What's the deal with packet pick-ups?!? (Page 5)

I think Fred should create a new poll thread.  Better yet, I think Tom should create it for him. 

Since today is Friday...I'm sure there are people doing packet pickup as we post.  So it's still relavent.

You mean like people that find the need to DECLARE that they are deactivating/deleting their Facebook account?  Yeah, I don't get it.

When I was young I used to drink Tab.....Amazing I'm still alive.  

When I was a kid I mistakenly ate a crouton thinking it was a captain crunch.  I was very upset.  Now it's my turn to rant.

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!! 

BTW, I DO read every single post, and damn it hurts.

That said, I don't buy that day-before packet pickup is better, more efficient, etc, and do find it an inconvenience. I'd do only race-day pickup, if I could. Based a little in reality and a little in dreamland, I'd love a race that:

1) lets you opt out of the t-shirt, for a credit on entry fee (got a few too many),

2) doesn't give you any paper flyers for a coupon or entry blank you'll never use, or samples (do that at the expo),

3) puts your timing chip and race numbers on the rack in your numbered spot (yeah, I like numbered spots) - it's right there, and

4) Why can't an RD use the USAT card as the way to check people in?  When you drag your bike to transition, scan the card, and as long as it's connected to the USAT database (suspect) and the registration database, you should know immediately whether they're current and registered. Takes a little thinkin, but the airlines, lifetimefitness, my work, and a thousand other places do this, why can't races? Second best would be that the race sends you a barcode (a-la-fandango) that you print. Present it on the way into transition, it gets scanned to validate entry, show your USAT card, you're on your way.  You only have one point where you have to actually lay eyes on a person.

5) Still not sure on the rationale for bodymarking. Useless for the swim. On the bike, your bike is labeled. On the run, you're wearing your bib. Do away with it.

?^^^ gets rid of lots of effot, and all you really miss is some paper and samples - the only effort is sticking the chips and numbers to the rack, but some races already number the racks (little incremental effort). Just thinkin out loud, here...

Let me see if I can help you with this one, Chris.  There is no way in the world that I can see USAT providing anyone with the ability to participate in a sanctioned race without presenting a valid USAT membership card and a valid identification card pre-race  - and I mean just before they get their bib and get body marked.  Since they are the governing body of the sport, no race director that wants to have a sanctioned race will be able to change that.  Whether RDs want to have sanctioned race or not is totally up to them.  I only race in sanctioned races, but I am also a USAT referee, so I tend to take the actions and enforcements of USAT more seriously than others as well as tending to value the USAT. 

The other part of your statement is the "printing" of the coupons that one wants.  Imagine you are in some form of sales.  You approach a company asking them to buy a slot as a sponsor in an event and you are charged with selling them that slot.  Now, which would you feel more at ease in selling for the higher dollar amount?  Actually having this coupon placed in the potential cutomers hand or offering him the ability to print a copy if he likes.  Even if it is something he might want to use - he may be like me and struggles with remembering to print it out and taking it to the store with him.

This gives you something else to consider as it pertains to pre-race day pickups.  Say that you pursue a local hotel as a potential sponsor.  What do you think your chances of selling such sponsorship to this hotel is if you "require" pre-race day pick-up.  Thus, you can lower the price of the entry fee/increase the prize give-away/schwag. 

It would be against USAT rules, or at least the determination per Charlie Crawford (head of officials).  Charlie would go so far as to tell you that he believes that all body marking is necessary.  If you lose your swim cap - it needs to be marked somewhere that it can be seen (he would prefer a hand).  They get lost off of bikes more often than you think, and you would be shocked at the number of people that head out of transition without a bib on (the most common penalty that I write on the run stage).

If you have never had the opportunity to speak to Charlie - the first thing that you will notice is that he is a gentleman that sees no shades of Grey.  He is a very black and white kind of decider.  Having been involved in several conversations with him, I would be shocked if that changed any time in the near future in Charlie's professional capacity. 

"Let me see if I can help you with this one, Chris.  There is no way in the world that I can see USAT providing anyone with the ability to participate in a sanctioned race without presenting a valid USAT membership card and a valid identification card pre-race  - and I mean just before they get their bib and get body marked.  Since they are the governing body of the sport, no race director that wants to have a sanctioned race will be able to change that.  Whether RDs want to have sanctioned race or not is totally up to them.  I only race in sanctioned races, but I am also a USAT referee, so I tend to take the actions and enforcements of USAT more seriously than others as well as tending to value the USAT.  "

The other issue with this is insurance.  USAT provides insurance for the vast majority of races and if you do not follow USAT procedures for check-in, the coverage can be compromised.  Just scanning a USAT card doesn't prove that you are who you say you are (and that you're covered), that's why you need to show the card AND an ID.

And someobdy picking up a packet the day before does not does not prove the person racing is the same person that picked up the packet.  People race under other peoples bibs/numbers all the time. Joe picks up his packet with his USAT # and drivers license and then sells his bib/number to Mary so on race day Mary has Joe's race numbers and is checked in and races under his name. Not a perfect system either.

Well, I guess I'll never admit that I did not read the previous 8 pages worth of  posts before responding to the OP.  It'll be obvious once I repeat what others have said.  It's just sometimes a thread catches my eye and I want to respond to it, but only have like 10 minutes before I have to head out somewhere.  I like reading through all posts but sometimes I have to come back to them when I have more time.

jami