Trees 2,814 Posted September 2, 2014 Actually, in the good old days, it was 6 heats and we then had matches being forced through to 6 and then abandoned in order to avoid giving a refund. Quite! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,637 Posted September 2, 2014 But wasn't Belle Vue barred from making that kind of decision after the burst pipe fiasco? which is why they now have a Meeting 'Co-ordinator' eg Mick Bates last night. Not that it seemed to make much difference. Middlo clearly doesn't know the rules then. Didn't I say 'managers'!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
abbo 229 Posted September 3, 2014 I think I should mention the happenings at Coventry in relation to the NL League team Storm. A few weeks ago at Brandon we had a double header, at 10.45pm the last race of the second meeting was called off due to a Curfew. I didn't know that such a thing existed at Coventry. Last Friday another Storm meeting was called off at 10.10pm with five races left to run. I spoke with Mick Horton and he explained that it was his decision to end the meeting because of the Curfew. I reminded him that the previous meeting was called off at 10.45pm. He explained that he had been trouble about the timing of the late call off. I had paid £30 for my adult son and myself and that I felt we had been short changed. There were too many delays between heats, long interval all totally not necessary, a burst air fence that seemed to take a lot longer than usual. Sundays meeting against Leicester took 2 hours 10 minutes to complete. Next Friday week we have a double header against Eastbourne, if there are similar delays (some I accept in Speedway you can't plan for) then we are talking about 4.20 hours. Start time is planned for 7pm how can these meetings finish before 10pm, almost impossible I would suggest. I realise that Promoters have difficulty in arranging these meetings before cut off date. Also I note we have two matches listed against Wolves at home and Belle Vue away. The Wolves match is not listed as TBA in their fixture list, does it mean that these fixtures are to be forfeited as they do not affect Play off qualification?. My main concern is the Eastbourne situation. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
waiheke1 4,295 Posted September 3, 2014 Actually, in the good old days, it was 6 heats and we then had matches being forced through to 6 and then abandoned in order to avoid giving a refund.Yep. And even if it was called off before then, it was no refunds, just admittance to one of the next two meetings (per belle vue programme 1987). Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
A ORLOV 8,628 Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) I think I should mention the happenings at Coventry in relation to the NL League team Storm. A few weeks ago at Brandon we had a double header, at 10.45pm the last race of the second meeting was called off due to a Curfew. I didn't know that such a thing existed at Coventry. Last Friday another Storm meeting was called off at 10.10pm with five races left to run. I spoke with Mick Horton and he explained that it was his decision to end the meeting because of the Curfew. I reminded him that the previous meeting was called off at 10.45pm. He explained that he had been trouble about the timing of the late call off. I had paid £30 for my adult son and myself and that I felt we had been short changed. There were too many delays between heats, long interval all totally not necessary, a burst air fence that seemed to take a lot longer than usual. Sundays meeting against Leicester took 2 hours 10 minutes to complete. Next Friday week we have a double header against Eastbourne, if there are similar delays (some I accept in Speedway you can't plan for) then we are talking about 4.20 hours. Start time is planned for 7pm how can these meetings finish before 10pm, almost impossible I would suggest. I realise that Promoters have difficulty in arranging these meetings before cut off date. Also I note we have two matches listed against Wolves at home and Belle Vue away. The Wolves match is not listed as TBA in their fixture list, does it mean that these fixtures are to be forfeited as they do not affect Play off qualification?. My main concern is the Eastbourne situation. At Swindon recently we had a delayed start due to rain and more rain was due later in the evening. The ref got the meeting going and on a few occasions the riders came out before the last of the riders from the preceding heat had left the track. Also on a restart due to an unsatisfactory start the riders were not allowed back into the pits. For a restart due to unsatisfactory start the two mins should be put on a couple of seconds after the red light. Meetings can be run quickly, even allowing time for rr and accidents if all the other pi##ing about and delays between races are got rid of. I was speaking to one ref and they recon that the two min clock on the centre green can also delay meetings as riders will muck about at the start right up to the limit of the time allowed. The start marshall should have the power to stop all the gardening and delays at the start if all four riders are at the start etc. Edited September 3, 2014 by A ORLOV Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
