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The event suggestion box

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 4:11 pm
by immorality
So there has been a pretty low turn out for the last few events and the coffee meets can be hit and miss. So what is it that you guys would like to do? Is there too many/not enough events? Are you guys not into drives (long or short)?

Basically what would it take to get you out to an event?

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 5:58 pm
by MR2WSN
It's more that life can get busy with many competing demands for our time....

With the last several events, I've had business trips or personal things already planned, so maybe longer-term planning would help. Wouldnt help with work stuff, but might improve matters.

For me, the coffee meets are quite a distance and it's a challenge to motivate myself to go. I've also noticed that my wife wants go out quite often to go out shopping, and that impacts availability.

Hey - I am even challenged to get to another club's meetings that are just 8 blocks away, so don't feel bad - it's not personal! :)

My parts car could do a drive quite well (running like a top, but doesn't look like it yet) so participating is not an issue of pulling out my #1 car for a drive (you know - paranoia about geting hit).

Living in the SW suburbs, I think that I live just a bit far out of the mainstream for many of the do's.

BUT, I will do my best to make the mid-August meet! :D

Don

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:06 pm
by RePete
I can't speak for everyone but being a club member for 4 years I can make a few observations that may help a bit. Please bear with me guys! :P

1) All day runs are too tough for some to get to because of time contraints or 'distance-aphobia'. Many MR2 owners (and you know who you are) have rarely been out of their own city for anything, let alone a run to the States.

2) As soon as a drive includes $100.00 for the ferry you can kiss a large chunk of participants good-bye (MR2 owners are on the younger side and young people are generally cash strapped who demand value for their money) Spending $40 to license the car for a day is enough for some.

3) Appealing destinations attract more drivers. What's that mean? Food, shopping, a cheap activity, etc. (Remember the great turn-out at the last swap meet and/or the Wildcat run? The '2s Invade Vancouver runs were among the most popular and they were barely classifiable as runs)

4) MR2 owners are particularly finicky about weather, it has to be picture perfect and this is something that no one can control. I've noticed over the years that if we have lousy weather for a few weeks in a row and then a few days of blazing sunshine, you can expect a greater turn-out to a meet on those good days.

5) Lately, two day events don't seem to go over well unless it's a biggie like the BC200x event. Hotels have raised their prices across the board and it seems to have fallen off people's list when it comes to a car club meeting. See point 1

6) Fuel prices. Another thing no one can control which has a direct impact on attendance and point number 1.

7) Because our cars are old they're in the shop more often, another point that has a direct hit on meet attendance. What about a technical meet? (How to tune your car with $50 and two hours of time., How to increase your horespower for less than $200., How to check your mid-engine buddy for basic maintenance, How to deal with the top 10 things that commonly break on an MR2 without breaking the bank.)

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 6:30 pm
by Bravo 5
Good points Pete and Don.

I for one am not into long drives. I drive for 12 hours a day and after 4 days I'm sick of it... even if I'm driving an MR2. Time and cost of gas are also big factors to me.

Maybe just have monthly coffee meets... and if people want to go for a cruise afterwards they can.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 8:12 pm
by Cameron
I agree with most of the other points. Its mainly time and money. I wish I could have attended more events this year but just haven't had the time.

Only other thing i've noticed is between NWMR2 drives and BCMR2 drives it seems like there have been a tonne of drives or events. Most people can't spend everyweekend on a drive or event and have to pick their favourites but then that cuts down the size of the crowd.

PS: Nothing beats a Rowdy Rosedale Run!!

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 10:04 pm
by petesmr2
I used to like going to the coffee meets, but some nights, after driving in rush-hour traffic just to get home, I just don't feel like driving some more to get to "somewhere else farther from home". I try to make it to the coffee meets that are close to home, but it also depends on when I can get out of work.

I also like RePete's idea of getting together to learn some maintenance about our aging cars. Maybe we can somehow turn our coffee meets into a "lesson of the month", about something that could help out the back-yard mechanic.

PostPosted: Thu Jun 29, 2006 11:08 pm
by 4agzeSE
First of all everyone, I would like to thank Russ for all the things he does for the BCMR2 club. All these planning and organizing are not easy, we all know that. It takes a lot of time and inner drive to do scheduling and to run this forum and club. I just want to give credit with it's due.

It is impossible to please everybody. We all know that. We just have to find activities that attract most of us. It's clear that long drives, as nice as they are, aren't everyone's cup of tea (for many reasons mention above). So maybe we can try something different like shorter drives and see what people's response is.

Let's have a little drive here in lower mainland to a lake or somewhere. And then maybe to a cheap back country bar and grill with good food.

I just wish we all had little more time... had little more money... had little more love and passion for this club.... like it used to be back in the day ( so I have heard).

PostPosted: Fri Jun 30, 2006 5:37 pm
by Gypsy
To be honest if it weren't for certain mechanical difficulties with my car *cough*tranny*cough* i would be on every run but long drives are pretty much out since keeping up to russ requires 5th gear! :lol:

The cofee meets i will be at every one i can hey i'm even gonna make abbotsford next week and that's a looooong drive from my house hah!

But yeah a drive around the lower mainland and lunch somewhere would be cool too.

PostPosted: Sun Jul 02, 2006 6:11 pm
by PETC
I'd suggest more BCMR2 get togethers to go to a VCMC autocross!

There's never any MR2s out at autocross. You guys need to stop being such cowards and come out and drive your cars like they were designed to be driven! And I don't want to hear any excuses!

PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 9:45 am
by MR2MK1SC
PETC wrote:You guys need to stop being such cowards and come out and drive your cars like they were designed to be driven! And I don't want to hear any excuses!


Cowards!?!?!? Obviously you haven't been on any of the backroad drives led by Dutch! Come out to one of those and we'll see who's yellow!

- D

PostPosted: Wed Jul 05, 2006 5:26 pm
by Luigi64
ah how i love thee backroad drive. I would be out to more drives but I have noticed that alot have been on saturdays which is a work day for me. So yeah thats another thing that cuts out people who work tuesday to saturday.

PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 10:17 pm
by PETC
MR2MK1SC wrote:
PETC wrote:You guys need to stop being such cowards and come out and drive your cars like they were designed to be driven! And I don't want to hear any excuses!


Cowards!?!?!? Obviously you haven't been on any of the backroad drives led by Dutch! Come out to one of those and we'll see who's yellow!

- D


I've been whitness to Eric's crazy driving. Ever seen the video where he comes inches from getting creamed by a 5,000 lb Volvo at like 8 billion MPH? Eric is crazy!

PostPosted: Thu Jul 06, 2006 11:16 pm
by drscam
Dutch is the man.... I miss those drives.

Come on guys... more suggestions are required in order to find out what you guys want in order to make this organization better.

PostPosted: Fri Jul 07, 2006 2:04 am
by dutch
PETC wrote:
MR2MK1SC wrote:
PETC wrote:You guys need to stop being such cowards and come out and drive your cars like they were designed to be driven! And I don't want to hear any excuses!


Cowards!?!?!? Obviously you haven't been on any of the backroad drives led by Dutch! Come out to one of those and we'll see who's yellow!

- D


I've been whitness to Eric's crazy driving. Ever seen the video where he comes inches from getting creamed by a 5,000 lb Volvo at like 8 billion MPH? Eric is crazy!



pfffshaw.. tons of room to spare! (that wasnt on any mr2 drive btw)

PostPosted: Sat Jul 08, 2006 10:52 am
by 4agzeSE
I have been on one drive ,with Eric as the leader, and it kicked ass. We should do it again Eric.