I'm not going to defend how they ran their event, but you should recognize that all PCA regions are different, and I would not take this to mean that these folks are elitist because they forgot to mention the advanced registration...

If you go to their home page, you'll see this posted:

2008 NER-PCA Autocross School
Written by Ron Mann

The annual Autocross School will be taking place at Moore Airfield, Ayer MA on April 6. This school is specifically designed to provide a foundation for both those planning on participating in the region's driving events as well as those who would simply like to become more confident and skilled behind the wheel of their Porsche. Regardless of your ultimate goals, be it keeping your car out of a snow bank or winning a PCA club racing championship, the school is an excellent introduction to the fundamentals of vehicle dynamics. Price for the event is $30. For registration information please contact the auocross registrar Jon Cowen.

If your accepted to attend, please plan to be on site no later than 8:00 AM. Chalk talk will begin at 8:20 AM with exercises commencing at 9:00AM. Exercises will include a skid pad, braking and slaloming. There will be a break for lunch at approximately noon time and we will resume with an abbreviated AX course which will be run for the remainder of the afternoon. The school is designed for first timers and relative novices to acquire the basic set of skills necessary for high performance driving. With both classroom and hands on training sessions, it represents a fabulous value. The school is open to all PCA members ages 18 and over who possess a valid drivers license. Children age 16 -18 must have the appropriate driving credentials in addition to having a wavier signed by BOTH parents. Additionally they must be accompanied on the day by a parent.
Last Updated ( Monday, 17 March 2008 )

They have the name John Cowen in red, and it's a link to a contact form... you probably should have contacted him. I've instructed a a whole bunch of these over the years, and all of them were advanced registration so they could pair students with instructors, and know how many of each were going to be there...

brad

 

The only way Jon Cowen could be contacted was via web-form on the site. I contacted him several times and he told me at the gate (since he was the one who turned me away) that he never got it. So they put in a web-form to be used, but never bothered to test if it works.
Sad thing was, I did not see a single Cayman while I was sitting at the Dunkin Donuts next to the entrance watching all the Pcars getting in.
I struck up a conversation with someone who introduced himself as a VP of NER PCA and mentioned that to him. He did not even bother to apologize. He just said "there will be other events".
Well ex-f-in-cuse me! Since people under your leadership f-ed up, he should have given up his spot!Some others were turned away too. It was their mistake, they should have realized it and dealt with it, rather than not even admit the mistake and make people drive back home.

The fact that the only reason I made the trip to Chicago to drive my a$$ 15 hours back was to get to the g-damn event.

 

I'd be pretty pi$$ed off too. I'm having a bit of trouble figuring out what harm would have come if they would have let you in. The organizers being a little inconvenienced?
Not a good first impression.

 

I am still fuming. This was the worst first impression. In Chicago, they would have bent over backwards to make sure everyone is welcome. The first event I went to in Chicago, when I joined, I had several old-timer members welcome me, sharing with me tips on how to get more involved, and etc. etc. etc.

NER PCA here (according from what I was told by one former member and also some random threads on forums) seems to be elitist prick collection not open to anyone but Porsche people. And we expect other organizations to keep their doors open for us?
Well guess what, my buddy who got turned away today with me too (he brought his immaculate S2000) is going to be in the market for another toy this fall. Guess what impression Porsche people made on him. Oh wait, we are here already known as self-absorbed a$$holes. You not only buy a car, you are becoming member of community. Never heard of Lotus folks with that kind of attitude.

 

NER PCA here (according from what I was told by one former member and also some random threads on forums) seems to be elitist prick collection not open to anyone but Porsche people.

Well, since you're calling them names like this, I guess you might want to switch regions anyway - I don't think I would give anyone the time of day if this was their blanket assessment of everyone who was in that region...

Different regions have local rules, and there are many that don't allow anything but Porsches to run, or a non-Porsche needs to be run by a full-PCA member.

