Time and time again I renew my race licence in November and receive that years rule book with a month to go. What's the point in getting something that will be out of date in a month. I'm not the only one. Surely the AKA could send these out to all licence holders each January so we can actually use. Them, but then again that would be common sense.
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You are right, you should should get a current rule book when you get your licence and then all licence holders should then have a replacmet issued in January.
Or to save some money, they should be only issued if requested in print from like this, as they are avalible on line.
Haha that's a good one!
Adam,
To be fair ā the mail out would be automatically generated from mail merge or something similar and whomever is then closing the package would not even look at the addresses.
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Richard,
Ā Well yes I agree, that is pointless.
In our state.......... new rule books are taken to race meetings from the date they are available Ā (Feb??) and given to drivers as they are seen. (We include the cost of the rule book in the licence fee)
Otherwise drivers ring or approach the state Secretary once they know the new book is available and delivery arrangements are sorted out.
Ian,
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As it can be automated, it can be adjusted to single out multiple postages to same address and act accordingly, or the "human" when attaching the address labelsĀ to the package identifiesĀ same address's etc. not really hard to do. ie when the Briggs name came up [ using Adam's egsample] a quick check to the next name on the list would identify Briggs again at same address and the manuals could be set aside for a bigger mail bage etc.
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The arguement of online v papaerback manual is always ongoing, online is ok, bit hard to refer to in the paddock with no wifi etc. plus to print your own copy would requireĀ folder not the easy to handle paperback of the manual. Online is muc easier to adjust addendums with, but paperback near impossible. Addendum are issued but how many karters adjust their manuals?? [ how many read them?]
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What to do with late in the year licence renewals or new licences??? Maybe new licence get a manual at application time, licence renewals are sent to the driver when the new manual becomes available? cost? shouldn't be much of an increase as it still has to be mailed out.
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Until a decsion to use online ONLY manuals is made, we will/should have to look at this situation. Is it wise to start 2012 with drivers using the 2011 manual who can't get one physically until they renew their licence in say August etc? It might mean the state's postage's bill for Feb may be rather large, but should not be over budget over the year though. TheĀ risk though with this is you could send a manual to someone who will not be renewing their licence this year?? tough one here but solvable.
Paul,
You have obviously have not had to sit down and stuff 1500+ items into 1500+ envelopes and get them out ASAP.
As to online manuals, I can tell you that my manualĀ goes to whatever track I am at, and there is NO WAY on God's earth that I am going to print one out, so that I can take it to the track with me - particularly so since I have paid for one. (Which, by the way, arrived in Wednesday's mail).
In addition, until the on-line version immediately incorporates addendums as released, the on-line one is close to useless. I am prepared to print addendums out, and make a notation in my hard copy, so that wherever there are changes, I know to go to the addendum.
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Terry Sheedy
Hi Terry,
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Well yes I have stuffed that many envelopes plus more, lol, yes it will be a job and a half, but its only once a year and can be planned for and done if the motivation to address the problem is there.
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Yes keen drivers and officials often tag their manual with addendums, how many last year??? but do ALL of them??? and anyways that another problem not related to this topic of getting near out of date manuals to drivers. It could be said be said that the AKA is handing out misleading manuals if they are issued with KNOWN errors to those who renew late in the year? should new manuals that are sent out have all the addendums to that point included inside the envelope????
How does a new driver know there are addendums? they can easily and incorrectly assume the manual given to them is correct and error free, should they be expected to chase some 100+ addendums and alter the manual themselves if its late in the year???
All good points guys. I for one don't have a laptop to take to the track and if I did I still wouldn't take it because I'd just get it covered with grease. Yeah I could print it off, however carrying a large folder is far from ideal. I'm all for the book currently issued however would like it in January, not November. The solution would be to either post them all out in jan/feb to all current licence holders, and to new licence holders as they apply. Yes they would loose a bit of money here and there if some choose not to renew their licence later in the year, but this would be very small compared to the amount of money they waste on other crap. The 2.5% merchant fee they charge for credit card renewals (their actual expenses are much lower) would probably even cover that. Another option would be over the next 2 years to merge all licences to the same calendar year (if that makes sense) so that everybody's licence is due at the same time in January. Many clubs have started doing this with their memberships. New applicants would just pay a reduced fee based on the balance of the year. I couldn't see that being a huge problem as most people do their renewals electronically and given that there's basically no events in NSW in December/January, it's not like the admin staff are flat out with other things. Paul, good point regarding the out of date rules. If you had to argue that at tribunal you would have a fair case.
With the explosion in the use of smartphones having electronic copies is even more practical (search, links, etc to find things in a hurry) and you can download it once and not need telco access.
I would like to see a CMS option that says opt-out of printed version and instead email me a link when things change. It will save us all money by keeping a lid on costs.Ā It then becomes possible to for AKA to issue an electronic version of the manual with all addendum included, keeping things simpler for everyone.
Bring on the change.
I like the smart phone idea but i also like to read the rule book while backing one out on the dunny and it's small enough to stash in the toolbox.
Maybe chargeĀ a small feeĀ to download the the rulebook, either as an app or pdf which would offset some of the cost for development and/or printing costs. Addendums would automatically be updated to the appĀ and with further options, maybe log into your (or any other) trackĀ for live timing and updates.
I thinks its deplorable that the online book is NOT adjusted when an addendum is made!!!!
Now I am not upto date on all of todays technology but if a phone can access the net it then can access the manual via the website??? but not having done this is it legible as the phones I have seen text is so small etc. filing through the manual on a phone maybe hard??? is it?? still its a side issue, do we print manuals or go online???? can we mix the 2 given the production cost would rise if you printed fewer manuals [ no bulk discount etc] do we ALL have mobile phones? I DON'T!!! do we have laptop that can be transported to the track and become a security risk? not sure if thereis a perfect answer to this other than give everyone a print version at the beginning and expand the method of issuing addendums to drivers as well as clubs??? do ALL clubs advise ALL members of addnedums etc etc?
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We dont need manuals and rule books because the rule makers never follow their own rules so why should anyone else !!!
Immediate saving of $60,000 ........
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Crack me up.Ā My wife tells eveyone I read the rule book on the toilet. Good to know I'm not the only one. Travis Cording said:
I like the smart phone idea but i also like to read the rule book while backing one out on the dunny and it's small enough to stash in the toolbox.
Maybe chargeĀ a small feeĀ to download the the rulebook, either as an app or pdf which would offset some of the cost for development and/or printing costs. Addendums would automatically be updated to the appĀ and with further options, maybe log into your (or any other) trackĀ for live timing and updates.