Forum Sales, Site Supporter Tags and how to fund MK....

[pickle]

Probably just a glitch at the mo Dan........can't imagine its a permanent fault

[Retrodan72]

Probably just a glitch at the mo Dan........can't imagine its a permanent fault

Checking at daily Rob, it wasn't to everyone's taste (Griff), but it suited me well for forum accessibility.

[pickle]

Never tried it but I'm sure it'll be fixed

[Hmoon27]

I think getting pics on here is a big obstacle for a lot of people? I personally  would post a lot more if I could get pics on .
However , last night I did manage to get 2 pics on using the attachments link! Only took 15 mins!!

[Retrodan72]

I think getting pics on here is a big obstacle for a lot of people? I personally  would post a lot more if I could get pics on .
However , last night I did manage to get 2 pics on using the attachments link! Only took 15 mins!!

I agree Mark, it's certainly going to prevent me getting involved in a lot of threads on here. I have used my PB app today, but it is a ball ache. 

[griff]

Probably just a glitch at the mo Dan........can't imagine its a permanent fault

Checking at daily Rob, it wasn't to everyone's taste (Griff), but it suited me well for forum accessibility.

I'm not the only one who thinks it's crap 
Trying to remember who sorted tapatalk in the first place but hopefully will get sorted soon

[pickle]

I think getting pics on here is a big obstacle for a lot of people? I personally  would post a lot more if I could get pics on .
However , last night I did manage to get 2 pics on using the attachments link! Only took 15 mins!!

Plenty of people used to put plenty of pics on when all you could use was photobucket.  Cant really see it as an issue but horses for courses, as they say 

[PHIL9HUF]

Still fooked 
Tried to log on in the pub but couldnt fatal syetem error !
New server required i reckon 

[Retrodan72]

I think getting pics on here is a big obstacle for a lot of people? I personally  would post a lot more if I could get pics on .
However , last night I did manage to get 2 pics on using the attachments link! Only took 15 mins!!

Plenty of people used to put plenty of pics on when all you could use was photobucket.  Cant really see it as an issue but horses for courses, as they say 

I was one of those people Rob, but I had a PC back then, it's too tricky using a phone.

[Gnarlyscoots]

Plenty of people used to put plenty of pics on when all you could use was photobucket. 

It's because people don't seem to have the time or patience any more Rob, everything needs to be done in seconds.

I have never had an issue with Photobucket, have 4 accounts, and it is easy to use. I don't use it when I am not at home, just via the PC or laptop.

[pickle]

Totally agree Terry 

[dancetothedrummersbeat]

Plenty of people used to put plenty of pics on when all you could use was photobucket. 

It's because people don't seem to have the time or patience any more Rob, everything needs to be done in seconds.

I have never had an issue with Photobucket, have 4 accounts, and it is easy to use. I don't use it when I am not at home, just via the PC or laptop.

Exactly. People don't have the patience. Technology is an amazing thing, but can have negative effects. People want everything now. Photobucket can be a pain sometimes, both on the laptop and on my phone, but 95% of the time it works ok

[griff]

There's already a tappytalk thread going somewhere (hopefully that can be fixed soon)

In a vague attempt to divert chat back to the thread topic, let's have some more views/votes on how people think MK should be best funded 

[dancetothedrummersbeat]

Free up sales to everyone, voluntary sst, wristbands on the day to identify existing sst holders. There must be a way to list every sst holder, so go to JT's stall (if he has one this year), give in your username, get your name ticked off and get your wristband. Those who aren't existing sst holders can pay on the day, although this should only be for non rad forum members such as those on facebook only or those who are friends/partners/guests of existing rad forum sst holders - Mrs DTTDB for example. Everyone else should pay before MK (no excuse for paying on the day, as we have 6 months until MK). No wristband, no 'free' food/drink and no use of the bogs either.  I've just been to Tesco. Bought a sandwich (egg & bacon), a green monster energy drink and a Terrys chocolate orange. Very nice, but lasted less than 30 mins. Cost me the best part of a fiver. Put into perspective, paying £10 a year for the best BMX forum out there (in my opinion), and MK is nothing.

