EDC Feedback

[niko]

Since feedback is (in my opinion) the best thing an organiser can get, it might be a good idea to start a new thread. ’08 Round 1 was the first EDC event I’ve been to, so unfortunately I cannot compare it to past rounds, but I guess by using common sense and previous experiences I’m able to give some constructive feedback from a spectator’s point of view. Some of these might not directly involve you as EDC organisers, but could be something to pass on to your colleagues.

So here goes:

i) There were no signs how to actually get in from the non-VIP parking area. There were a couple guys (incl. me), who were looking around without any idea in which direction to go. Simple signs with ‘entrance’ and an arrow would do the trick.

ii) If the EDC round is a part of another event, it would be great if one could buy a ticket either for EDC or the whole event. This would have two benefits: (1) people who are there only for EDC (like me) don’t have to pay the whole price, as they might not be interested in the other content. In round 1, £22 (at the door) is quite a premium price, which many potential EDC spectators are not willing to pay for at this point. (2) It also has a psychological implication: as people buy the ticket, the fact that EDC is something sold separately, makes it something special and draws attention to it.

iii) There was very limited information about EDC in the ‘official show guide’. And even worse than that, the information in there was partly wrong! For instance, the guide says EDC takes place along with the time-attack on the whole track, which it didn’t. As I walked in, I was expecting to see signs telling where EDC takes place. The only clue I got was a couple guys with driftworks-hoodies hanging around, but I wasn’t smart enough to link the hoodies and the event. I saw one(!) sign saying EDC and it pointed to the area with the car clubs and ICE…very helpful. So I looked in the guide and as it told EDC takes place on the whole track, I thought “the Redgate corner must be good as cars prolly have high entry speeds”. How wrong was I. Then I got lost and found myself at the “grandstand” (which was full of spectators willing to see drifting), where one could see the last half of corner four (Goddards). By that time the qualifying had been on for ca. 10-15 mins already and I hadn’t seen one car drifting. I asked a couple guys with neon-yellow jackets – “I don’t know” was the answer. The fact that it was raining didn’t make me feel any better. Ultimately I found the “Dunlop Bridge” (which isn’t in the guide either!) after searching through the whole area and listening to the banging exhausts, but ca. 30-40mins after the qualifying started. Great.

iv) Because EDC was divided into roughly one hour ‘sessions’, it seemed to be more like a show as a part of the ISTS, than actually an independent championship/round. Apart from the 100+ ‘hardcore fans’ (who were probably there only to see EDC anyway), I would bet only a few of those random people watching actually remembers what the series is called… Another negative thing about dividing it into sessions is that it stops just when it gets interesting and people start to understand what it’s all about. It also has this “was that it”-effect on non-hardcore-fans, which is exactly what we don’t want to. And trust me, most people won’t stay there for the next session. This can be seen by comparing the number of people watching 16-8 (full) and 8-1 (half-full). Why? Because the 16-8 was around 15:00, the time, when most people were leaving ISTS and there just happened to be something going on the track near the exit, which was interesting indeed, but lasted only a short time.
Therefore, my suggestion would be to keep the action going. It doesn’t have to be hardcore competing all the time: maybe some interviews (drivers about their cars/past/whatever, organisers, special guests etc.), random drifting (which I’m sure the drivers wouldn’t mind), burnouts or whatever which involves and interests the crowd for longer period of time. Additionally, drivers (with commentary on what they’re doing) could show different techniques to enhance the general understanding of drifting. Otherwise you won’t be able to attract bigger crowds outside the community and, to be honest, you’ll probably end up losing HC-fans, who are now driving 100+ miles to spend a whole day in the rain/hale/wind at a chav-show only to see a bit of professional sideways action for 2-3 hours. It is important to remember that those HC-fans are a very important part of the event as they are the ones with the ‘new big crowd’, cheering and laughing at the drivers, one-more-time’ing etc. and basically making the happy drifting atmosphere we all love so much.

v) It’d be great if the crowd could have a closer look at the cars in the pit, without having to pay a super-premium price. Again, it would involve the crowd more and give tech-freaks like me a chance to have a closer look at the cars. The flip side of the coin is that the pit might get too crowded in the future, but EDC isn’t that big. Yet.

vi) It’s better when the drivers pass the spectators while going back to the start. One can then have a better look at the cars and the drivers can also show off a bit, which is always a positive thing.

vii) The commentary was simply awesome! If that commentary and the atmosphere in '07 BDC Rd 7 would be combined … I’d be in heaven. So BIG thanks to ‘Sleepy’ and Maz(?), who did a very good job despite the partly horrible weather.



