NOTICE: No more loaner magnetic numbers

[Native]

The time has come, folks. From here on, it will be up to drivers to supply their own numbers. Tape will be available (for a while) for those who do not have their own numbers, or forget to get their own tape.

Brief history: we've always had available magnetic numbers for drivers without. Issue is they are small and hard for course workers to see, and one by one they've been disappearing and we no longer have a full set. Also slows down tech. There has been repeated debate as to the pros and cons of offering the use of the numbers.

We'll still be driver-friendly if you don't have your own numbers, or don't have tape - we will share our tape. But it will be the driver's responsiblity to mark their own cars.

Once the rules are put together, the "preferred" size will be a minimum of 8 inches high. No one's gonna measure...

This should make tech easier, make courseworking easier, and be more in keeping with the way other clubs go about it.

Thank you for your support and continued participation in FAST !

[Loren]

One neat idea that I saw at GCAC (I don't know if they still do it), is print numbers on standard paper on a standard printer. Just have a supply of each digit 0-9, and a roll of standard (cheap) masking tape on hand either at registration or tech.

Doing it at registration would make it easy to charge a buck or two to cover expenses.

This would give us numbers that are WAY more legible than blue tape.

[AScoda]

We could put some large type/stroke printable numbers on the website that people can download/print on their own time and bring with them to tape on their own car. The low-tack paint-safe tape is cheap and everywhere, Advance auto parts sells the blue and the super-cool lime green automotive version. I'm sure Autozone and others do as well. The blue is available in paint departments of of any store that has a paint department. We can make it easy for people to do it themselves, it would just take more time for us to supply everything at the event.

[Loren]

Here's the problem: People often forget to bring stuff like that. (I'm guilty of it myself)

I like the idea of CONSISTENT and legible numbers. The small ones we've been using weren't the best... but they were consistent. You didn't have to rely on anyone's creative ways of creating complex number shapes with tape. You knew where the number would be on the car, and you could read it if you were close enough.

I'd like to see us adopt a "no tape or shoe-polish numbers" policy. Get people to either buy their own magnetics, print their own paper numbers (and, yes, we can publish the numbers on the website), or if they forget to do any of that, or haven't gotten around to it, or just plain don't have the time... let them pay a buck or two for the pre-printed numbers that we have on hand.

Legibility is the key, though. And I don't see the wanton use of tape as being any more legible than what we've been using.

[blacksheep-1]

Or they could pony up the ? amount of money to get pre printed panels with the FAST logos on them, Hey guys 'how 'bout a little lead time!!?

[Loren]

The club's not gonna foot the bill for that. The small ones were hard enough to manage, bigger ones... and pairs of them at that... would be too expensive to buy, and harder to keep looking nice. (and flat)

If you're talking about what individual drivers choose to do, that's certainly an option. Great for the regulars, but does not address the issue of first-timers, other newbs, and "casual" folks who don't care to spend the money on magnetics or deal with keeping them around the house.

[kickslop]

I think banning shoe polish or painter's tape is a bad idea.

This is grassroots motorsports. There should not be a barrier to entry like that in my opinion.

Tech can check for legibility.

[Loren]

I think banning shoe polish or painter's tape is a bad idea.

This is grassroots motorsports. There should not be a barrier to entry like that in my opinion.

You didn't read all of my post. If we're supplying neat and tidy paper numbers AND tape to stick them on the car for $2 or less... it's not a barrier to anyone doing anything.

I'm NOT saying we need to require magnetics or anything. Not even that drivers need to remember to bring anything with them.

[kickslop]

No, I read it all, I just didn't comment at length.

As much as I, in all my meticulous glory, would love everyone's numbers to be 10" laser-cut magnetics in perfect contrast to their car's paint, our concern should simply be legible numbers.

If you don't have some form of legible, contrasted, and firmly affixed 8" numbers at tech time (on BOTH SIDES of the car), you fail tech until you fix the problem.

My objection is twofold:

1. Do we need a "no way" rule when 95% of the people are perfectly capable of constructing clear big numbers out of tape, and 5% are severely challenged at it?

2. Do we really need ANOTHER thing for someone to remember to print and worry about remembering to bring to events (as well as inventorying number stock, reprinting low stock, etc)?

