time. You never hear of football kick off being delayed due to queues outside.

 

It is a 2 way thing though - if promoters were more professional in running a tight ship, then punters would know better where they stood.

 

I beg to differ - you do on occasions.

[Kester]

Seemed to stand around for ages in the cold waiting for a "dodgy" parade to end at the Coventry versus Birmingham match. From where we stood, we really didn't know or see what was going on.. just a load of white noise and inane chatter from Yorkie.

 

Coventry are serial offenders, and starting at 8 you'd think they'd want to get on with it.

[PHILIPRISING]

IT'S not rocket science ... GPs start to the second let alone minute. Okay, that is a TV requirement but could be achieved anyway.

[TwoMinuteWarning]

Meetings, and each heat, are started when the riders and the referee are ready, it seems to me. Just part of the generally poor presentation these days.

 

In the early days of the sport, some tracks had start times against each race in the programme, as is done with greyhound races. Can't really see that catching on these days!

[Daniel Smith]

Things would move along much quicker with the simple but effective GP style 2mins system.

 

Call the 2mins & all rider's have to be ready to race or excluded when the clock hits 0. That alone would make meetings run so much smoothly I have no doubt.

Edited April 14, 2013 by screamer

[topaz325]

Agree with the prompt start times, keep the meeting flowing if possible and the interest up. I know its not always possible with re starts and falls, etc but it can only be a good thing to have a definite start time, especially in the cold weather we have been experiencing lately.

[SteveLyric2]

Things would move along much quicker with the simple but effective GP style 2mins system.

 

Call the 2mins & all rider's have to be ready to race or excluded when the clock hits 0. That alone would make meetings run so much smoothly I have no doubt.

I thought this happened everywhere!!!!

[Gemini]

Seemed to stand around for ages in the cold waiting for a "dodgy" parade to end at the Coventry versus Birmingham match. From where we stood, we really didn't know or see what was going on.. just a load of white noise and inane chatter from Yorkie.

 

To be fair this was a new style parade for the opening meeting and I don't think things went exactly to plan, hence the delay. For the second meeting against Belle Vue everything was running very smoothly and as soon as the race results were announced the 2 minutes was put on for the next race. That was until Adam's unfortunate accident.

To look on the bright side at least Peter York no longer commentates on the last 2 laps, which is what 99% of Coventry fans continually criticized so we can put up with his other chatter.

[WembleyLion]

IT'S not rocket science ... GPs start to the second let alone minute. Okay, that is a TV requirement but could be achieved anyway.

 

I agree it's not rocket science Phil and the same applies to GP's starting on time! The last one was nearly 15 minutes before the first race got underway! Let's see if they can do better on Saturday!

[Shadders]

The parade at Rye House starts at 7pm prompt for Saturday meetings, the first heat usually 10 minutes after. If the weather looks iffy they don't bother with the parade and just get on with the racing. One thing I do miss from the old days at Rye is the riders going round on their bikes after being introduced.

Edited April 30, 2013 by Shadders

[oldace]

I agree it's not rocket science Phil and the same applies to GP's starting on time! The last one was nearly 15 minutes before the first race got underway! Let's see if they can do better on Saturday!

 

No it wasn't. The first race was underway at almost on the dot of 7.15PM local time, as always

[PHILIPRISING]

I agree it's not rocket science Phil and the same applies to GP's starting on time! The last one was nearly 15 minutes before the first race got underway! Let's see if they can do better on Saturday!

 

DON'T think so. GPs always start on time ... first race at 19.15 local time (other than Italy or Cardiff). Parade starts at four minutes past the hour exactly, the TV companies have that time to lead into the opening heat. Most opening ceremonies are rehearsed and timed so that riders are ready to go onto the track at 12 minutes past the hour. We then run to a timed schedule throughout the night although obviously unforeseen circumstances (as in Torun last October) mean constant amendments.

[Dave_minall]

DON'T think so. GPs always start on time ... first race at 19.15 local time (other than Italy or Cardiff). Parade starts at four minutes past the hour exactly, the TV companies have that time to lead into the opening heat. Most opening ceremonies are rehearsed and timed so that riders are ready to go onto the track at 12 minutes past the hour. We then run to a timed schedule throughout the night although obviously unforeseen circumstances (as in Torun last October) mean constant amendments.

 

And most of this is organised by Steve Brandon - it is essentially his job to keep everything on schedule.