RE: Nürburgring Tourist Laps: The Future

[Draexin]

Call me an utter cynic, but I think their arguements for using Nürburgring Automotive supplied cameras are complete bks...
They don't want videos of crashes on YouTube. Wait what? It's a race track for crap's sake! Accidents go hand-in-hand with track days. We all know the risk involved, we're not complete idiots.

And what about the tons of YouTube videos taken by spectators? Are they going to ban every camera within a 10 mile radius of the Nordschleife, fearful that someone might capture an accident on film?

Also, they state that "..[the video] will be released to the driver in a format to be confirmed."
Something tells me they're going to have a big, fat, ugly Nürburgring Automotive banner slapped on the edge of the video...
And seeing as how they're so afraid of videos ending up on YT, the DVD will have some sort of copy protection built in. As in, you can only play it on regular DVD players, not on a pc...
Oh and another thing, don't expect to be able to pick up the video the next day. They're most likely going to send it to you a week later. With added shipping and handling charges obviously...

But hey, they have to repay all those millions somehow.. and clearly the theme park idea didn't float.

[HereBeMonsters]

How long can these things record for? Most people's first laps are around 15 mins, even in a decent car.

[havoc]

Draexin said:

Call me an utter cynic, but I think their arguements for using Nürburgring Automotive supplied cameras are complete bks...
They don't want videos of crashes on YouTube. Wait what? It's a race track for crap's sake! Accidents go hand-in-hand with track days. We all know the risk involved, we're not complete idiots.

And what about the tons of YouTube videos taken by spectators? Are they going to ban every camera within a 10 mile radius of the Nordschleife, fearful that someone might capture an accident on film?

Also, they state that "..[the video] will be released to the driver in a format to be confirmed."
Something tells me they're going to have a big, fat, ugly Nürburgring Automotive banner slapped on the edge of the video...
And seeing as how they're so afraid of videos ending up on YT, the DVD will have some sort of copy protection built in. As in, you can only play it on regular DVD players, not on a pc...
Oh and another thing, don't expect to be able to pick up the video the next day. They're most likely going to send it to you a week later. With added shipping and handling charges obviously...

But hey, they have to repay all those millions somehow.. and clearly the theme park idea didn't float.

Nail. Head.

Profiteering, pure and simple...

[CampDavid]

What the ring actually needs are more closed track days for people who want to drive it properly and quickly so the TF can be the chance to just experience the place, not drive it flat out.

It needs to foster some relationships with manufacturers, get some more experience days there and basically focus on the core product - the track - and try and take the money of as many people as possible.

Standard motoring enthusiast - TF day

Trackday fan - Open pit lane day

Loaded car nut - Manufacturer experience stuff.

Currently they only appear to be trying to fleece the well off motoring enthusiast who enjoys roller coasters and overpriced st food, which they pay for with mickey mouse money (ring card)

I'm not sure that demographic exists

[Dan7357]

Make more TF days to reduce the ques at weekend..

I would be happy to go there say 'Mon + Tue rather than a weekend

[andrewrob]

Obviously not all of these are tourist days but you get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6EPHXjgTI

[mat205125]

..... and some kind of insurance cover too?

[mat205125]

Gadgeroonie said:

Mermaid said:

They don't want to kill off the golden goose...

imagine a fatal crash becoming the biggest download on the web or youtube

not good publicity for the ring

so either you need to hide the camera or just accept that nobody will get to see your crap driving !

..... or they will never release a lap which shows a crashed car on circuit.

What proportion of laps are 100% clean without passing a stricken vehicle from an earlier incident?

[scubadude]

Max_Torque said:

Gadgeroonie said:

this is how its done !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxwRgSZiKTk&fea...

Change of underpants at 2.11 for the Caterham driver........... ;-)

Watching at work- must admit I grabbed the desk when he cut back left behind the porker in anticipation... I did think the lurid powerslide after he got back past was showboating abit too, the dude sure can pedal though I'll give him that! The Porker driver wasn't messing around either!

[Motorrad]

EVLXGE said:

Motorground said:

This is excellent news! the lack of being able to use a videocamera on a tourist day has been a big downer for many! Thank you Nurburgring!!

