salsa-king

without ScoobyNet and the SIDC i'd be very sad and lonely!


well i might be that anyway...but i did play to 2 over my handicap today! and i'm welll chuffed! (as its only the 3rd round of golf i've played in 6months!


Phil

Steve Perriam

i'm a bit confused as to the reasons for starting this post.

i've not actually ever bought from Scoobysport / TSL etc.

i'm a sidc member and enjoy the mag gr8ly.

if people whose jobs actually involve scoobies on a commercial basis are involved in SIDC then all i can say is gr8 !

thats hopefully gotta be good news for us scooby owners and enthusiasts to have guys of this calibre actively supporting us ?

and yes at the end of the day if we dont like it then we vote them off.

dean harris

I personally think it is good to have a chairman of a club,that has a vast knowledge of the cars we drive,which in turn allows us to get the answers we need to our questions,about problems we might have with our cars.In short,getting some professional advice instead of getting led up the garden path(lied to).
I have in the past contacted pete either via email or phone even before i was a member of sidc,and asked for advice regarding different things that had worried me i.e what fuel to run in a wrx as i was told by the garage unleaded was o.k but after reading various press reports which contradicted this, then i seeked further info.This is one instance and my point is everytime i have contacted him and asked for advice he has always been professional and has not tried to push a sale of scoobysport's product's.How many dealers are like this?Few i believe.
But then this is only my opinion,and everyone is entitled to theirs.
Good debate though,for getting reaction's!
Regards
Dean

muddy

I've been away from the computer and world war 3 starts!!.

Ok, Steve you know my thoughts on this, but I never thought you would do something as rash What's brought all this on, somebody upset you!!

I wasn't going to say anything for fear of a huge backlash, but it seems that Steve has already received it!!

SIDC as a car owners club is Superb, from experience of other clubs it looks from the outside as an extremely professional outfit, and to the outsider it does.
But going back to the Richard Grimes era (No offence Richard) it seemed like the club was going now where. It seemed to those new members that the club was exclusivley for the upper classes with money, who could afford the expensive track days and the like.
When he resigned and Pete took over, I thought fair enough, new blood and maybe a change in direction, well to SIDC's credit it has changed direction but only slightly for the better unfortunately!!.
Yes, the club has a higher profile now, and it's on the Internet(which I believe was the down fall of Dick),
but the same fundimental still applies, if your not of the upper class and live down south then you have no hope at all of being "involved" with the club.
Ok, some of you may say that if your not happy then, get voted onto the commitee or don't join the club again.
Well, as soon as I found out that the club maybe changing direction, I volunteered my services as a Regional Organiser.
Well low and behold the club wasn't interested and after many many emails I gave up asking!!
So what does that say about the club.
I don't know who my regional organiser is, DO YOU??

The back bone of any club is it's members, without them you have nothing.
What I think Steve is trying to say is there is nobody out side of the committee who is involved in the running of the club, which is wrong.
There should be a regional organiser for every region. And each member should be aware of that regional organiser (Like every other car club in this country).
Members who want to help and organise things should be allowed to with the help of the club and be encouraged by the club.
Stef should not have to organise everything himself, it's just not humanly possible, there should be 2 events organisers, or more to help with the burden (this is where regional organisers come in).

Effectively the club should be run by as many members as possible!!(well I know this is not possible, but i hope you get the idea)

And the club should also remember that the majority of it's members have worked damn hard and scrimpt and saved for their scooby.
Most, like me would love to go on a track session for £150, and then fork out for new pads, discs and tyres.
But for me with a normal job it's not possible, so what else is there for those members to do who can not afford go on track, very little if nothing!!!

I don't believe that anybody in the committee should have commercial interests in Subaru's.

Apologies if I have offended people (no intentions at all) but I think what I have said is the truth.
I also think there are a lot of people in the sidc with blinkers on, and I can't believe that 90% of the replies don't think that there's nothing wrong with the SIDC.
I know for a fact that 95% of SIDC members I have spoke to in the last year, all have the same beliefs as myself.

For reference: Most if not all Top car clubs, have quarterly magazines, tax discs, stickers, and discounts for their members.

I could say a lot more on why the SIDC has not meet my expectations, but I'll stop there.


Muddy.