[Loren]

I'm prepared to agree to disagree with you on this, but I just want to be clear that 95% of people do NOT make neat and legible numbers with tape, blue tape does NOT contrast well with about half of the cars it gets put on, and 10" tall black numbers on white paper will ALWAYS be much more legible.

We've never allowed tape numbers before (granted, we supplied our magnetics for free), no need to start now if we can come up with a better alternative.

[Loren]

New page added to the website:
http://www.wedrivefast.com/Numbers.cfm" onclick="window.open(this.href);return false;

Steve, lemme know what needs to change on it whenever you come to some decisions. For now, that seems to be a good start.

[Alizarin]

We've never allowed tape numbers before (granted, we supplied our magnetics for free), no need to start now if we can come up with a better alternative.

You have when it comes to Corvettes

[Native]

Loren, the web page, at quick glance looks fine.
In the past, there have been plenty of numbers assigned or changed at registration/tech. We're doing away with tech handing out /assigning numbers, but if someone has printed and taped their number, what happens if it needs to be changed at registration. Or if they didn't pick a number, or picked someone else's number...

Jamie said he can block out certain "reserved" numbers on myautoevents, but folks aren't gonna be happy if they can't use the numbers they've printed and taped if it gets changed at registration, and then we still end up in the same boat as before - tape.

How about a pile of blank 8x11 paper at registration, and ONE person with a thick black marker drawing the proper number as needed - which means when the pre-printed number the driver chose for some reason cannot be used. The "font" and size will be consistent (same person's writing), and then the driver can just tape it right on the car before tech?

[Dave-ROR]

We've never allowed tape numbers before (granted, we supplied our magnetics for free), no need to start now if we can come up with a better alternative.

You have when it comes to Corvettes

And Elises

[Dave-ROR]

What's the max length for the numbers? 2 position? 3 position? If we have 3 positions available and two people show up with their own version of #50, just add a hand written 1 to the end of it, or two, etc. I'll likely just use a 3 digit number so it's unlikely that I'd have to deal with it...

[Loren]

How about a pile of blank 8x11 paper at registration, and ONE person with a thick black marker drawing the proper number as needed - which means when the pre-printed number the driver chose for some reason cannot be used. The "font" and size will be consistent (same person's writing), and then the driver can just tape it right on the car before tech?

Much is going to depend on what procedures you decide upon. But, if Jamie can come up with a way to block out the perm numbers and ensure that duplicate numbers aren't issued by the MAE pre-reg system... the only numbers that should be handed out at registration will be walk-ups. (and folks who forgot to print their own... or printed them but forgot to bring them... or...)

I still think it would be worth having a stack of each digit pre-printed in the registration box. Those will be MUCH quicker to hand out than having someone scribble on a piece of paper, not to mention infinitely more readable.

"Okay, Mr. Newby, you'll be number 92. Here's a couple 9's and a couple 2's. Tech will have tape available for you." Done deal.

Charging for the pre-printed numbers would cover the costs (not much cost), but add a little time. Would also deter slackers from "abusing" the priviledge if they have to pay for it. I could go either way on the issue of charging for the numbers. But, I think having them available makes sense.

[Alizarin]

IIRC, MyAutoEvents showed car number in the registration list. They do ask for 3 choices (a required field), so I guess there's something in there to prevent duplicates?

[Jamie]

There is. I think the reason we had problems this last time was because when the preregistration spreadsheet was translated into the forms, the numbers were picked up from the wrong column...and took everyone's first choice. I'll fix that next time by stripping the extra fields out of the spreadsheet before I send it off to whoever's making the forms.

[Alizarin]

...and took everyone's first choice.

If it took everyone's first choice, why was there a problem?

[Loren]

...and took everyone's first choice.

If it took everyone's first choice, why was there a problem?

Duplication of numbers would be the problem. Everyone got their first choice, and several people surely picked the same number.

I admit, I was the one who did the import and I didn't take the time to study all of the fields. The "selected" number field is called "No", and I didn't catch it, I guess. Late night rush job, and I didn't really WANT to do be doing it. (this is why I keep pushing for someone to buy and set up some software)