Leo, don't take any of this personally, but listen up.
I can just imagine the "discusssions" when trying to prevent someone from parking. Carlisle staff will never allow this.
The Carlisle staff is doing NOTHING to
help with the problem. As a matter of fact, I believe they
caused the problem. They did not allocate enough space and I think it was obvious they over-sold registrations well beyond the 'so-called'
5% over pre-registration figure.
I'm telling you guys, the only way to do this is to push the pre-registrations,...
We busted our chops getting pre-registrations and I'm tired of hearing the same ol' same ol'.
... do a good job of convincing Rick and the staff to give us more space,...
We were told we got
5% over pre-registrations. You know what 5% of 25 is? ONE
5% of fifty is 2-1/2!
There were 40 Mark VIIIs and 'Other Lincolns'. (The LOD had at least 25 members pre-register.) There were 20 Mark VIIs. That's 60 Lincolns. According to their "5% over pre-registration" calculations, they gave
3 spots extra for 57 pre-registered entrants? That's ludicrous!
I do not know the real number but there was WAY over 3 people who showed up that wasn't pre-registered.
Also take into consideration - you and me, Leo. I registered 3 vehicles and parked one behind the tent and you were also absent (no dis-respect) - so there's TWO more spots we should've had. I'm telling you we were at least 6-8 spots "short"!
That
5% allowance is simply not acceptable. Hell, if they would've asked, I could've told them that wasn't enough simply based on my past experiences at Carlisle.
... get to the grounds early,...
Why? So I can get there early and someone else not have the space they paid for? Why should this esteemed event dissolve to a free-for-all?
Tell me, why should anyone bother to PRE-REGISTER months ahead of the show if all they have to do is "show up early" and register the day of the show?
... and have volunteers guide people into the tightest possible spots with pre-registers closest to the tent and others starting at the ends. The spots are marked every 10 feet or so which is enough room for each car. The trick is keeping people from parking on an angle or hogging too much room.
Parking at an angle or hogging room was NOT the problem. People were voluntarily making room. After all, we put sixty cars where they only had room for slightly more than fifty. The Mark VII group was just as overcrowded as we were. The problem was simply too many cars for the allotted space. Period.
How about this... there are always people who really don't care about getting the car judged or know they can never win an award. Some may be willing to have their cars parked perpendicular behind others depending on the room available. This frees up a lot of space.
When I rented the tent, I 'reserved' one spot for a 'service vehicle' (aka the Navi' as it turns out). I held a 'spot' with it and moved it behind the tent for a Mark VIII (gladly I might add). There's ANOTHER spot we were shorted.
We done our part and frankly, we were treated like a red-headed step child. I'm afraid that if it continues we will
lose support of the members who are willing to drive hundreds and hundreds of miles to this event. When and if that happens, we AND the staff at Carlisle might as well forget about pushing "pre-registration" because no one wants to register for something weeks or months ahead of time if someone who decides to register the day of the show is given equal access.
OK, I'm done ranting on this.