Apologies again if I have upset anyone.

stephen emery

Wow muddy .
well said !
steve

kevin stanton

Muddy
That must have taken ages to type in.

with regards to the regional organisers, I remember back to my RS Owners Club days, I received a flyer from the local organiser every time there was a meet.

davyboy

You dont really believe that statement do you?



I can assure you none of the SIDC member are members of the Aristocracy!

Bunch of ****!

Bad Bads

For what it's worth I am one of the SIDC regional organiser's.My name and phone number's are alway's in True Grip as are all the other organiser's.I try to organise as many event's as I can but you cannot make people come to them.
With regard's to Stef I know that John B is trying to help take some of the workload and not all event's are looked after by Stef,us local rep's do what we can.
It's like most thing's in life,you get out of it what you put in.If all you do is read the mag's and don't go to any of the event's then you may feel that you are not getting your money's worth.
Cheers Paul.

ChrisB

Any chance of explaining that more? What do you by involved? Being on the committee, contributing to True Grip or something else?

I've done one article for True Grip and I really enjoyed seing my writing & photo's professionally laid out and printed up. Most satisfying

ChrisB

Oh, not exactly a title I'd chose if I just wanted to debate something

WRXBOB

Been watching this thread with interest,
I'm only a recent member of the SIDC so my experience of it is some what limited, but I gotta agree with most of what Muddy said.

It DOES need some sort of regional organiser to involve the members and to arrange smaller local meetings, especially in the North of the country. It would appear that the majority of reply's supporting the SIDC in its present state are from the Southern end of the country!
I'm not knocking the committee,in fact anyone who gives up so much of their time to help organise the SIDC deserves better.Theres not many peeps who would do the same without being paid!

But IMHO it does feel like Scoobynet is the REAL club for Scooby enthusiasts be it owners of a new STi7 or a 9yr old import.

And I see where Steve is coming from in starting this thread, he's not the only one with these views, nearly every one I've spoken too feels the same way. Its just that Steve was brave enough(or a fool ) to air his opinions!
Its only by voicing opinions that changes (for the better) can be made.
So lets have some constructive reply's...

I'd like to nominate Muddy as a regional organiser...any one want to second it?

BOB

stephen emery

maybe the title is a bit controversial but hay ho i am dyslexic ko .
wanted a bit of impact
I does seem to me that we have some good meets via scoobynet with big turn outs, think gridlock mikey orged one reasonatally.
Seems a shame that sdic members not on the net miss out!!

Been a scooby owner for 4 years , my98 my01. don't seem to get much contact from the sdic apart from mags now and again!
Thought no harm in bringing topic up suprised peeps mention that
All the peeps (including tsl scoobysport) i have met via scoobynet have always been good company and have one driving intrest nice motors
Just seems that the net seems to have taken over the role of a club.
I am not aware of any club activity in the mids/north.

steve

dsmith

Well, been a member for 3 years. Never quite worked up the funds/nerve to do a trackday but have enhjoyed attending a couple. Enojoy the mag and the discounts. Been to a couple of the RS/Scooby Anglia meets at scole. For me that seems a reasonable return on half a tank of fuel's worth of cash. I am extremely gratefuk there are people willing to put the time and effort into running the club. Its always struck me that comitte members have if anything been ever zealous in ensuring that commercial/club interests dont overlap - even to the extent where we (the club membership) miss out on potentially good articles because potential authors are afraid to be seen to be involved commercially.

At the end of the day, if you dont like it - stand for election.

I'm not very close to ther north/mids but have been aware of several (very) large meets which have been organised. Have you checked the section here - or maybe picked up the phone and contacted the area rep and put yourself forward to organise one ?



Deano

stephen emery

cheers chris
was not aware that mickey was the sidc org person. and i agree he did but one hell alot of effort into the biggy , cheers to him!

would be good to get non net users involved though!

steve

chiark

That makes SIDC a Top car club then. I got my tax disc holder, stickers, magazine and 10% off my 30k service - which saved me over the cost of joining! As for being "upper class", I've never heard such crap in my life. Suggest you actually meet some of the people you're tarring with the same massively wide brush here?

Back to the original point of my post:

The simple answer is if you don't like something, do something about it. Stand for election. But Stephen's said that he won't do that and, whilst I don't wish to single him out for abuse, this attitude of **** stirring while not being prepared to be part of a solution to what you see is a problem to be is just terribly apathetic.

