Racmark

Is it confirmed that it's off? Cos from Pacific Models there are already 12 participants. I also thought that it will only be confirmed at 5pm today?

Gundam

Hi do the CC provide on line service for the application which i think is a better solution since so many people log on to the net and this will eliminates illegal entry as some might find too troublesome to go to the CC especially those without transport.Jus suggesting.Thanks

EiKuD

Gundam, i couldn't agree anymore further than your suggestion !!! YES ! RCMC should consider to post a online application for those who are interested to join the member....

phlim

Thanks for the fantastic suggestion. We have looked at various options. However, when money matters are concerned, we are subjected to some required controls from the Finance Office of the Peoples' Association (PA). PA's eCommerce setup is not quite ready yet, so payment online is not available yet.

However, I've scan a copy of the membership form into a downloadable format, you can print it out, fill it up, write a cheque, attach 2 photos and mail it over to the CC - not needing you go down to the CC.

The URL for the form is HERE - NOTE that the fees were based on 3% GST, due to the increase in GST from 3% to 4%, the fees should be:

New Membership Fees:
Above 18 years old is $124.80 ($40 entry fee, $80 annual fee + GST) for 1 year-membership or $291.20 for 3 year-membership.
Below 18 years old is $104 ($40 entry fee, $60 annual fee + GST) for 1 year-membership or $228.80 for 3 year-membership

Renewal Fees:
Above 18 years old is $83.20 ($80 annual fee + GST) for 1 year-renewal or $249.60 for 3 year-renewal.
Below 18 years old is $62.40 ($60 annual fee + GST) for 1 year-renewal or $187.20 for 3 year-renewal

Racmark: Sorry for this late reply. Whereabouts is this Pacific Model? I haven't been following up with all the shop, sorry for my ignorance. The news of the cancellation came from our race director, Mr. Sunny Hee. He reported to the Chairman that he only received 8 valid entries. "Valid Entries" in this case are entries with full details and payment. I can clarify more when I meet them for our meeting tomorrow. Do let me know where this Pacific Model is I would sure like to pay them a visit - Thanks in advance. I did hear that there were quite a few new shops in town recently.

The next race event (1/10 GP Touring) is on limbo as it falls on the 2nd day of our Lunar New Year. I'll update here soonest possible, once I get a confirmation.

kino2

Pacific Model
1,Rochor Canal Road,
#B1-04, Sim Lim Square,
Singapore 188504
Tel: (65)6336 5977

Racmark

http://www.pacificmodel.com/

phlim

2003 Race Calendar News

MOST IMPORTANT - February 2nd Race is cancelled as it falls on the 2nd day of our Lunar New Year.

1/8th scale GP IC Car races are
2nd March
4th May
6th July
7th September
2nd November

1/10th scale GP ISTC Car races are
6th April
1st June
3rd August
5th October
7th December

The Marine Parade CC RCMC Management Committee wishes all RC'ers a Happy & Prosperous 2003 and Happy Racing.

a02460

Hi,

I'm interested in joining as a member of RCMC as you have the best track in town.

I do have my concerns over this membershpi issue though, after being there twice, i realised that there is indeed alot of non member using the track as well (not to mention that the track becomes a rollerblading ring after dark). I also understand that the committee plans to curb such activities. Here are my concerns even b4 i consider being a member and taking up RCing.

1) Exactly what is to be done with the security of the compound and when is it going to be done? It seems that there's no security for over a long time. Even swimming pools have gantries in order to make u pay. So how is the club going to protect their members rights totally?

2) What is the Short term goal of the club? Get as many members? From what i know that's been a goal for all clubs ... anything else besides that? I dun see much effort put into attracting new members to join besides the fact that pple come up to u and say "are your a member?" like as if it's protection money. I dunno about the rest of the community but most clubs seem to try to make it an effort to make the member's stay worthwhile and they also try to encourage prospective members to join by showing off their priviliages. how about other onsite improvements, Eg. improvements to the site, replacing the rusting make shift container stand, etc.

3) What would be the long term goals then? Is there anything in the pipeline? Fund raising to build better amenities? I'm sure that finding members is not the only way to raise fund. Fund raising races? races with higher entry fees but the remainder put into building up the site? possibilities are endless ...

