First, sorry Mr Mods if this is the wrong place. Feel free to move it and I will try harder in future.

As you lot may have noticed we've had this years 'official' () UK LFS Meet in the form of karting. However, the sign up was slow and we only just had enough people in the end. I blame two things - the time of year and the world mug.

So, bearing in mind the beautiful game of cheats, divers and pansies is over for another 4 years we only have to worry about the time of year. Hence the poll.

Could the UK people on this forum, or anyone who is likely to attend the event in the future, please select the month (or months [but don't click all of them as it won't help]) that you think would be best for you, taking into account money, birthdays, weather, time, holidays etc. If everyone votes for two or three months we'll soon get a picture of when the 'best' time of year would be.

make it august or september and you might get some non-uk people

Quote from three_jump :

make it august or september and you might get some non-uk people

I voted August also.

for the new attenders, like me, it would be nice to get some info on where the meeting would be held, and if it's the only thing on this day, or more like a karting meet too.

thx in advance, hope to be there too

Quote from micha1980de :

for the new attenders, like me, it would be nice to get some info on where the meeting would be held, and if it's the only thing on this day, or more like a karting meet too.

thx in advance, hope to be there too

can only speak of the 2005 uk meeting;
we meet in a pub, had some talk there, went over to the kart track (which was about 800m away), did the karting and went to the pub again and went to next pub a few hours later (and so on )

Quote from three_jump :

we meet in a pub, had some talk there, went over to the kart track (which was about 800m away), did the karting and went to the pub again and went to next pub a few hours later (and so on )

Now thats what i call a day out.

I'm different and saying January. Just after xmas and me B'day so i actualy have money for an event such as this.

Yeah, I put Meeting rather than Karting Meet as I suppose we might not actually go karting each year (preferring perhaps to go paint balling or something - paintballing all your LFS friends might be fun ). But assume karting. Also assume that the before and after time is taken up with pub and chat. Smaller/Younger people can also be catered for (possibly by pretending one of the dSRC lot is your dad or something, so you might be allowed in).

december

it would be like a christmas present

i would say August, middle of summer, i should be in full time work by then, but i would always get a week or 2 off in August.

also being in full time work, means i'll have money, and i'll be able to make it to these things

Outdoor karting is where it's at (unless you really prefer indoor karting!), so you might not be wanting an October - March date

Quote from tristancliffe :

Outdoor karting is where it's at (unless you really prefer indoor karting!), so you might not be wanting an October - March date

yeah:
october - march: rain
april - september: less rain

Quote from tristancliffe :

paintballing all your LFS friends might be fun ). But assume karting.

Only if Wendy has a Target painted on his back, and wearing BRIGHT ORANGE suit, count me in :ices_rofl

Aug / Sep for me also.

I voted July and Augest.

june/july is too hot

I voted August, it's pretty much the only time I can do it. I can also only do it if it's somewhere in my area (pretty much anywhere in Yorkshire). There's a good indoor place near me but they're moving near Huddersfield in the next few months, they're getting brand new karts (Sodikarts) so they all should still be fairly close in laptimes by next year.

Quote from tristancliffe :

Yeah, I put Meeting rather than Karting Meet as I suppose we might not actually go karting each year (preferring perhaps to go paint balling or something - paintballing all your LFS friends might be fun ).

why not combine the two ? drive by paintballing

Depends, hardcore freaks such as myself would turn up whenever, but summer is definately for the win (outdoor events are larger, more fun, and kind of a whole new experience for geeks who never leave the house )

I was thinking lots of oldish people with kids might be on holiday during August though (school hols), so from that point of view we'd be more likely to have date clashes. And flights would be more expensive for anyone looking to travel from afar. Just my 2p.

Edit: Clownpaint - I didn't even realise you went until somebody mentioned it at the pub afterwards... which one were you? :S

i say deffinatly the august September, October time (september #1 choice) Things are cheaper and less crowded that sort of time.. Also weathere is normally bearable. And i would deffinatly want to go Paintballing aswell

1 request though.. what are the odds of places OTHER THAN Northampton!!!! lol

Quote from franky500 :

1 request though.. what are the odds of places OTHER THAN Northampton!!!! lol

High.

I want to go somewhere else next time. Northampton is good cos it's sort of in the middle, but maybe we should go more north next year (or more south ).

If anyone can recommend a good outdoor kart track, or some other fun event, somewhere in the country with good access (for people from Europe ), a decent pub or alternative evening activity for chat/gossip, and not too expensive then you have about a year to let us know. The more suggestions the merrier if you ask me.

I personally thought Northampton was a good spot, central, with what seemed a varied nightlife. However I can understand peoples desires to move elsewhere and this was mentioned during the weekend.

It's important that if we do decide to change venues, that we try to still avoid extremes, as this could result in the loss of certain people coming to the event.

For me I'd say it would have to be paintballing or karting rather than both, for cost and organisation reasons more than anything else. Has anyone ever been white-water rafting, that is meant to be good too?

PF international in lincoln, not really near to any train stations tho

sandown park has a train station right near it
could go there

cP will say NO! to this but the track doesnt look GREAT

What are peoples opinions of changing the type of event ?

Personally, this is first and foremost an LFS event, therefore it's safe to assume that most, if not all of those that would attend will be avid drivers / racers / motorsport fans.

I understand that the intention of the event is to bring LFSers together socially, but if you remove the 'common ground' of racing I fear there will be fewer wanting to attend.

I'm not saying this has to be a karting event, but something motorsport related. Although, TBH, any other corporate motorsport event is probably prohibitively expensive, so it'll end up being karting anyway.

Perhaps it's time for a poll on which types of events people would prefer ?

/Discuss

Quote from tristancliffe :

High.

I want to go somewhere else next time. Northampton is good cos it's sort of in the middle, but maybe we should go more north next year (or more south ).

Middle....pfft! Try driving 9.5 hours!

Just kidding, tbh it is the most central considering that people from europe might also want to come.

Out of curiosity I will look into Knockhill Ive heard mixed reports and im not even sure if they have good twin engine karts. However, it is obviously way too far out the way for you folks!

I think karting is the obvious choice, other than that maybe a meet up at a race meeting (possibly Goodwood FoS) the problem with doing that though would be organising it and all being able to find a good meeting spot.

Quote from Decibel :

What are peoples opinions of changing the type of event ?

Personally, this is first and foremost an LFS event, therefore it's safe to assume that most, if not all of those that would attend will be avid drivers / racers / motorsport fans.

I understand that the intention of the event is to bring LFSers together socially, but if you remove the 'common ground' of racing I fear there will be fewer wanting to attend.

I'm not saying this has to be a karting event, but something motorsport related. Although, TBH, any other corporate motorsport event is probably prohibitively expensive, so it'll end up being karting anyway.

Perhaps it's time for a poll on which types of events people would prefer ?

/Discuss

I agree that it needs to stay on a racing theme, but how about we hire a big hall and have a "lan party" style meet running LFS. We can either bring our own setups (ie PC and wheel) or have some nice people lend us some (I have known Alienware (now owned by Dell!) do this for other lan party's). I don't know if this will appeal to the likes of Alienware, but I think this sort of event would appeal to more people. I think it would appeal to "other halves" and our kids more too as we as racers would be more accessible as we are not out on a track trapped in our highly concentrated world! The other thing I would do is have a competition on the loan PCs (to make it fair) with knockout races and an overall winner, maybe even classes of race for FOX or TBO etc... I am thinking as I write this...

+1 to have a poll for the Event!

Tim