If you don't like something, do something about it.

But personally I don't think things need changing.

FWIW, I completely support SIDC, Pete, Graham and everyone. What Pete has written about giving up his time in business hours is true for Graham too - I wrote an article for SIDC and was discussing it with him on the phone to TSL, tieing up him, TSL's resources and costing them money.

One thing that I do hope is that Pete and Graham will continue to be heavily involved despite this sniping at them.

I'm also amazed no-one has accused Pete of Croney-ism (sorry, someone had to get that in there) [*]

It's a great, professional club. No-one's stopping you from starting a renegade club if that's what you want?
[*] This is an attempt at A Joke, A Pun, A Play On Words

Alpine

Hi guys, I'm a new member to this club but am a veteran of many other car clubs being magazine editor for one with over 5000 members.. Being on a club committee is HARD WORK! No ifs no buts.. Balancing work and family interests plus hobbies and a life PLUS club commitments can be hard. I unreservedly congratulate and applaud the committee..

A lot of people may be interested to know that car clubs in general are becoming more and more commercial. Simply because there are fewer and fewer people willing to put time in gratis. The club I edited for now has a commercial editor who is paid to put the magazine together as it was becoming too onerous for a none-paid position.

Now for the balance...
I must admit that some of the comments I read about SIDC have struck a chord.. I have read the mag a few times and thought to myself that I must be the poor relation. The mag caters well for newer cars but what about the lads (lasses), who saved hard to get their pre-owned vehicles and are scrimping to keep them running?

The problem most clubs have is getting members involved. Many people join and only ever read the magazine and they may be happy with this. Others read the magazine but would love to break into the 'gang' that is any club, but don't feel included. One thing I've seen done successfully is that when you join, you are mailed out a personal invite to your next regional meeting. Ours used to include a picture of the organisers vehicle and a passport type photo, so the new member could identify at least a couple of faces and introduce themselves.

I know all the stuff about it being OUR club and if we don't like it we should attend meetings and get it changed.. The bottom line is it's a couple of quid a month and most people can't be mobilised into action for a general election that could see taxes change by hundreds a month! Instead they vote with their feet and either don't renew or simply they find the value in the club in their own way, for instance the discount scheme, and keep on paying but not getting involved.

For a club to be vibrant it needs fresh blood and fresh ideas from the committee to the grass roots membership. I would like to see the committee tackle the issue of inclusion.

RichB

I have no complaints about Pete or TSLs involvment in the SIDC, I think they do a great job.
As a South-Western import owner though it would be nice to hear what can be done to encourage people like me to join.
I have never heard of or from my regional organiser.
I can't go to any dealers to benefit from my 10% off (Do TSL offer SIDC discounts?)
There are no track days organised within a sensible distance. The magazine is good but I could live without it.
I do do track days but have to travel a couple of hundred miles, I live in Bournemouth and have had services in Leicester, Canterbury and Nottingham - None of which I have had a 10% discount
Maybe I should buy a UK car and move to somewhere nearer to Donnington...

Oh yeah - Please let us not have reason for another discussion about £5 burger vouchers at a meeting...

Markus

Ok, time for me to drop a few words in here.

As some of those who know me know, my views on the SIDC are not what they really should be for a member.

I have mellowed somewhat though.

SIDC and Scoobynet are, in my opinion, no way affiliated with each other. Scoobynet is not a club in the same way that SIDC is a club. Scoobynet is, umm, a 'resource', well that's the best way I can put it.

I've been a member of SIDC for a few years, I've attended an AGM, and voiced opinions on things.

Ok, time to speak the words. I was not a big fan of trackdays and saw the SIDC as a trackday only type of club, there was, at the time, no real social events, well, no purley social events, if there was a social like event then it took place at a track, and suffice to say I thought that this was not the best place for a social meet.

We were told that things were changing and to an extent they have, there are a few more social things happening, which is good, and the trackdays are still there, and they are the best. I've spectated and passengered at a few and I'm always impressed with how efficiently they are run. So as I said, I've mellowed some.

