Chairmans Rubbish – November 2020
October club night seemed to go very well as a lot of people zoomed in. We were supposed to be going round to Roger & Amy’s barn but Amy had a temperature so it was better not to. We can’t zoom but were able to just use the phone which meant we could take part but not see anybody so sometimes it was a bit difficult to work out who was saying what which meant Janet had to ask so that she could make accurate minutes especially as we had a committee meeting first..
We went and marshalled on a Hero event (Hero Challenge 111) that started and finished in Taunton. We did the very first regularity start which opened at 8:00 am so we had to leave home shortly after 6:00 am. We were there in plenty of time, put a DDMC banner up and had about 80 cars through – 2 of which didn’t know DDMC existing and promised to look us up on the web and then perhaps come along to a normal club night when they restart. Janet was expecting proper historic rally cars but there was barely half a dozen. The oldest was a 1936 Bentley which actually won the event. We knew 3 of the navigators from years ago when road rallying was at its height – they were good then and despite the passing of many years still are as they all finished in the top 6. Our 2nd control was an intermediate timing point just after Porlock Toll road which of course we had to drive just to make sure it was OK. The road was closed but it helps when you know the Test commander and start and finish marshals! With regard to Covid 19 regulations they seemed to have got things right. We had to sign on in advance and were told to wear masks and bring our own stakes – but I took cones as well. The clock car personnel were wearing masks and gloves. They gave me an envelope with the clock in it telling me it had been sanitised the night before when it was set. I had to open the envelope and hold the clock while they rechecked it. We had to count down from 10 which is not easy to make yourself clear whilst wearing a mask as well as keep the check sheet. The course closing car took a photo of the check sheet and e-mailed them through to results – a safe and very quick system. At our 2nd control they started to tell us how to change the clock’s mode but we had already done that but I just showed them that it was working OK but it was 1 second out according to BBC which they agreed but said they couldn’t do anything about it but NOT to tell the competitors! The 2nd control was much easier to man as all we had to do was stop the clock, call out the time and keep the check sheet.
The Driveshaft should have run on October 24th and the weather, heavy rain and wind, would have been ideal for me as Clerk of the Course as residents would have had windows closed and thus hopefully not heard anything, speed would have been down so the chance of a clean sheet was remote but marshals would have got wet and check sheets might have been difficult to read although all of the marshals who said they were going to come were experienced competent people so I am sure they would have kept the check sheets dry knowing that results were going to be calculated from the check sheet.
Next month is the AGM (Tuesday December 1st) so please try and zoom in. All of the present committee are prepared to stand again but if you feel like having a go then nominations must reach the secretary at least 7 days in advance and be proposed and seconded by current members and you must also be a member.
Keith Edwards