Excellent lets celebrate the fact they have found another way to 'tax' their visitors. No doubt you'll have to pay using the 'ring card'. Not log before you have to swipe that bloody card to take a dump...

Correct. What a load of bks, 'let's celebrate the chance to be ripped off some more- yay!'.

This is about control as well as revenue generation, what I used to like about the Nurburgring was the sense of freedom. Now sadly gone forever.

[blearyeyedboy]

EVLXGE said:

Not long before you have to swipe that bloody card to take a dump...

So, the Ring are going to make you pay you use your "ring"?

Edited by blearyeyedboy on Wednesday 19th January 13:10

[BBS-LM]

Gadgeroonie said:

this is how its done !

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxwRgSZiKTk&fea...

Bloody good viewing that was, I am amazed at how fast both cars where on track but as soon as the R500 was on the twisty the GT2 was lost. Good effort by both drivers.

[lankyarcher]

andrewrob said:

Obviously not all of these are tourist days but you get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6EPHXjgTI

There are some amazingly over ambitious entry speed attempted in that video!!! (red civic type r & the astra van)

[fatboy69]

I havent 'done' the Ring for a few years (no filthy comments please people!) & i had forgotten what it was like. The on-board Caterham footage was amazing even though he came close a few times to binning the thing against the barriers on more than one occasion.

Maybe this year i'll make a return trip & get some laps in.

As for banning customers own in-car footage that is ridiculous. What are they going to do? Strip search every punter & send in the sniffer dogs?

Half the fun on the Ring is taking in-car footage & posting it on You Tube so where is the fun if the visitors camera's are banned?

Very strange idea.

[Bolognese]

andrewrob said:

Obviously not all of these are tourist days but you get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6EPHXjgTI

The silver van made me laugh

[Motorground]

Motorrad said:

EVLXGE said:

Motorground said:

This is excellent news! the lack of being able to use a videocamera on a tourist day has been a big downer for many! Thank you Nurburgring!!

Excellent lets celebrate the fact they have found another way to 'tax' their visitors. No doubt you'll have to pay using the 'ring card'. Not log before you have to swipe that bloody card to take a dump...

Correct. What a load of bks, 'let's celebrate the chance to be ripped off some more- yay!'.

This is about control as well as revenue generation, what I used to like about the Nurburgring was the sense of freedom. Now sadly gone forever.

At least the option is there if you want to capture your lap on video, whereas before if you were caught filming with your own equipment you faced the posibility of being banned from the circuit. I guess if you want your lap video'd it will cost, if not keep your money in your pocket...
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[motor mad]

lankyarcher said:

andrewrob said:

Obviously not all of these are tourist days but you get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6EPHXjgTI

There are some amazingly over ambitious entry speed attempted in that video!!! (red civic type r & the astra van)

It looked more like a classic case of lift off over steer from the Civic and lead boot syndrome to the Astra van...

[PaulMoor]

lankyarcher said:

andrewrob said:

Obviously not all of these are tourist days but you get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6EPHXjgTI

There are some amazingly over ambitious entry speed attempted in that video!!! (red civic type r & the astra van)

Didn't Top Gear prove that Astra Vans are faster than F1 cars?

[blearyeyedboy]

andrewrob said:

Obviously not all of these are tourist days but you get the idea
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gz6EPHXjgTI

1:35, guy in red car (BMW 3 series?) does very well to avoid joining in, as does the yellow saloon. (Escort Mk 2? Looks a bit too big to be one.)

Serious hat on for a moment though, though I can see the fury I'm risking here: I think that the Ring needs to get its act together. It's either a racetrack or a road and it's time it made its mind up. I hope they decide on racetrack so we don't lose a decent circuit, though I accept that would make access more expensive and difficult.

Do people think a "public road" with racecars mixing it with buses/superminis/vans is a good idea? Not just for risking our own cars, but also not being collected in the mess of some Yoof who can't handle his Fiesta Zetec... I think a properly marshalled "trackday" is safer than that.

(Yeah, I know trackdays are a risk anyway. But they're a more managed risk that filters out more of the idiots than TF days at the Ring is likely to.)

[J BIRD RACING]

What ever it takes, just keep the ring open to the public.