I understand you're upset, but I don't see much PCA-spirit in your attitude here. Instead of calling people names in a public forum like this, maybe you should just put it behind you and move on.

brad

 

Lame...lame lame! They should have let you in....

 

It is a difficult job to run a driving event. It is even more difficult when the event is well attended.

I am a member of my region's track safety tech. inspection team. The perameters for Tech inspections are clearly defined as to details about the car and who may inspect the car. Our DE events are open to other marques.
We require that the tech inspection be done by a dealer of that marque, a PCA regional tech inspector (or facility), or an ASE certified facility with the receipt of that facility that perfomed the inspection. Time and time again we are presented with cars and drivers that are experienced that do not comply with what was requested. So what happens? We give the person a hard time, and eventually will perform the tech inspection at a time that works for us. The driver usually gets ticked off at us, but later realizes that it was his mistake. He should have taken the time to read our forms, and handbook.

There is a lot of planning and work that goes into the event. It is a shame that they could not have come so some compromise to help to accomidate you. Maybe, you wouldn't have been able to participate in all of the days activities, but that is how the cookie crumbles. Next time, make sure all your t's are crossed and i's are dotted. It is only one event. It looks like a big deal now, but 10 years from now, it will be insignifigant. Be aware there are some regions in the eastern part of the U.S. that are a bit more rigid than others (I am not say NER is, I never have attended any of thier events)

Give NER another chance. You may change your mind about them.

 

On a positive note, one of the organizers at the NCR PCA (they do AX at the same location) just replied to my inquiry and looks like those guys are more than happy to allow guests to participate.
I found that SCCA does events also at the same location, so I will try to do those too.
NER might want to re-thing their policies. This is autocross, not DE. There is always room in the freakin AX event. Chicago region boys managed to make everyone welcome, no matter how packed the events were.

 

I think your missing the point here that it wasn't an autocross event, it was an autocross school. I have attend one CVR-PCA school and one Cart-Ct school and in both cases you had to be preregistered because there was one instructor assigned to each student, one on one. They wouldn't allow anyone not preregistered because there wouldn't be an instructor for that student. From my experience DE's are run exactly the same way.

Autocross events are different because they are timed events and you are competing. Show up, sign up, race.

As far as miscommunications between you and NER-PCA, That is a different issue and all I can say is, some of my communications with my local PCA chapter have been, at times, very frustrating and I felt like I was being ignored. I was pleasantly surprised this week to get a prompt response from the CVR-PCA regarding their autocross season(not good). SCCA might be a good alternative.

 

Jayman,
Yes, it was a failure of their communication, since nowhere on their site (the only source of info for most) did it state the AX school (yes, i was aware it was school) requires pre-registration. If it was my fault here, there would not have been others who got turned away too. And there were apparently a good number of them.
I am looking anyway at NCR region now, since they run events in the same locations. Every e-mail I sent so far to NCR has been returned and their rules and requirements are very clear. I have also found out that there is a number of people who got so fed up with poor treatment by NER, that they moved their membership to NCR.

At the end of the day, I am looking at other clubs too for the opportunity to AX.

 

Brad,
I respect your opinion and usually find your answers educational.
In this case I think I have a very valid reason to be upset and share my opinion, just like anyone else. Unlike Cayman Chat, this area is more localized and I feel that it is important that all opinions are shared here. If anyone told me here beforehand than NER has poor communications, I would have been prepared to deal with those issues. So in me sharing my experience hopefully this will serve as public service to other members. I DO intend to go to the next meeting and voice my concern around what has happened.
I would let it go, but apparently I am not the only person who has experienced this, therefore I feel obligated to address the issue.

As the saying goes, it is the spoon of $hit that can spoil a barrel of honey.

On the "PCA spirit". I have to disagree. Getting to the bottom of the problem and confronting it has nothing to do with PCA, but rather with not being a pushover. Soliciting opinions of the others on the topic is part of it.