[griff]

I broadly like this idea, but couple of admin challenges to work out

we can print out a list of site supporters, no problem
but seeing as usually people don't register with their real name, it's hard to match user names to any form of ID to verify that someone is who they say they are
it would be hard for someone to pretend to be you unless they shaved off their hair and put on a woman's tracky top but there could be ways to be sneaky..
regarding toilet access? good luck getting anyone to volunteer to be toilet monitor for the weekend

If we are going down the wristband route, I'd be inclined to simply require that access to the D&D / hogroast means paying for a wristband on the day, and keep SSTs on a voluntary basis for anyone that wants to publicly support the forum on an ongoing basis.
This means that they are effectively helping to put money in the Rad pot for 2017, rather than Mk16 since we'll need to have already paid for everything by then.
Personally - I don't want to push SSTs on anyone but have no problem paying my subs, especially since being able to see how the money gets spent. No-one uses the rad pot for personal gain, holidays, expanding their bike collections etc so I have no issue putting a few quid into it. Other people are more happy to support MK on the day with donations, again that's fine (it just makes fundraising a bit more of a gamble as you don't have as much of a clue how much is coming).
Worst case - we empty the pot putting on mk16 and then go 'back to basics' for MK17! I don't think that will happen somehow as long as the good people of Rad continue to support what I think is the best weekend of the year

[Jono]

Obviously SST should be voluntary but if you not one you don't get the benefits D&D, hog roast it's simple, they can buy one for a tenner, or they can buy an SST n get one for free, their choice, but it's a no brainer just let everyone know NOW I agree with dttdb I'd only sell wristbands on the day to family/friends of SST ok people will lose out if they've not got SST prior to MK but with 6 months notice they will be aware of that if they rad users , if they not they'll learn the hard way n make sure they have one next year as they sit in their tent at night listening to the party in the D&D I know it sounds harsh but they have plenty of notice and if they don't use rad forum or rad FB page where it should be well advertised as SST needed then tough, how dare they turn up n expect a freebie and as I said they'll learn the hard way, if you leave it free they'll just keep coming , reap the benefits and never buy one !

[Monk_Wally_Honk]

I've never been but surely everyone who turns up will have at least a tenner in their pockets. I doubt anyone would mind if it gives them food and drink.

Try taking a kid to a theme park and get one drink and some food from a tenner.

[griff]

that still doesn't get past the challenge of how to match real people to usernames though (@ Jono)

if we had to police that before handing out wristbands then we'd create a bottleneck trying to get online or something to verify people.
Bit more info - people make a big fuss about the drinks & pig roast but the costs of these are just one part of putting on the whole shebang. Ramps, Bogs, Skips, Marquees etc are much less visible but still very costly and need to be available on Saturday AND Sunday (unlike the D&D/Food which just benefits people on Saturday night)

Looking at the whole picture, this is why I would recommend having anyone (tag holder or not) pay for a wristband on the day so they can physically show that they have made a contribution on the day to the rad pot. It's no different from putting something in the collection jar but would at least put a stop to any potential scrotes lying about having made a donation. No doubt there would be a few disgruntled tag owners complaining about 'paying twice' but there has to be a cut off point somewhere if you're thinking of making changes to the funding model & we have to cover far more than just beers and food on one day. We could do nothing at all, leave it as is and have people moan about 'freeloaders' instead.

Whatever happens, however much money ends up in the pot - it all comes back to the  community anyway. Just to restate - these are just my personal opinions, not speaking on behalf of the site owners/mods but trying to be as open/transparent as possible & contribute to the debate.

[adenough]

Can't the present SST holders receive there wrist bands through the post in advance ( obviously pay for the stamp etc)
This way, you'd only then have to deal with pay on the doors?

[griff]

Can't the present SST holders receive there wrist bands through the post in advance ( obviously pay for the stamp etc)
This way, you'd only then have to deal with pay on the doors?

It's not impossible, but we'd have to ask every tag holder to send us their names and addresses etc and deal with the admin. Suppose it depends how much of a pain in the arse that is vs the potential uproar if someone somehow feels cheated?
Personally speaking I'm happy to pay for a tag, I also usually bung something in the jar in the D&D and bring some booze/snacks along for good measure - so paying for a wrist band instead of a jar donation is no skin off my nose.

tbh I don't really fancy posting out ~ 400 wristbands to individual addresses anyway

[kalex]

The forum could become free using advertising, they've become so advanced the ads hardly interfere with the enjoyment of the forums, most forums have gone down this route now because of pressure from other platforms that are free to use and you don't have to muck about with subs and the associated administration.

