I absolutely agree with taking responsibility for self-policing. And while there may be some similarities between proselytizing a religion and proselytizing about Dragon Safety, I don't think it has to be "preachy" or negative at all. It's merely a matter of perspective on how you handle it. Have you ever heard of the book [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Chasing-Cool-Standing-Cluttered-Marketplace/dp/0743497090"]Chasing Cool[/ame]? (Link points to Amazon.com summary.) Think of it more like that. Where the message is designed to be cool and everyone WANTS to take part in it. To the point where they actually feel UNcool if they don't support the message. If the message, images, etc. were in line with other popular themes, it could catch like wildfire. If it can be "cool" to promote stupid fad-ish things, why can't it be cool to promote something that is actually smart and important? Think about it. I, personally, think that the Dragon Community at large is actually hungry for a cool wrapper to this important message that they can latch onto. Don't you think that the bikers and all the rest of the people would love to see less idiotic, stupid things killing/injuring them and their friends - and not damaging as much property? Don't you think that the amount of law enforcement and patrolling would reduce if the entire Dragon Community was highly self-policing through positive peer pressure and sheer awareness? I think that the Dragon World is waiting for a GOOD message to rally behind. MINI folks are early-adopter, front-runner type people. Let's take this on and LEAD! It would certainly take a well-organized, planned effort involving some market testing and research, but it can happen - not only without negative perception, but be warmly welcomed and openly adopted!
Oh, another interesting book with insight along these lines is Malcom Gladwell's best seller: [ame="http://www.amazon.com/Tipping-Point-Little-Things-Difference/dp/0316346624"]The Tipping Point[/ame].
"entire Dragon World is waiting for a GOOD message to rally behind." hmmm Define "Dragon world". Is that the Locals and Regulars or is it the people who come down to the road once or twice a year? Why do you think that the Regulars there are not already highly self-policing through positive peer pressure and sheer awareness? Us policing ourselves is not going to reduce the LEO presents. It's the rubes coming down the the road once a year acting like they own the place and who think they know everything that is the problem. They don't have a personal sake in the road or it's people. I've seen enough of my friends hurt to be very passionate about this subject. There is a set of rules and that is what we play by. The MINIs (new MINIs... NOT classics) are still considered the best car group that comes down to play. You should see some of the other groups. In the future, we should just make sure to cover the etiquette with all MOTD registerees before the event. We don't want to ruin the reputation the MINIs have built. So let me just sum it up once and for all. When you come down to the Deals Gap, please enjoy yourself, but also please don't act like a douche and don't cross the double yellow lines.
I think what MINI2go is trying to say Mol is the spread the word with something "cool" so that no matter who you are... you wanna follow the "rules" there for the "rubes" will also follow such things cause it's "cool" He's inline with the rest of what you say. For me... trying to do what MINI2go suggested isnt for me. I am not against someone doing that. For me it's lead by example and spread the word. I have delt with this stuff for over 10 years. No matter how nice you are or how helpful you are trying to be, there are going to be people who just dont wanna hear it. For them... I let them crash... they arent going to learn any other way.
It kind of reminds me of when I was a kid, and the topic of wearing a helmet while riding a bike (regular bicycle) came up. The other kid said to me: "Well, I've been riding a bike for several years, without a helmet... and nothing bad has happened in all that time, so I don't think they are important!" :mad2: :rolleyes5: ut:
It's amazing those of us of a certain age are still alive! We rode bicycles with no helmets. We roller skated with no knee, shin, elbow, arm and hand pads. We laid on the back deck of our parents big American cars during long trips. We would leave home in the morning and play all day, as long as we were back before dark. No one was able to reach us all day. We would spend hours building our go-carts out of scraps and then ride down the hill, only to find out we forgot the brakes. After running into the bushes a few times, we learned to solve the problem.