 

Apollo - I understand all that - and anything that will help the region communicate better with the members would be great - do you have a right to be angry? Sure - but I see from your profile that you've been a PCA member for one year now, and from the sounds of it, you've just moved to Boston, so to publicly call other members of an entire PCA region (NER) "elitist pricks" is both unreasonable, and from my 21 years in PCA, not warranted, and not in the spirit of the PCA attitude that I've seen in my time with the club. I'm sure there are people in the NER who are just as nice and able to run events just as well as those you left behind in Chicago.

Calling people names like this, that you don't know, and then hiding behind the mantle of getting to the bottom of the problem is not what PCA is all about. Get to the bottom of the problem, fine... but do it in such a way that's constructive. You've allowed your anger to be very destructive, and if I was a member of the NCR (the region you'd rather run with) and read your comments in this public forum, I'd be very wary of your coming to my events. I'd have to say, if PCA became populated by people with your attitude, I would quit in a minute.

brad

 

+1 on Brad's comments.

PCA members organize and run Drivers Ed and AX schools completely VOLUNTARILY. You have no idea how much time it takes to arrange these events.

Every region will have glitches, and the more volunteers, the more potential for them. I have instructed for ten years, with six different PCA regions, five different BMW chapters, Mustang Club, Alfa Romeo Club, Car Guys, Turn One and Chin Motorsports. All rely on friendly, capable VOLUNTEERS, who have their faults. I don't think this snafu occurred because someone didn't like you, so I think the elitism factor is a non-issue.

Constructive criticism is always welcome, I've found. Dismissing an entire region because you misunderstood the rules (even if NER's fault) is negative energy, and will affect your karma in the long run. Look, you were fortunate enough to drive (and bond with) a wonderful sports car for hours.

John Cuellar

 

John and Brad. I heard about the NER reputation before I even got here to Boston. I did dismiss it at that time. But the snafu like that bought up the issues I was told about before.
At the end of the day, I will voice my concern and I will look to NCR, since I had much more welcoming reception from that team.
I am passionate about everything I do. If I am wronged, I will not roll over. If I volunteer or do anything else, I do it with the same level of energy and passion. I am the first one to volunteer and always willing to put in crazy hours to help make an event happen. So yes, I am a good member of any of the organization I belong to, because I contribute, but I also don't let mistakes pass me.
Like me for that - fantastic. You don't - well than I probably will not be able to change your mind.

:cheers:

 

So, because you heard something second-hand... and you then experienced this snafu, that gives you the right to publicly excoriate hundreds of people you don't even know as 'elitist pricks?" And, then you justify this because you're "passionate about everything you do..." Wow...

You know, I was going to go in and edit out your name-calling, but I decided to leave it for two reasons... 1) I didn't want to hear the "freedom of speech" howls, and 2) It really says a whole lot more about you, then it does about the people at NER.

brad

 

I am sorry Brad, but I am finding actually some of your statements elitist too and quite condescending.
You seem to be questioning me because I have been a member of PCA for only one year. Seems like that is the first thing you jump on.Are you trying to say that your opinion is of higher ground, because you joined organization before me?

Lets further dissect this issue:
1. If you have not been a member for a while, you don't know which event are pre-register only AND they fail to inform you via the only channel of communication they have.
2. Absolute disregard to new members. Every e-mail and communication I ever sent to NER went unanswered. Nothing sent through the site was answered. I attempted to get in communications with the region for 2 months! You know how long it took me to get an answer from NCR or Chicago PCA? Less than 8 hours. Chicago PCA called me when I joined them. I am yet to get anything from NER. So yes, disregard to new members is elitist. You are not good old boy, hence you will have to beg us to let you in.
3. Telling people that only Porsche owners are allowed at the autocross or racing events is stupid! Not being open to members of other organizations in the region is elitist and bad for the organization. NCR not only is open to other folks, but they also went as far as make sure Miata and other guys are welcome, which in turn made their events open to us.
4. And I see apparently if someone else is a PCA and is dissatisfied with the region, that gets degraded as second-hand opinion.