Right, so there are my thoughts for now, I hope they’ve been constructive. I do, however, think that EDC is/was good overall, but there are a couple fundamental things, which need to be sorted in order to achieve something bigger/more spectator friendly. I also understand that some tracks/events have limitations and it’s not always possible to realise everything, but it’s still worth a try.

Finally, I would ask drivers and others to contribute to this as well, but please be constructive.

Thank you for reading through.

[retrodan]

skid skid, win win lol

[180sxdrifter]

I hate the fact that the EDC donny round is coupled with the ISTS the 2 just dont mix and you know that all the saxo chavs will be pulling up the handbrake and claiming there drifting.

Its much better when its held with jap shows or independent, jap car owners are completely different to the majority of people that go to donny - baseball cap wearing chavs driving saxos drinking WKD or Cider!!!

[Car Media]

Was gutted to find that the "infield" was closed and that the only good viewing position was a trek back to the entrance were we all had to stand with hail in our faces (infield viewing gives a larger viewing area to catch all 4 corners & at least the weather would have been on our backs )

Action was awesome and was so glad to see the tarmac dryout by the finals.....

to bon bon who kept us shoutin 1 more time way past 6 oclock matching bret move for move well done ben and congratulations to bret

[niko]

Originally Posted by Car Media

Was gutted to find that the "infield" was closed and that the only good viewing position was a trek back to the entrance were we all had to stand with hail in our faces (infield viewing gives a larger viewing area to catch all 4 corners & at least the weather would have been on our backs ) ...

You're right, but there might be a capacity issue with the infield, i.e. all, say, 200-400 people would probably not fit in there. However, that's exactly where EDC could make a bit more cash from. I'd certainly be willing to pay a couple quid more to be there. It could also be limited in number, so that a) all people can see enough and b) the health & safety regulations won't be a problem (if at all).

I also noticed there was this sort of terrace (with some old waggon) to the back right of Sleepy & Maz, where you could also pack a couple spectators, who would have a good, clear view to almost all corners. These two could be 'VIP-areas' for a limited number of EDC spectators.

[BRADs14]

spot on with this thread!!

i must admit 22 quid to get in was a joke, i swear last year was like 15 quid. i was not interested in the main show really, other then to take the p*ss outta some horribly ruined cars.

cant rly moan about the weather as it not controllable, but it should have been taking in to account that the weather might be gay and you should of sorted something out! but on the other hand it was fun in a way cos we where there to see some of the best skidders.

i admit i could not feel my face or toes

but i have to say, i like the wet battles cos it was a real test on drivers that dont do much wet skiddings.

phil u rule, fastest entry in the wet practice i've seen b4 u went to check out the gravel

well done brett

bon bon car amazing and so was ur skiddings 360 ftw

Shane lynch!!!!!!!!!!!!! u got skills.. well done fella

well done everyone really

[Car Media]

Originally Posted by BRADs14

phil u rule, fastest entry in the wet practice i've seen b4 u went to check out the gravel

I second that Phil "No fear" Morison
Awesome to watch.........

[Jimthejunior]

Originally Posted by 180sxdrifter

I hate the fact that the EDC donny round is coupled with the ISTS the 2 just dont mix and you know that all the saxo chavs will be pulling up the handbrake and claiming there drifting.

Its much better when its held with jap shows or independent, jap car owners are completely different to the majority of people that go to donny - baseball cap wearing chavs driving saxos drinking WKD or Cider!!!

Yep, but there are not that many shows that could accomadate EDC. As for jap car owners being completely different, the jap scene is full of chavas, just not to the extent of other scenes.

If i had to pay £22 to watch 4 hours of skidding i probably wouldn't of attended Rnd 1. All my time was spent either watching the drifting or in the pits. The ists is of no interest too me.

