Gate Fee Question

[DMesher]

If the EMRA is able to collect and keep the gate fees at Castrol during race weekends, would it possible to include the entry fee costs and add them to the registration cost for the event online (just increase the cost of the event by this amount)?

This would allow racers the option to prepay these costs at the time we register for the event, and avoid the 'cash payment scramble' each day.

 

[the_fornicator]

Somebody would have to keep track of that from the castrol side and emra side. Pretty sure the gate workers and the emra won't want anything to do with that process.

Seems like more headache than it's worth to save the minute to pay $10. And then the whole fun part to deal with possible refunds. A possibly complicated process to save people a minute doesnt seem worth it to me.

 

[DMesher]

I would have no problem with a non-refundable pay-in-advance commitment. I don't see this being anymore complicated than the other aspects of event registration. If we prepay then EMRA gets the dough and I would pick up my wrist band when I pick up my tech sheet. I think it would simplify the 'no one in the booth when I arrive, walk back after they arrive' or 'pay during the rider meeting' etc.

I think I heard Justin say the gate receipts are ours, so just lump it in with event registration.

Seems simply and easy to me. A check box on exit and I am done.

 

[Slim]

seems easy enough, but the gate keeper would have to weed out everyone who ahs paid, and hasn't, and if they've already been through the gate or not so people aren't using their names, sounds like a headache.

 

[the_fornicator]

That's kind of the thing, in my opinion; the EMRA already gets the dough so to create an entirely new process just doesn't seem worth it. New processes inevitably mean more places something can fail/cause headache.

You pick up your wrist band when you pick up your tech sheet? So, somehow the booth operator would have to know whether you've paid or not in order to let you in to get your tech sheet? Maybe print a sheet out or something, but, again, inevitably, this ends up being more work for the exec and booth worker to sort out so as to simplify an already simple process. A process that's not new; one that we've been going through at strato for several years.

Not directed at you, but all this just cause someone was too lazy to not get $10 in cash in advance? If anything goes wrong, if there's a wicked long line, it'll just get longer trying to resolve a $10 issue.

It can be simple, but to me it seems like there are too many ways to break the process. One large and unknown factor is whether castrol even wants their gate workers to put up with another step.

 

[DMesher]

In ALL the EMRA events I have attended at Castrol, there has never been anyone in the booth when I have driven through, so perhaps I have a distorted view of reality. Perhaps I am also naive in thinking that no one needs to police it rigidly at the booth since we have established the requirements for payment and wrist bands during the rider meeting.

If allowed to pay during the registration process then the association gets the dough and I don't have to worry about it for the weekend. As I said, just seems to be a simple option for those that chose to go that route.

 

[Goatse]

In ALL the EMRA events I have attended at Castrol, there has never been anyone in the booth when I have driven through, so perhaps I have a distorted view of reality. Perhaps I am also naive in thinking that no one needs to police it rigidly at the booth since we have established the requirements for payment and wrist bands during the rider meeting.

If allowed to pay during the registration process then the association gets the dough and I don't have to worry about it for the weekend. As I said, just seems to be a simple option for those that chose to go that route.

There was a worker at the front gate when I arrived on Sunday, and I pulled in before you did.

Also you keep ignoring/dismissing the fact that there will be a fair bit of extra work/organizing just to sort who has paid and who hasn't. Letting people through the gate who claimed they have paid is just asking for trouble in my opinion.

 

[the_fornicator]

In ALL the EMRA events I have attended at Castrol, there has never been anyone in the booth when I have driven through

So, you've never had to fumble around for $10 re "cash payment scramble" then since no one was at the booth?

Then there's no issue

Forgive me, I'm bored.

 

[Goatse]

And the "I forgot to get cash" excuse can't really be used if you raced last year or years before. You needed cash to get in the gate at Stratotech.

 

[DMesher]

You are correct, there was an EMRA volunteer at the booth on Sunday (not a Castrol employee) for the first time in order to collect the gate entry fee.

That is why I asked the question about the ability to pre-pay to alleviate the requirement for the pursuit, collection and policing of the entry fee. I have assumed that everyone is operating on the honour system and would pay this fee regardless of the mechanics of the payment and the active racing members of the EMRA wouldn't need to be policed. I am obviously way off base, I withdraw the original question.


Although ... if there was a check box on the race event registration page for gate fees....I would check it....


I now return you to your regularly scheduled program.....

There was a worker at the front gate when I arrived on Sunday, and I pulled in before you did.

Also you keep ignoring/dismissing the fact that there will be a fair bit of extra work/organizing just to sort who has paid and who hasn't. Letting people through the gate who claimed they have paid is just asking for trouble in my opinion.

 

[yak]

Darel

It is a fair question, especially since we have had some "issues" so far this year.

That being said, I'm trying to think of a method that addresses some of the complications that others have raised. One thought is that if we could avoid counterfeiting we could sell an annual pass at the being of the year.

Regards,

Todd

 

[SetUpSixRR]

I feel the same as Todd. It's a plastic age these days and many people never carry cash so I can understand the reasoning behind your suggestion. I too will try to think of a way to do this that doesn't bring about other complications.

Suggestions are always welcome from everyone with the EMRA.

 

[DEFBOY35]

i kind of like the idea of a "season's pass" as well. but as mentioned, it is, how to implement it without causing other issues that is the concern.

otherwise, having the passes at registration and or the riders meeting would be a good idea to continue for those that do make it before there is a gate person arrives

 

[Racin Jason]

We will have someone at the gate at the last round.
This has been addressed. As for paying online, that seems very complicated for gate workers.

 

[Dean]

With the WMRC, we sell the gate pass with our licenses. The back of our race licenses have "Gate Pass 2014" on the back. We show the gate worker our license and it gets us in.

Our licenses are laminated, so it prevents people from just adding it.