Now go ahead and lock this all, since you are the almighty mod. You seem to be stuck on the elitist prick comment and I am stuck on the fact that region is unwelcoming.

Oh, and the next time YOU spend all this time and drive 15 hours just to make it to the event and get turned away without even an apology, but with the statement "too bad, well... there will be other events down the road". See how you will feel.

 

I am sorry Brad, but I am finding actually some of your statements elitist too.
You seem to be questioning me because I have been a member of PCA for only one year. Seems like that is the first thing you jump on.Are you trying to say that your opinion is of higher ground, because you joined organization before me?

Nope, that's not what I'm trying to say - I was trying, in a nice way, to say that it seems you have a lot to learn about both what it means to be in PCA, and what it means to be a considerate human being... longevity in the club has nothing to do with consideration - but considerate is what I have found the overwhelming number of people in PCA to be.

Lets further dissect this issue:
1. If you have not been a member for a while, you don't know which event are pre-register only AND they fail to inform you via the only channel of communication they have.

They screwed up and as I said before, you have a right to be angry.

2. Utter disregard to new members. Every e-mail and communication I ever sent to NER went unanswered. Nothing sent through the site was answered. I attempted to get in communications with the region for 2 months! You know how long it took me to get an answer from NCR or Chicago PCA? Less than 8 hours. Chicago PCA called me when I joined them. I am yet to get anything from NER. So yes, disregard to new members is elitist. You are not good old boy, hence you will have to beg us to let you in.

If you want to make that presumption, then go ahead... These are all volunteer positions, and you have no idea how otherwise busy these people are, unless of course you have intimate knowledge of what these "elitists" are doing when not answering your e-mails.

3. Telling people that only Porsche owners are allowed at the autocross or racing events is stupid! Not being open to members of other organizations in the region is elitist and bad for the organization. NCR not only is open to other folks, but they also went as far as make sure Miata and other guys are welcome, which in turn made their events open to us.

Each club has their own rules. It's your right to disagree with them, but maybe... just maybe, they get plenty of entries from the people who are PCA members, and if they let others in, it would keep dues-paying members out of the event...

4. And I see apparently if someone else is a PCA and is dissatisfied with the region, that gets degraded as second-hand opinion.

Sorry, but by definition, that is second-hand information, and really... it's not information, it's second hand opinion.

Now go ahead and lock this all, since you are the almighty mod. You seem to be stuck on the elitist prick comment and I am stuck on the fact that region is unwelcoming.

I have no intention of locking this down, unless you make further insults that violate the forum rules. And, I'm hoping this is the last thing I write in it... I'm happy to leave it up - your public insults to hundreds of well-meaning people, especially those not involved in either not answering your e-mails or turning you away from an event, speak for themselves.

Oh, and the next time YOU spend all this time and drive 15 hours just to make it to the event and get turned away without even an apology, but with the statement "too bad, well... there will be other events down the road". See how you will feel.

I would be angry, too... but there will be other events to attend.

brad

 

If you have an active local chapter of SCCA run those events instead. yes the CS struggles a bit in SS but i feel SCCA events have a more interesting variety of cars, generally deeper talent pool, and (in my experience) nicer, more down to earth people.

 

Sorry about your experience! You NEED to join NASA asap!!!!! No elitist pricks, although I have several PCA hpde's under my belt, I guess I am one. (ask me about a situation at Midohio race course!). I have decided to join Nasa with no regrets. Most guys and gals are all about good manners(except a few Corvette jackasses, who won't let you pass them on the straight even though you are up their a$$ in the kinks). Good rules (mostly from PCA) and classroom download sessions after track time.
Nasaproracing.com!!!!!!
Good luck
Drmikey987