Just food for thought long live the forum and MK 

You've put this suggestion forward several times now Paul
if you want the forum to live long, then shifting the platform across to a board that has adverts on will (apart from looking crap in MY opinion) mean that we risk losing loads of members. By far the biggest kick in the bollocks the forum ever got was the crash which caused everyone to have to re-register again. If we combine the increased admin with a 'new' site full of ads then that potentially makes the place less attractive for many people, well myself anyway.
I understand that you haven't been to MK (fine) also note that you don't have a SST (fine too, you're still very welcome to post here). No-one's asking for your money, but I don't understand why you're so passionate about trying to separate the forum from its biggest annual event. My only guess is because you haven't been to MK, then you would see how MK represents everything that's great about this community - not just on the internets but in real life. I strongly recommend that now the dates have been posted that you do whatever you can to attend, like I said before I can guarantee you a very warm welcome and a weekend seeing the best bikes this community has to offer 

Well you asked for suggestions and I give a couple.

You've raised the point I don't have an SST again, if I pay for an SST and give the same opinion will you be any less annoyed, I doubt it.   I might've chosen not to have one this year but I dare say I've still paid a fair few more than you and a few of the other people who are so keen to criticise my point of view.

We'll have to agree to differ about how forums look that use advertising but I do take your point about the negative impact a forum going down can have.

For me the forum is more important than MK, ultimately I'd like to see a way that both the forum and the MK event can survive and prosper.

If I do make MK you can be sure I'll have paid my SST.

You're in Ireland aren't you Paul??

Northern Ireland Dan 

Thought so, so quite unlikely you're going to make the trip to MK, so maybe it's resentment that your £10 would go to help pay for an event you're probably not going to attend??

That's what it looks like?

I've paid my SST since being on here and I've never been to MK due to the fact my wife always books our holiday the same time MK is on. So I disagree with members not paying because they never intend to go.

[adenough]

Can't the present SST holders receive there wrist bands through the post in advance ( obviously pay for the stamp etc)
This way, you'd only then have to deal with pay on the doors?

It's not impossible, but we'd have to ask every tag holder to send us their names and addresses etc and deal with the admin. Suppose it depends how much of a pain in the arse that is vs the potential uproar if someone somehow feels cheated?
Personally speaking I'm happy to pay for a tag, I also usually bung something in the jar in the D&D and bring some booze/snacks along for good measure - so paying for a wrist band instead of a jar donation is no skin off my nose.

tbh I don't really fancy posting out ~ 400 wristbands to individual addresses anyway

Fair enough. How about the SST 'owner' creates his own password, then forwards it to admin. A simple printed off list would be all that was needed, when asked for user ID at MK to collect the wrist band , the password would be asked for to match it to what's on the list. Simples.

[griff]

Can't the present SST holders receive there wrist bands through the post in advance ( obviously pay for the stamp etc)
This way, you'd only then have to deal with pay on the doors?

It's not impossible, but we'd have to ask every tag holder to send us their names and addresses etc and deal with the admin. Suppose it depends how much of a pain in the arse that is vs the potential uproar if someone somehow feels cheated?
Personally speaking I'm happy to pay for a tag, I also usually bung something in the jar in the D&D and bring some booze/snacks along for good measure - so paying for a wrist band instead of a jar donation is no skin off my nose.

tbh I don't really fancy posting out ~ 400 wristbands to individual addresses anyway

Fair enough. How about the SST 'owner' creates his own password, then forwards it to admin. A simple printed off list would be all that was needed, when asked for user ID at MK to collect the wrist band , the password would be asked for to match it to what's on the list. Simples.

I noticed the word 'simple' came up here twice 

Sounds simple in theory, but in practice I can see a few stumbling blocks ( purely based on every single group request I've had anything to do with to date)

First, decide when to make the cut off date (as different people's tags run out at different times) simple, but someone is bound to be miffed if theirs has recently expired
Second, expect 400 people to bother sending a password to the right person (bagsy not me) by whatever deadline you specify using the right method eg pm rather than FB message & not moan when they send it afterwards when the list has already been printed
Third, get a load of grief when someone accosts you at MK saying it's far too complicated

Or...