On the subject of meets, and no offence meant, but what advantage does and SIDC endorsed meet give? not being rude, guess it's good press for the club, getting the name out there, but I think more newbies know about Scoobynet than the club, and quite a few would think that you might have to be a club member to attend an SIDC meet, which of course is complete tosh.

anyway, I've had my say.

chiark

A suggestion: if you want articles in there on DIY, and I think we ALL want 'em, then speak to Graham and write them.

I, for one, would love something about DIY servicing, DIY brake change, ... but I don't have the knowledge.

We make the club what it is. People are doing this because they are enthusiasts. It means rolling your sleeves up and getting involved.

Write an article for the magazine - it's a great feeling to see your work in print (see the Joy of Ice in the last true grip )

Markus

it is all about getting involved with the club and that's the problem. We all say we'd like this and that, but when push comes to shove who actually sits up and does something about it? no-one and that is the problem, we as members should help the club out, but we always hope that 'someone else' will do what we want to see happen.

I'm the last person to support the club, and many know that, mainly as being an import owner I don't see many benefits of the discounts, plus if I don't do trackdays then there is not a lot else for me, but I'm still a member. Why? I dunno? kudos maybe? flashing the ol SIDC card to impress people? Who knows. I have thought about letting the membership slide, but I keep renewing for some reason.

going to shut up now as I don't know what point I'm actually making, or trying to make!

Trouser @TSL

hmmm.... Good job Pop's doesn't *do* internet

Not wishing to speak for Pete, but I can well imagine he's in the same boat as us. Being involved with SIDC means there are acually times when it is counterproductive for the business. Not just in terms of time, resources etc.. which they give happily cos for some strange masochistic reason i think they all really enjoy it!! :eek;.. But certain sales opportunities and market openings that would normally been exploited, haven't .. for the simple reason that it may have lead to that accusation of "conflict of interest"

i know Pete has let a few great opportunities slide.. just to be seen to be doing the right thing.. and so have we.. bummer

Everyone on the committee is there for fun alone. if you think they're not the right body.. Vote them off at the next AGM.. simple as that.

Cheers

Paul

YOUNG GED

Hi all

Right it’s about time another Northern Monkey added his 2p worth to this debate.

1)First off, Steve might have gone about it the wrong way but the debate about the way the club is run is way over due!!!

2)As for what Muddy said well I’ll second almost all of it. And before you start Muddy has got off his **** and tried sorting events. The event in question was Doncaster this year, he tried several times to get the club to help but got none at all. They were not interested in the least bit and couldn’t even be arsed to let us borrow a banner for the stand after Muddy had done all the hard work himself.

3)Last year there were several threads on this board which criticized the club and how it was run.We were promised 2001 was a transitional year and 2002 would be the best yet !!!!. Well so far this is way out. The trackday calender for this year is poor, all the other clubs seem to have their plan for the year sorted while we see to do it on a month by month basis. (Scotland not included). As for other events the less said the better.The national day is the same day as the GP (Nice choice) and so far details are a bit thin on the ground. The club didn’t want to know about Doncaster and there has not been a mention of any other non-track related events.

4)You might not like the suggestion this is a southern based club but can someone please tell me the last time a club event went further north than B/ham. It seems like 90% of all activities take place in the SE.

5)Now although it is a bit odd to have the committee so heavily made up of people with a business interest in the Scooby scene, it’s not all bad and yes they must give up a large amount of there time to the club.But to suggest they have actually lost money by it is laughable. The amount of money they will make by being associated with the club will far out weigh any losses.

6)Lastly this is not just a moan. I would also like to say the club make a superb mag, have a great web site and any membership enquires I have made have been answered quickly and fully. Also the club in Scotland at least seem to be very well sorted with a nice balance of events which seem to be organised well in advance.




Chris

Pete Croney

Muddy

Please let me know who you contacted about Doncaster. I have no mails from you and can assure you that John Baldock would be very keen to support you as Regional Organiser for your area.

With regard to the National Day, the cost of hiring a circuit such as Dono for a summer weekend day is normally ridiculous. Prices range from £15,000 to over £20,000. Being GP day means we have been offered the circuit for much less, but even still this is a huge financial risk. For example of we only got twice the number of people turn up, as went to Mikey's Big One then we will be staring at a financial abyss. Do you you want us to take such risks with your club? Would you be happier if our outlay were £10,000 higher than what we are planning at the moment, to get a different date? For the record, we will need around 2,000 people to turn up and I am not certain that the club is big enough for this sort of event.