E I Addio 15,845 Posted September 3, 2014 (edited) But wasn't Belle Vue barred from making that kind of decision after the burst pipe fiasco? No, in that case the meeting hadn't started. The meeting comes under the referees control two hours before the start and that's where the rule kicks in. Up until that time it seems the promoter can do more or less what he likes,. I think Belle Vue's problem was that they were telling lies about the burst pipe. If a promoter postpones a meeting because he thinks it might rain that seems to be OK. Len Silver seems to do that all the time. I think BV were only banned from making the decision for a limited period of time like to the end of the season or something. Edited September 3, 2014 by E I Addio Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pirate Nick 1,801 Posted September 3, 2014 In Poland they call it off earlier and award the rest of the heats as 3 alls. The indifferent weather we get these days and the ridiculous state we get into year after year trying to fit meeting after meeting in a few weeks means that getting a result has to be the aim. If we didn't allow a meeting to be called off to get a result there would be little chance of fulfilling its fixture list which to me is worse and farcical. It seems that in Sweden and Poland they accept that call offs are part and parcel of the sport, here we expect only good weather and perfect 15 heats. Time to wake up. It would be perfect if all meetings got to heat 15 regardless. Whatever the decision the fans would just have something to moan about! If this meeting had been held in Poland or Sweden there would probably have been a 1 1/2 hr ish break during which the track would have been completely relaid. Just saying. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,824 Posted September 3, 2014 If this meeting had been held in Poland or Sweden there would probably have been a 1 1/2 hr ish break during which the track would have been completely relaid. Just saying. Precisely. They are serious in getting meetings ON and have the equipment and skills to do so. The minute one raindrop falls here there is already calls of `its too wet for the riders`. We just don't have the skill or more importantly the equipment to save meetings. Or the interest it seems. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pirate Nick 1,801 Posted September 3, 2014 Precisely. They are serious in getting meetings ON and have the equipment and skills to do so. The minute one raindrop falls here there is already calls of `its too wet for the riders`. We just don't have the skill or more importantly the equipment to save meetings. Or the interest it seems. The interest most of the time seems to be not having to give refunds and saving 5 hts worth of points money. 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted September 3, 2014 Surely it's more being able to pay all the expenses of the meeting to heat 10 and saving the headache of having to schedule the meeting into the fixture list again and their rider's already hyper busy lives? Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Pirate Nick 1,801 Posted September 3, 2014 Surely it's more being able to pay all the expenses of the meeting to heat 10 and saving the headache of having to schedule the meeting into the fixture list again and their rider's already hyper busy lives?Sorry my mistake, it's the cynic in me, but you're obviously right Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
tsc1 31 Posted September 3, 2014 Precisely. They are serious in getting meetings ON and have the equipment and skills to do so. The minute one raindrop falls here there is already calls of `its too wet for the riders`. We just don't have the skill or more importantly the equipment to save meetings. Or the interest it seems. . Think you need to put your brain into gear before you say over here we have not got the skill,,,,,,,,, with the likes of doc at wolves and buster at kings Lynn there as good as any track guys in Poland Sweden....... 1 Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
stevebrum 6,824 Posted September 3, 2014 . Think you need to put your brain into gear before you say over here we have not got the skill,,,,,,,,, with the likes of doc at wolves and buster at kings Lynn there as good as any track guys in Poland Sweden....... My brain was fully in gear. Talk to them, i have. There is only so much they can do without the right equipment. I was talking more about promotions taking the easy route over here. NOT the track guys. The track guys don't have the right equipment for downpours, and turning a track around enough quickly after a heavy amount of rain. If you had read the post properly you might have understood that. Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Skidder1 7,637 Posted September 4, 2014 Wouldn't it be great if British speedway clubs all owned their own stadia and had nothing else programmed in to stop them doing whatever they wanted!!!!! Ooops sorry, nodded off there for a moment!!! Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
Trees 2,814 Posted September 5, 2014 Like Poland, Sweden and Denmark you mean ...... Share this post Link to post Share on other sites