Get a load of wristbands made up, put them in a bucket & sell them to anyone who wants one on the day,
Put the money in the pot towards MK17

Or...

Do fook all, wait for backlash when someone suspects they've seen a freeloader swipe a can of fosters 

[adenough]

Can't the present SST holders receive there wrist bands through the post in advance ( obviously pay for the stamp etc)
This way, you'd only then have to deal with pay on the doors?

It's not impossible, but we'd have to ask every tag holder to send us their names and addresses etc and deal with the admin. Suppose it depends how much of a pain in the arse that is vs the potential uproar if someone somehow feels cheated?
Personally speaking I'm happy to pay for a tag, I also usually bung something in the jar in the D&D and bring some booze/snacks along for good measure - so paying for a wrist band instead of a jar donation is no skin off my nose.

tbh I don't really fancy posting out ~ 400 wristbands to individual addresses anyway

Fair enough. How about the SST 'owner' creates his own password, then forwards it to admin. A simple printed off list would be all that was needed, when asked for user ID at MK to collect the wrist band , the password would be asked for to match it to what's on the list. Simples.

I noticed the word 'simple' came up here twice 

Sounds simple in theory, but in practice I can see a few stumbling blocks ( purely based on every single group request I've had anything to do with to date)

First, decide when to make the cut off date (as different people's tags run out at different times) simple, but someone is bound to be miffed if theirs has recently expired
Second, expect 400 people to bother sending a password to the right person (bagsy not me) by whatever deadline you specify using the right method eg pm rather than FB message & not moan when they send it afterwards when the list has already been printed
Third, get a load of grief when someone accosts you at MK saying it's far too complicated

Or...

Get a load of wristbands made up, put them in a bucket & sell them to anyone who wants one on the day,
Put the money in the pot towards MK17

Or...

Do fook all, wait for backlash when someone suspects they've seen a freeloader swipe a can of fosters 

who in their right mind would want to steal a can of Fosters?.... The most pointless lager known to man........

[Retrodan72]

Can't the present SST holders receive there wrist bands through the post in advance ( obviously pay for the stamp etc)
This way, you'd only then have to deal with pay on the doors?

It's not impossible, but we'd have to ask every tag holder to send us their names and addresses etc and deal with the admin. Suppose it depends how much of a pain in the arse that is vs the potential uproar if someone somehow feels cheated?
Personally speaking I'm happy to pay for a tag, I also usually bung something in the jar in the D&D and bring some booze/snacks along for good measure - so paying for a wrist band instead of a jar donation is no skin off my nose.

tbh I don't really fancy posting out ~ 400 wristbands to individual addresses anyway

Fair enough. How about the SST 'owner' creates his own password, then forwards it to admin. A simple printed off list would be all that was needed, when asked for user ID at MK to collect the wrist band , the password would be asked for to match it to what's on the list. Simples.

I noticed the word 'simple' came up here twice 

Sounds simple in theory, but in practice I can see a few stumbling blocks ( purely based on every single group request I've had anything to do with to date)

First, decide when to make the cut off date (as different people's tags run out at different times) simple, but someone is bound to be miffed if theirs has recently expired
Second, expect 400 people to bother sending a password to the right person (bagsy not me) by whatever deadline you specify using the right method eg pm rather than FB message & not moan when they send it afterwards when the list has already been printed
Third, get a load of grief when someone accosts you at MK saying it's far too complicated

Or...

Get a load of wristbands made up, put them in a bucket & sell them to anyone who wants one on the day,
Put the money in the pot towards MK17

Or...

Do fook all, wait for backlash when someone suspects they've seen a freeloader swipe a can of fosters 

I say do fook all John, it's dragging on now, with no easy solution.

MK funding has always been there due to the generosity of the people that care and have a conscience, this won't change, but if there's not enough funds there for next year, then tough, drop the hog roast, don't use the RAD pot to buy ale - ask people to donate beer, give the ramps a miss for a year.

If people want to turn up and have a freebie, without contributing, then they really are proper coonts.

Isn't the most important thing about MK, being together, enjoying each other's bikes and having the craic? Do we really want all the tinsel and trimmings? It's nice to have, but I'd rather have a back to basics event where you guys are part of it too, rather than playing Security Guard/Barman/Wristband Distributer.