4) What is happening to the poor old lady at the corner selling drinks? Can't we improve the conditions in which she is in? She even mentions that her drinks get stolen as there is no way to lock up the place.

5) There is this patch of cement that is suppose to expand the tracks configuration ... did the management run out of tarmac along the way?

6) I also notice that during december, the track becomes a swimming pool and it tends to stay that way for a long time as the drainage is really badly done up. Would there be improve to this area?

I hope these nagging concerns can be put to ease so that i can find reason to join up as a member of RCMC.

phlim

Thanks for your wonderful feedback.

Well firstly I am really glad that you are interested, but your concerns doesn't seem to confirm your interest. And I don't think it is an over-statement if I were to assume that your intention is on getting answers to your queries. No offence intended.

We will never be able to afford security. The committee are all volunteers, we have our jobs to keep us living. The management of RCMC is a voluntary work. By far, our Track Manager (unpaid) Mr. Sunny Hee is doing all he could on a best effort basis. To date we have arrange for the toilet operator near the shore to lock and unlock the gate on a daily basis.

We don't have one The long term goal is to promote RC car as a healthy past-time. The club has weathered through almost 20 years of members needs. We grew from one which doesn't own a track to one that does. The immediate on site improvement we are planning is to add a roof over the driverstand. In the longer term, we are exploring on a sheltered pit and a service kiosk.

This may not come to pass. We would repaint the stand and looking at adding a roof. A structural driverstand would set us back at least $40k, which we think would be much better spent on other areas. The present stand is structurally sound, as verified by both our own engineers and the PA engineers. Yes, I does look rusty, that's part of the circumstance we need to bear with when we face the sea.

The local RC faternity is such that they are willing to fork out almost $3000 for the latest Mugen or Serpent with the fastest engine and the best radio, but ask them to pay $80 for a year of membership, they would prefer to play hide and seek with our track marshalls. A very common trait in Singapore where you can see Big Mercedes parking on the road side just to save the 50 cent coupon - No offense intended to any Merc owners here We have got our fund raising plans up, our committee has approached quite some companies, especially our Treasurer who had made quite a lot of enquiries. The companies has given us some constructive feedback and we are refining our fund raising plans to cater to these feedback.

In case, you don't know, she is paid to help us clean up the track. We allowed her to sell drinks for the benefit of the members. We are looking at the possibility of contracting a facility management service to install a service kiosk, so that the lady will have proper roof over her heard and a proper storage for her drinks. But these sort of arrangements takes time. Agreements between PA, the CC and the facility management service company usually takes a while to materialise.

Yes, we actually ran out of volunteers and $$ to continue and at the moment, we are checking out our accounts. It is rather a chicken and egg business, isn't it? Without members we don't have enough $$ to keep improving the track, without improvement, we are not attracting members. Well, we have to take it one step at a time.

Glad that you mention it. We spent quite a lot of money to clear the chokes. The last check, after a heavy storm, the water would not pond after a day. Which is the best we can manage. Singapore is a tropical country and we definitely could not afford a roof structure over the track. We found that the previous choke was due to the fact that someone or somebody, in their eagerness to let the water drain, went into the track drainage points, without our approval and knowledge, and remove the debris strainer to the drain pipes, Yes, it did drain faster, but just for that one time, because once the strainer was removed, rocks got into the pipe and choke up the whole drain system. It cost us quite a bit to have a contractor flush it, frankly that money could have been spent on making alterations to the track.

Again a chicken and egg situation. If you are a member, with your membership number I could bring these issues to the committee offcially for you. Now that you are not a member yet, I can only tell you what I can, but I can't represent your views at the committee meeting.

THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL RESPONSE FROM THE MARINE PARADE RCMC. The views and responses express above are to the best of my knowledge and any misrepresentation is not intended and readers are to take it with a pinch of salt on your own. You will have to decide what to believe, I guess

Thanks for your valuable feedback and I look forward to your future support and participation. Best Regards.

a02460

Hi ya,

I guess i realise that you emphasis alot on the chicken and egg 'problem'. Are there things in life that's not a chicken or an egg 'problem'? (no money no nothing, no degree no job, etc etc)

I guess you have to realise that non members need to be convinced to join and not forced to join when there's an option which was left open (no security at track side 80% of the time). Maybe the reason why pple play hide can seek could be due to the fact that they would get through it 90% of the time? Eg. If u were in jail and the guards left the all the gates opened and all of them went on holiday, would u run? I guess you would stay and wait for them to get back? I know alot of pple who would run given that situation.