Some very good driving was to be seen though

[BRADs14]

btw was that stiggy driving the "mighty"?? or was it kirsty??

[lozza]

I agree with the points made tbh.

Comentary was great when we could hear it and definatly helped with the atmosphere considering the weather.
£22 entrance fee is just way too much imo but i understand EDC has to be in conjunction with a show, this is just the case with UK drifting unfortunately.
I think there should have been some time where public could get into the pits, as long as the drivers know so that they can put tools etc away, this would have helped create a better experience for the public.
Oh and i hate chavs! extreme bass sucks ass.

Brad - It was Stiggy, but i heard loads of people ask that pmsl

[BRADs14]

lol of course i know it was stiggy!! funny if it was kirsty tho lol

[MC2]

I thought that VIP idea was crap.
Espically when EDC stopped so me and my dad decided to sit the stand.. But nooo... VIP only stand.

[LiGhTnInG]

Originally Posted by niko

i) There were no signs how to actually get in from the non-VIP parking area. There were a couple guys (incl. me), who were looking around without any idea in which direction to go. Simple signs with ‘entrance’ and an arrow would do the trick.

There were signs, for paddock, entry, and track cars. Although I think these were on the way in, as opposed to the car park.

Originally Posted by niko

ii) If the EDC round is a part of another event, it would be great if one could buy a ticket either for EDC or the whole event. This would have two benefits: (1) people who are there only for EDC (like me) don’t have to pay the whole price, as they might not be interested in the other content. In round 1, £22 (at the door) is quite a premium price, which many potential EDC spectators are not willing to pay for at this point. (2) It also has a psychological implication: as people buy the ticket, the fact that EDC is something sold separately, makes it something special and draws attention to it.

Silverstone events in the past have shown that it's not really feasable to run a drift event on it's own. Crowds just don't pack out for drifting just yet.

A few 'drift only' events I went to in 2005 and 2006 just didn't have the ticket sales. Maybe in the future, but just not right now.

When a track+spectator areas cost 10,000 plus to hire for a day, organisers just won't make their money back.

Originally Posted by niko

iii) There was very limited information about EDC in the ‘official show guide’. And even worse than that, the information in there was partly wrong! For instance, the guide says EDC takes place along with the time-attack on the whole track, which it didn’t. As I walked in, I was expecting to see signs telling where EDC takes place. The only clue I got was a couple guys with driftworks-hoodies hanging around, but I wasn’t smart enough to link the hoodies and the event. I saw one(!) sign saying EDC and it pointed to the area with the car clubs and ICE…very helpful. So I looked in the guide and as it told EDC takes place on the whole track, I thought “the Redgate corner must be good as cars prolly have high entry speeds”. How wrong was I. Then I got lost and found myself at the “grandstand” (which was full of spectators willing to see drifting), where one could see the last half of corner four (Goddards). By that time the qualifying had been on for ca. 10-15 mins already and I hadn’t seen one car drifting. I asked a couple guys with neon-yellow jackets – “I don’t know” was the answer. The fact that it was raining didn’t make me feel any better. Ultimately I found the “Dunlop Bridge” (which isn’t in the guide either!) after searching through the whole area and listening to the banging exhausts, but ca. 30-40mins after the qualifying started. Great.

You could possibly have missed it, but i heard (multiple times) it announced over the tannoy system, a) where the drifting was taking place, and b) where the best place was to watch it.

Originally Posted by niko

v) It’d be great if the crowd could have a closer look at the cars in the pit, without having to pay a super-premium price. Again, it would involve the crowd more and give tech-freaks like me a chance to have a closer look at the cars. The flip side of the coin is that the pit might get too crowded in the future, but EDC isn’t that big. Yet.

Health and safety, plus the amount of equipment lying around.

Who's to know, a driver testing his car with the engine running and bonnet open doesn't have a child wander round the front and put their fingers in the the fan/manifold etc.

You can't make pits public access.

Originally Posted by niko

vi) It’s better when the drivers pass the spectators while going back to the start. One can then have a better look at the cars and the drivers can also show off a bit, which is always a positive thing.

