What Kills Rallies?

[1882]

Originally Posted by ballastdriver

Unfortunately over the years 'comittee' and a 'business culture' has taken over from local 'like minded' people and common sense! Once upon a time rallies were grateful to exhibitors for bringing their machines along and thereby supporting the show. However all too often nowadays us exhibitors are made to feel like the rally are doing us a favour by allowing us to exhibit! If this culture carries on it will be the death knell for rallies up and down the land as a lot of people like me will not bother as we can have just as much fun on a road run or a steam up in the yard / garden.

Cost is also ans issue I take my 6" engine along to a few rallies each year (and as a result of the above the numbers are dwindling year on year). each time i take my engine on a trailer and then make a return journey for the caravan etc I burn £50+ in fuel not to mention food and all the other essentials. All in all I probably do near on £100 and thats just to be there. No one normally (except full size engine owners ) get paid to attend so the cost is down to us and what with the recession and everyone having to tighten belts etc, spending that kind of money for a weekend being made to feel like we should be endebted to a comittee and priviledged to be so, just doesn't cut it!

Rules and regulations have also ruined the spirit of rallies for a lot of people. I for one have often said that if I want a weekend being bossed about by the hi-viz clad clowns and having to obey stringent rules all the time I might as well do a couple of weekend shifts at work (Train driver) and get paid for it rather than forking out for it.

All in all the world has changed ruinously from the way it was when rallies and steam preservation in particular first started and alas it is hard to imagine how the spirit of the rallies of old could ever be re-captured, but rally comittees up and down the country would do well to remember that the rally weekend is as much about the exhibitor as it is about the paying public, if not more so, as without us they would be charging the public to enter an empty field with just some trade stands, junk stalls and burger vans, the likes of which most people could find on any local piece of waste ground near them on a choice of sunday mornings with an entry fee that is considerably more affordable!

Charity starts at home

[Triton]

Originally Posted by 1882

Charity starts at home

You have raised some interesting points here. I have been on both sides of the fence in as much as I am a regular attender of rallies in Devon and Cornwall where I live. I was on the organising committee of a local rally for two years until other commitments forced me to step down.

From the visitor point of view, I like to see a variety of exhibits. From the organisers point of view why cant we have exhibitors who may have half a dozen rusty bikes, oil cans, tractor seats etc as long as the exhibitor makes his display interesting through variety, rarity etc of his exhibits? Exhibitors of rusty bikes etc may only have the opportunity to show off their collection at local rallies and they can generate a lot of goodwill in as much as they will tell their neighbours and friends that they will be exhibiting at such and such rally. The exhibitor generates goodwill in as much as they are giving free publicity to the rally concerned. What I do object to, are the owners of say a classic coach who wish to exhibit their vehicle and who get a free rally pass, fill their vehicle with their friends who then get into the rally free of charge. Perhaps rally organisers should insist that an exhibitor only gets free admission for his exhibit plus two people and any extra people have to pay the normal admission price.

Another problem for exhibitors is the attitude of some rally organisers. I know the owner of a 1907 Stanley Steam Car and he was telling me that owners of steam engines receive a free allocation of coal at most rallies yet, because his steam car is powered by petrol he receives nothing. What makes matters even worse, is that he raises money for local charities at most events and he does not receive any financial contribution for attending rallies.

Finally, I agree that greed has taken over in as much as money to some organisers is more important than providing a good day out for the public at a price which they can afford.