A. The Dragon World includes all of the above. B. If the awareness and self-policing efforts successfully reduced the accidents and deaths there would be very little reason for the law enforcement to waste time and taxpayer funds on policing it. C. No, people are NOT playing by the "rules" - or this discussion wouldn't even exist. Heck, the biggest violators are those who maintain the perspective that "rules are meant to be broken." Mol, I respect and applaud your passion - but I feel you are missing my point and you might even be somewhat blinded by your passion. The problem with the Regulars' current message and self-policing is what Tuls alluded to - it's negative, "preachy", and even self-righteous sounding. If I were one of the once-a-year without-a-clue visitors, it would honestly just sound like a bunch of bitter, lame-o, fuddy-duds trying to spoil my fun. No offense meant - I obviously agree with core the message. It just needs a make-over. My point is that you can package up the message in different duds to make it more cool and appealing to EVERYONE. As the saying goes, you can catch more flies with honey than vinegar. As a local, with your knowledge of all the other bad groups, I'm surprised at your limited-scope response: Look, I may not have made the best possible argument for my perspective on this but I'm about done saying my piece. If nobody else can see the bigger vision I'm trying to describe, then let it die a peaceful death and proceed how you wish. I'll leave you with this last thought and then let it be: We can see the results of the approach up to now.
Oh like MOTD 2010 web page should have a splash page before you enter, with a sweet graphic saying. "we dont cross the double yellow"
It seems like you're on the right track... but start thinking bigger! Make sure that sweet graphic is sweet enough that it has broad appeal - beyond MINI owners, including Harley riders, sport-bike riders, Subie drivers, etc, etc. Craft it into a full-blown theme with variations on the core graphic and message that can actually become a viral campaign. (Remember all the Fahrvergnügen stuff?) Make it so cool that it becomes a "must have" bit of regalia for any true Dragon fan. Create merchandise from it. (License it!) Watch your message spread.
haha sure... that's what I have done for over ten years. I was still just keeping it small. Im not really one to go big with that stuff anymore. Im... well, tired.
I hear ya. :lol: Small has its merits, no doubt. Anything worth making big is worth having small. More often than not, big things are just a lot of small things working together. It would certainly take effort and planning. And more than a bit of creativity (of which the MINI community has no lack). If I thought that it were something an individual could do, my family could sure use some additional income - but that would be a disservice to the message. It needs to grow out of the community. It should start within our community, but with enough forethought that it has the ability to grow beyond us to others within the Dragon community.
Mini2Go.......I'll bounce around your suggestion and see if there is something I can come up with. (without re-inventing the wheel of course)
Oh man, Snooter, talk about a guy with enough BIG on his plate! Goodness... we have to be able to rally some folks that can help instead of adding yet another project to your plate. Your heart is way too big, my friend. :smilewinkgrin: I'm willing to participate in a task force/committee/workgroup/collaborative effort, but I don't have the graphic skills to conjure up a worthy manifestation of any ideas I might be able to help dream up. And I don't want to over-commit with the other things I already have on my plate. Not to mention that my sense of "cool" can be a little off-beat. Nevertheless, I won't stand by and watch my man Snooter take all the "hits" - especially for a big idea that I advocated.
OK, my turn. As a certified performance driving instructor, I have cleaned up several rookie Dragon drivers technique over the years as a volunteer. I just saw a need and sat in the passenger seat as a coach. Trust me, this is needed if we are to totally clean up our driving skills. Driving is an artform. Especially on the Dragon. The secret of the late apex is lost on a good proportion of the participants. I drove behind many of the participants that could not set themselves up for an advantage in the turns. I also saw braking in the turns -- sharing braking grip with turning grip, a no no in performance driving. Maybe we could do a classroom for newbies. This would probably upstage what any other group does and decrease incidents.
Graham, There was a a Dragon orientation this year. I understand it was well attended too. You may want to volunteer to assist in next years. I'd also recommend that at the pre parade drivers meeting there is lot of emphasis on which side of the line is good...
All you have to do is put a piece of tape on the steering wheel. Oh...sorry....thought this was the NAM thread :rolleyes5: