Porsche Parade Good - Silverstone Rubbish

[Alan Mendelson]

The Porsche parade at Silverstone was fun, exciting and spectacular to see even though Silverstone tried its best to spoil it.
As an event Silverstone is rubbish and I am unlikely to ever go there again. I will be sending Porsche Club GB regular e-mails saying "DO NOT have out annual event there again".

It started with delays getting in due to poor access off the A43.
Silverstone had changed the gates being used but had not changed the information signs directing people. Thus car club drivers were using the inside lane for Gate 1 but were then being directed to the main gate and non-car club drivers were needing Gate 1.
We were allocated Assembly Area 1 by the PCGB area but according to Silverstone marshalls the area was too wet on the grass. Sliverstone always use this excuse to cover their incompetance and reluctance to spend money on car parks.
We were directed down to Vale with hundreds of others. We were parked there with no catering facilities and miles from the PCGB area. We were instructed to be back at our cars for 11.30 to drive round to Stow, therefore there was no time to go anywhere to meet people just to hang around.
Once we were moved to Stow it was into another parking area and wait for the parade to start.
We were luck and got out onto the track early in our group, entering in the middle of Vale and ending at the start of Vale we did about 9/10ths of a lap. As we were coming on to the Hanger Straight some people were still entering the circuit, as they were now effectively behind our lead car they were directed off the track at Vale having driven just the length of the Hanger Straight.
We were held in the parking area while marshalls claimed parking near the PCGB was sorted out.
Eventually the 993 in front of me made a break and so did we.
We headed straight for the exit, knowing that the roads to the main exit would be packed as competitors started for home.
Will I go to Silverstone again - Highly Unlikely.
Was it value for money - NO
Did we see or meet any one we new - NO.

There are better places for our National Event:
Alton Towers - you can book it exclusively for arounf £80k.
Donnington Park.
Chatsworth House - Get Region 8 to run it.
MacDonalds on the A5.
Anywhere but Silverstone.

 

[andrew_churcher]

It's been covered already mate.

 

[TKF1]

Hi Alan
Sounds about right for Silverstone. I believe they messed PCGB about by moving the goal posts many times
Thank goodness we don't have that trouble when dealing with the Donington Historic organisers who are always extremely helpful.
We elected not to participate, as we wanted to watch and did so from Luffield. I must say it was a very impressive sight. Well done to PCGB and all the volunteers who organised the day and all the cars that took part.
Happy birthday 911!
Cheers
Kerry and Tom

 

[Dekker]

The queues are what I expected, using kids to direct traffic not Silverstone's finest decision.

As for the PCGB parking area, I was amazed when I arrived on Friday to find no one directing cars in the parking area.
I'd volunteered my services as I know others had done and weren't called on for duties.

PCGB knew that there were 1200+ cars arriving on Sunday and still no one directing cars so there were lots of spaces and cars badly parked taking up too much room.

At the Chateau Impney the year before we had plenty of helpers in the parking areas and probably no more than 300 cars.

As for the weekend I really enjoyed it, got to see loads of friends, some fabulous cars in their club car parks, some good racing especially Group C and walking around the pits talking to everyone, mechanics and drivers were very friendly.
To top it all we had some concerts to go to in the evening, I especially like the Pink Floyd tribute band and The Commitments on Friday night, the tea time deluge on Saturday sent me home early so I missed those acts.

 

[garyw]

ORIGINAL: Dekker
I'd volunteered my services as I know others had done and weren't called on for duties.

David, I was in the same position and after no response when I first offered I decided to be rid of it- not that I got a phone call or email anyhow.[&:]
Then I read whinges about the lack of help on setup etc... only three people!! I feel for them I really do but sometimes you have to help yourself firstly!

 

[Peter_Bull]

ORIGINAL: Dekker

As for the PCGB parking area, I was amazed when I arrived on Friday to find no one directing cars in the parking area.
I'd volunteered my services as I know others had done and weren't called on for duties.

David, your name did not appear on the list I was sent from Club office. All those who were on that list were called upon.

We had volunteers and directors in high viz jackets on all three days from 0730 - 1030 ish. If you came in after that then you probably did not see any as all cars should have been onsite by 1000 as per the instructions from Silverstone.

ORIGINAL: Dekker

PCGB knew that there were 1200+ cars arriving on Sunday and still no one directing cars so there were lots of spaces and cars badly parked taking up too much room.

That made me laugh out loud! How do you think we were able to get all the cars lined up! Again if you came in late then possibly you would not have seen many about. I even had one man who came up to me at 1220 and asked where he should go!!! 20 mins before the parade when the instructions asked him to be parked up by 1000 and back at his car by 1100.

The badly parked cars had been left there since Friday morning and the drivers made no attempt to move them which caused us all problems.

ORIGINAL: Dekker

At the Chateau Impney the year before we had plenty of helpers in the parking areas and probably no more than 300 cars.

That's because I was working on that for many weeks before hand and with lots of willing volunteers I managed to fill 184x 2 hours slots.

For Silverstone I had 4 days notice to sort out the volunteers for set up and parking duties - due to unforeseen personal circumstances of teh person charged with organising this and therefore beyond my control. In the end we all pulled together and managed to do a reasonable job.


I know it was not perfect, it never is, but we do our best at all times and give up our time willingly for the members benefit.

I think you should give us a little credit.

 

[garyw]

ORIGINAL: Peter Bull
due to unforeseen personal circumstances of teh person charged with organising this and therefore beyond my control. In the end we all pulled together and managed to do a reasonable job.


I know it was not perfect, it never is, but we do our best at all times and give up our time willingly for the members benefit.

I think you should give us a little credit.

Peter, I would certainly give the club credit for the event- an amazing result from what must have been a nightmare to deal with regarding Silverstone.
Just the stress in how late they send the tickets out must have been enough for some!!

I don't want to spark yet another Silverstone thread in a regional area, so enough to say I fully appreciate the work that the club and the volunteers called actually put in.

 

[MJB]

ORIGINAL: Alan Mendelson

We were allocated Assembly Area 1 by the PCGB area but according to Silverstone marshalls the area was too wet on the grass. Sliverstone always use this excuse to cover their incompetance and reluctance to spend money on car parks.

The Silverstone 'rain' excuse must by now rank alongside 'leaves on the line' and 'the wrong type of snow'! This event suffered quite badly from saturated ground in 2012 -PCGB was quite lucky then compared to some clubs and things had been far worse at the Grand Prix not long before- so given that it's Britain, it's July and the place has a history of becoming a quagmire at the slightest prompting it is rather invidious of Silverstone to blame the weather for their organisational shortcomings.

 

[Dekker]

Well Peter I know you were in charge at The Chateau because it worked like clockwork.

And I'm sorry you were dumped on at the last minute for Silverstone.

You know where to look next time you want help as I always volunteer help in the Midlands area and having done car parking duty at various events in the past and will be getting a gold star soon.

 

[pse_SC]

As for the PCGB parking area, I was amazed when I arrived on Friday to find no one directing cars in the parking area.
I'd volunteered my services as I know others had done and weren't called on for duties.

You must have missed us waving at you, then[]

 

[supersport]

One of the best weekends ever. []

There were plenty of helpers around on both Saturday and Sunday when we arrived. Saturday was nice and slick and Sunday was not too surprisingly a little slower.