With regard to track days, there are less this year, becaause there is less demand for places at track days. Not only our track days but also other commercially run ones. We decided to have fewer, well attended days, as opposed to lots at which 25 people turn up.

There has always been the jibe that the club is a southern club and this is complete rubbish. What is real, however, is that there are certain pockets of the country where there is a high level of membership and are a lot of Imprezas. Essex, Kent, Herts, Bucks, Bristol area, Notts, Yorks, Edinburgh and Aberdeen, in no particular order are the big areas. That said, I am very keen to promote regional activities in all areas, provided there is the interest. But this has to be done at local level. In Essex, we have well attended meets every 2nd Thursday, at a large pub. Sometimes we just stay at the pub, sometimes we meet there and go off to do other things. Next month we are having an evening of Paintball, the month after, its karting. The local guys organise these events and we let each other know, or people ring me at work to find out what's happening and where.

John Baldock is the club's Social Events Secretary and is on the committee to help all RO's to promote events and help with the planning of activities that you may want to do.

Please e-mail John at johnb@sidc.co.uk

Chiark, there was a pad and disc change article two issues ago

Maxy_UK

Hi

Is the AGM held at the same place every year? If so could someone tell me where that is.

If members are unable to attend the AGM would they be able to vote via post?

Ian

stephen emery

trouser i hope i have not offended you or ya dad, that was never the intention of this thread.
I am sorry if i have
Always found your firm highly professional and informative !

just out to shake up the club

steve

YOUNG GED

Hi Pete

With regard to the national day I do think the club is big enough to have it's own day.The problem seems to be that it is going to be held at a cicuit and have a track element which is going to mean a big cost.

The discount for the date in question is a bit of a double edged sword IMHO.Yes it will be cheaper but that is because it's a bad date and means the potential attendance could be very poor, which in turn could mean financial doom as you put it.

Would the answer not be to give up the track element of the day and say hold it at a Kart track? This would still mean driving action for those that want it and a show for those that don't?
The other alternative is a more regional track that won't charge as much as the majour players, or even an airfield as this would give you a sort of track element.
I know people like there track days but at the end of the day, the club does these already and has no big show style event.
The LTR have managed it with the day at CC last year and they are a smaller club.(we were the biggest club there by far)
I'm not trying to put a downer on the event,I just wish we could sort something out, as it seems to much in fighting and trying to please everyone has spoilt what could be a great day.

If you look at the IOM trip.This is a great idea but how many members bar the rich southerner's Muddy talks about can afford this kind of outlay?

Chris

stephen emery

I have done alot of editing on the tread of my own comments as i feel they may have been to harsh in some respects!
Listing to all the views and comments hence the edit!

steve

still think the club is select and also has potential to move , scoobynet shows that , via the diferent meets we have.
Just think there could be a missed opertunity to make it better( sdic that is)

muddy

I had refrained from posting again over the last day or two, as it seems that a few people have been having a pop at me :-(

For those that have had a pop at me, please read my last post.
It was not ment to be malicious, but my opinions only.

Also please read my last post on the bit about me voluntering my services to SIDC!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! I don't comment and then do nothing about it, letting others do the work.

Thanks to the peeps who at least are on my side. :-)

Pete,
I will email you shortly about my concerns, I will not divulge names here.


For all of you who don't know me, I have organised many events, and tried where possible to attend SIDC events (Yes, even track days, but just as a spectator)So I do get off my backside and support the club.

I have organised Rolling road days, Car shows etc.

I have been asked to provide Scooby's for the RS owners club Day at Lightwater valley in June.
I may also see If I can get scoobies for the Japanses Performance show at Thorsby Park, Ollerton Notts on June 22nd & 23rd.
There may be another show (RS) in Doncaster in July. And probably many more, this is likely to be my busiest year.
BTW-anybody interested in going to the above events.


And sorry to everyone, but I still think there is a north-south divide.

Muddy

stephen emery

again well said muddy !
sence as ever!

stephen emery

Hi
I have been a fan for some time

Me thinks its time for a club thats run for a select few!

Steve

What do u think??????????????







[Edited by stephen emery - 5/13/2002 6:42:22 PM]