I'm sorry I haven't posted sooner, but work has been a bit hectic. I am devastated that Alan has given up, as he was, of course, the Sector Marshall for Bray, where I marshall. He is a thoroughly professional and highly experienced marhall and just the sort of person we need more of.
Perhaps some of the people who have been scathing about marshalling would like to justify their attacks, given Charlie's excellent posting. Maybe they would like to try just keeping up with Alan on a typical day, and, of course, last year we had several days which were far from typical.
Marshalls are volunteers, doing the best they can, just as riders do. When a rider "causes" a crash, we do not pillory him, and neither should we. When the very people who come along in their own time...not just to marshall on the day, but also for training...half day or whole days training in their TT holiday (oh...there's that bad word again...ACU officials don't have holidays, do they?) have more to cope with than is possible...it's their fault??
I was marshalling at the time the rider crashed at Ago's and the spectator at QB. No reasonable person could have expected two accidents of that magnitude at the same time, in the same short distance.
Marshalls from each post from St Ninian's down, moved like lightning to deal with them, and did so very effectively and efficiently (funny I never heard any praise for them from the ACU??)
Alan coordinated all that, while, all around him and us, the racing continued. Beat that on a short circuit...the race would have been stopped, wouldn't it?
I am going to have to stop because I am SO ANGRY about the injustice, the ingratitude and lack of respect of the ACU (not the riders).
THANK YOU, ALAN, for all the years I have, and rider friends have, been supported and protected by you and your team, mostly unknown and unseen by the people who matter to us marshalls...that's YOU..the riders.
It's time some people showed a little appreciation for the guys who DON'T get their expenses and the big free dinners...ask a few questions folks, like the absence of ACU officials when presentations are made...the scheduling of such events?...for whose benefit?
I'm stopping now before I get so angry I have to ban myself!