As you have mentioned, money is not the problem, so why is it that the club is lowering the entry fee to 'attract' members? Seems to me that the enticement is on the wrong object of interest.

Here's a question u can ponder on and hopefully reply to:

1) Should RCMC get members first and hence get the funds from members? Or should it be the other way around where i need to get the funds first to attract members?

I guess if the answer is to get members to cough out money to build up on funds, then i guess soon we'll see developers of housing projects begging for buyers to snap up every single unit even b4 they build the building with the units all not having locks, allowing anyone and everyone to simply sleep on your bed while you are out. Sounds funny huh? ... well maybe it's not very funny for all the members who have to live through this ...

doctorj

As I will join the membership this week or next once I have the time to do so, please let me contribute my feelings & the reasons of joinning the club:

The size & design layout of the track provides optimum opportunity to test my engines, gear ratios, body shells & much more to mention.

However, judging on the commitments which have been provided by RCMC in building a permenant good size track, a good height driver stand, a sheltered working area under the stand & proper fencing along the circumference of the track. I feel that the club has carried out an initial part of success which is the most important step.

Then again when I was at the consideration stage, I thought of why is there such a track which costed "plenty of money" to build, loads of paper works & numerous approval to be obtained from the relevant authorities? Well, think again & I have come to conclusion that the main idea of such track is to promote RC. As mentioned again & again which will never end. Money first or member first. Chicken first or egg first. Mother first or father first. I believe that what comes first should not be the issue as both items "MUST" come together.

doctorj

Sorry please let me continue from here as I have pressed the wrong button half way.

In this instance, the potential club joiner will feel that " hey mate, what have you got in your club that I should pay to use it's facilities. " In fact, the RCMC is a club that has actually met the basic needs of RCers with it's current facilities. Yes, it does seems that it's nothing more than a track. But hey, isn't it much better than a few wooden poles laid down with unforgiving solid apexes awaiting to rip your expensive & beloved cars? Right, the membership cost money & needs some attraction to woo members. But with the past or current charges, I believe it has fulfilled current members of their needs & can't go further than maintaining the track's ageing condition. Then again, if additional facilities are to be implemented, e.g. drinks stall, alteration of structures, redesigning of track, a cafe, a restaurant, a beer garden, a security guard, stadium lights, or even a disco lounge to celebrate after the race, then the membership charges will be raised & then the price will be questioned.

Well, no offence to anyone. But in this realistic world, an egg will cost 20 cents, & 20 cents will only buy an egg or other things equivalent to that value. Same goes to the membership fees. If RCMC implements an alternative fees structure, e.g. collect usage fees on a per day basis, RCers could easily fork out more of that of an annual amount.

By the way, it would be my pleasure to bring you around the tracks in Singapore & provide more comparison details if required, if you are not already familiar with them. Cheers!!!

a02460

Hi,

Well said hacker, I've to agree with you in all that you have said especially when the situation do not include non members roaming around. But since there is non members around, whatever you have implied goes for them too ... and guess what ... they don't pay. Do you really want that to happen for something u paid for? I guess not.

a02460

Hi all,

I realised that an egg is 20 cents ... but i know 10 other fellas who get that same quality egg for free. Do u still want your egg for 20 cents? If u still want it for 20 cents, then i admire your integrity.

Unfortunately, contracts are draw to avoid integrity issues as most out there would believe it doesn't exists ...

But i do admit that there are pple out there who buys original stuff although they can get the pirated ones for 5 bucks ... Long live microsoft i guess ...

Gundam

Doctorj has suggested a valid point .Collect entrance fees on per entry.Firstly think why people doesn't want to pay the fee?

how often do people go to PA on weekday?

Cos PA closed early.At such compare to the jurong track which is open to public and till 3 in the morning n is free so ask yourself would you want to pay the fees when you can't even got the chance to play.

Or rather when maintaning the track has caused so many problem to the commitees why not just open to public for free since the primary goal is to promote the hobby.

Anyway i m just suggesting so no hard feeling.