OT: Suggestions for Indy

[Dana in Philly]

Well, that was a blast, wasn't it? More fun that kittens!

But what could Indy do to improve for next year? My suggestions (both involving my sore feet):

1. Check out how Barber Motorsports Park has a people mover system that uses open-air tram/buses to move folks around the outside perimeter. Indy is ginormous, and could sure use something similar.

2. Don't want to spring for that? Then how about letting someone in with a Segway rental franchise? Pretty much the same speed as the pedestrians, but you wouldn't be walking, just rolling.

Anyone else with ideas for 'em (besides the obvious one of fixing the track so it has consistent surface traction conditions)?

[cageyar]

There is a fair amount of walking at IMS due to the scope of the venue.
But there's a shortcut that a lot of fans miss-rather than walk around the museum everytime you go back and forth from the corner 7 stand to the vendor/demo ride area, you can walk west, directly right behind the stand and walk down what IMS calls 5th street. It saves about 150 yards one way. That adds up by the end of the day.

Trams would be nice. Again, since they calibrate everything on their 500 experience, if you've ever been there during the 500, the infield areas are far more congested than during the Red Bull GP and navigating the trams would be very difficult. As they seem to slowly adjusting to the smaller GP crowd, maybe they'll come up with a tram system.

[Dana in Philly]

Oooh I had another suggestion: how about being able to get a decent cup of coffee somewhere besides Ducati Island? With all the food vendors, surely some could think of selling fine coffee.

[Dana in Philly]

Oh yeah, one more. The Friday morning paddock walk was pretty much useless. It'd be great if the teams could have some representation there to chat with the crowds.

[Dana in Philly]

One final suggestion -- this one to the riders. It's very difficult to tell the riders apart from a distance. Take a hint from Valentino and Jorge (or, as Valentino pronounces it, "you're gay"). Use a huge field of a single bright color on a limb or two. Makes it easy to follow you, even without binoculars.

[cageyar]

Originally Posted by Dana in Philly

Oh yeah, one more. The Friday morning paddock walk was pretty much useless. It'd be great if the teams could have some representation there to chat with the crowds.

I've done the Pit Walk twice and I'm done with it-not much there. I do appreciate the teams putting some bikes out but there is literally nothing going on.
I'm also done with the Mile at the fairgrounds-just too disorganized and painfully slow (not the racing-that's great when it is acutally underway).

1. I think they should allow cabs to drop you off inside the south gate 2.
2. BMW should get their act together and have a real display with demo rides-if KTM can do it, BMW can.
3. I think everyone who goes into the Ducati island should be checked to see if they have their Ducati undies on (just kidding-BMW could take some marketing lessons from Ducati).

[frozensun]

Originally Posted by cageyar

2. BMW should get their act together and have a real display with demo rides-if KTM can do it, BMW can.
3. I think everyone who goes into the Ducati island should be checked to see if they have their Ducati undies on (just kidding-BMW could take some marketing lessons from Ducati).

absolutely right !!

Honda had a nice stand also (they are not as extravagant as Ducati they are Honda )


BMW had a small tent with 2-3 bikes inside i think the K1300 not the S but the urban one would look nice in a stand

The GS wasn't there either and is a big sale point for them

I never had a chance to look at the ducati but i did in the Island, and damn the 848 in white is one HAWT bike... not too expensive, not too brutal and full of sexy

if i can fit some case on the tail i might get one (and keep the R11S for tours with the wife/kid)

[bradzdotcom]

my suggestion is for all the venues EXCEPT indy: follow their grooming lead.
for the second year in a row i've had people tell me that they were impressed by how cleanly the place is maintained.
maybe they have a proportionally higher number of maintenance crew, but that place is cleaner than dizzyland when it opens each morning.
you just don't see overflowing trashcans that need to be emptied or litter blowing around. cigarette butts seem non-existant and the facility crew is chock full of "yes sir and thank you" comments.
one friend said it was almost a surprise that the staff seemed actually glad to see you, rather than irritated that so many people had invaded their workplace.


ps: the sidi italian contingent was staying at the same hotel as rossi, and when he rolled in, he received the usual smattering of applause. he gave a slight smile a quick wave and continued on his way. one of the guys who works with him was at a table with friends and mentioned: "he is very upset about his mistake today. i will not try to talk with him until maybe...wednesday..."

[Dana in Philly]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

the facility crew is chock full of "yes sir and thank you" comments.
one friend said it was almost a surprise that the staff seemed actually glad to see you, rather than irritated that so many people had invaded their workplace.

True. I've never seen so many friendly people in one place. The crowd was friendly and well behaved too. Makes me ashamed of Philadelphia.

[2wheelmike]

My only complaint was the ground transportation to and from the event and downtown, where EVERYBODY

[2wheelmike]

stays (sorry, accidentally hit some button). The express bus from the airport was only $7 each way, a deal in any major or minor city. Amazingly, there were no dedicated buses to the event except on race day and it was $20. I ended up cabbing it which was considerably more expensive. The worst aspect was the $45 cab ride out at the end of the race. We sat for 45 minutes going nowhere while state troopers routed fans out of the facility in front of us but wouldn't let us go for some mysterious reason. Many folks got off their bikes or out of their cars to ask state troopers what gives. The answer: "we have a traffic pattern we follow". It was absolutely idiotic and unnecessary. Other than that, no complaints-

[EZ-RIDER]

Originally Posted by bradzdotcom

ps: the sidi Italian contingent was staying at the same hotel as rossi, and when he rolled in, he received the usual smattering of applause. he gave a slight smile a quick wave and continued on his way. one of the guys who works with him was at a table with friends and mentioned: "he is very upset about his mistake today. i will not try to talk with him until maybe...Wednesday..."

What hotel did rossi stay at

I wasn't impressed with the parking lot after the race, it took over an hour to get out of the parking lot!

[geothepencil]

Originally Posted by Dana in Philly

True. I've never seen so many friendly people in one place. The crowd was friendly and well behaved too. Makes me ashamed of Philadelphia.

As long as you obey the most important rule, which is anything, and I mean anything that has wheels on it has the right of way, you'll get along fine. And yes friendliness abounded. They almost seemed sorry to tell me that my favorite Indy race car had been removed from the display as part of some domestic dispute between the owners in the past year. (One of the last of the great Oldsmobile engined powered cars.)

Could be that a lot of the staff are volunteers, I never found out and felt it was in poor taste to ask.

I'll repeat my suggestion that they have some more attractions to fill up the areas and give the fans more to do while at the Speedway. How about Jim Rose and Jake the Snake ? Mmmmm.............maybe not

geo

[bradzdotcom]

Originally Posted by EZ-RIDER

What hotel did rossi stay at

the omni. was the most popular spot to sleep for the gp participants last year too.