They did, in the later rounds.

[Phil]

If you have anything negative to say about an event, please do so by e-mailing the organisers.. I can gaurantee that it will be read, and where possible taken into account the next time..
We don't moderate much at Driftworks, but I'd totally understand if this is deleted by EDC.. You have to remember that negative comments stick in peoples minds, and what was infact an absolutely superb and well run event, is being tarnished by typically English pissing and whingeing inconsequential comments.

EDC round one.. Brilliant..

[LiGhTnInG]

Originally Posted by Phil

EDC round one.. Brilliant..

Agreed.

What made it for me was the drivers adapting to the conditions.

At one point it was wet, dry, wet, dry, and the drivers still pulling off some awesome drifts.

[BRADs14]

yeah was a real good opening round!!

[niko]

Originally Posted by LiGhTnInG

There were signs, for paddock, entry, and track cars. Although I think these were on the way in, as opposed to the car park.

As I wrote: "...no signs how to actually get in from the non-VIP parking area."

Originally Posted by LiGhTnInG

Silverstone events in the past have shown that it's not really feasable to run a drift event on it's own. Crowds just don't pack out for drifting just yet. ...

Spot on. I'm not expecting EDCs being run as single events either, but the tickets could be sold separately. As you might already have noticed, I'm not the only one who was there only for EDC.

Originally Posted by LiGhTnInG

You could possibly have missed it, but i heard (multiple times) it announced over the tannoy system, a) where the drifting was taking place, and b) where the best place was to watch it.

I came in 11:15, i.e. shortly before the qualifying started, and yes they told to go for the Dunlop Bridge, but how am I supposed to know where it is, especially if the guide says the whole track will be used and there is a sign pointing to the opposite direction?

Originally Posted by LiGhTnInG

Health and safety, plus the amount of equipment lying around.

Who's to know, a driver testing his car with the engine running and bonnet open doesn't have a child wander round the front and put their fingers in the the fan/manifold etc.

You can't make pits public access.

The pits were "public" already for the people with VIP passes, so where's the difference? It's obvious some drivers might be doing some repairs etc. but if that's the case, there are certainly ways to stop people from coming too close? "Having a closer look" doesn't necessarily have to mean they have to come right next to the car. And if there would be some action going on the track anyway, will there be that many people hanging around the cars in the pits? Most likely not.

Originally Posted by LiGhTnInG

They did, in the later rounds.

I know, that's why I said it was better.

Originally Posted by Phil

If you have anything negative to say about an event, please do so by e-mailing the organisers.. I can gaurantee that it will be read, and where possible taken into account the next time..
We don't moderate much at Driftworks, but I'd totally understand if this is deleted by EDC.. You have to remember that negative comments stick in peoples minds, and what was infact an absolutely superb and well run event, is being tarnished by typically English pissing and whingeing inconsequential comments. ...

The reason I posted here was to see if I'm the only one having this opinion, which I'm clearly not. Plus I see no reason whatsoever not to discuss this publicly if it's done sophisticated in an appropriate tone. I do understand that moaning brings absolutely nothing, but IMO there's a huge difference in giving constructive feedback about areas of development and just giving negative comments.

As I wrote in the first paragraph; my feedback is from a spectator's view. The event was generally good, but had some things which need some attention. Maybe the drivers were organised perfectly and it simply cannot be done any better. How would I know.

I have no problem with this thread being moderated, as there is already a tendency towards non-constructive feedback. But deleting it would be very disappointing. Neutrally expressed.

[superclarkey]

step one.. arrive.

Step two.. open ears and listen for bon's car idling/skidding..follow sound

step three.. sit and watch until maz excuses you

step four .. go home

clarkeys guide to watching skids

[Jeffers_S13]

All was very well organised from what we experienced, just gutted we didnt qualify do the top 6 from Rnd1 automatically qualify for Rnd2 ?

[docwra]

Originally Posted by someone

i must admit 22 quid to get in was a joke, i swear last year was like 15 quid. i was not interested in the main show really, other then to take the p*ss outta some horribly ruined cars.

My missus was told that she had to buy a weekend ticket at £50

She also said she had a wickedly good time