Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater
So, if you've been paying any attention at all, you'll be aware that I'm getting ready to race next year. Rather than leave it all to the last minute, I registered this week. It'd be really unfortunate to leave it and find that I was too late to get into the various classes necessary to get a race license.
I cruised over to the WMRRA New Racer page, and read through the whole thing. Ok, that all makes sense, I thought to myself. I was raring and ready to go, so I downloaded the application form, and started reading over it.
That's when things got a little unhappy. On the web page, it's plainly spelled out that there's a $50 fee, which covers the class and your membership in WMRRA. That's cool. But on the form I downloaded, there was no mention of $50. Instead, there was a $110 choice, and a $60 choice. If you're quick with your subtraction, you'll see that there's a $50 difference between those numbers, so fifty dollars was somehow involved, but not explicitly.
This got me grumpy. I don't like to be told one thing in one place, and a completely different thing in another place. If they'd just said right up front, "Send us $110, and we'll get started," I would have been perfectly happy. Instead, the website says:
NRS Classroom SessionThe cost of the NRS classroom session is $50. This also includes your WMRRA membership fee. NRS On-Track SegmentThe costs of the NRS on-track segment can be found by visiting the websites for the WMRRA approved NRS on-track providers; 2-Fast or Sullivan Race School |
Then, once all the apparently-pertinent information has been divulged, you get:
| After passing both the classroom & on-track segments, you may purchase your Novice Race License for $60. An added benefit of WMRRA membership is that many local motorcycle shops offer discounts to WMRRA racers. |
Naturally, my mind skipped right past this paragraph. Ok, that's my fault, but the wording is pretty clear: send us $50 and this application to take the class.
The application, then, details two possible fees: $110 for the class and your race license, or $60 for the license only. Ok, so there's no option for membership only? No option for "just the class please?" It's just sloppiness, but it's the kind of sloppiness that immediately raises my ire.
I got over that, although it still bugs me.
Then, I went on to the track sessions, once they were announced. This year, WMRRA is doing a new thing, and has outsourced their track school sessions, to 2-Fast, and Sullivan Racing School. I'd worked with 2-Fast before, and although I wasn't charmed with their organizational abilities, they were good enough, and once I'd cut through the crap, they were good at what they were doing. I looked up their offering.
Ah, good, I thought, March 19th. Excellent timing, just 10 days after the classroom time. Then I saw the price. $289. Ok, that's more than I paid for my track day with instruction last year, and, much more importantly, when Jesse did his track class for the race license, it was either $100 or $150. I'm not here to help you out with profiteering!
I looked up the Sullivan prices: look, I get two choices! $300, or $325! Fantastic. This whole thing is totally shaping up to be a ton cheaper than just doing track days. Sure is.
So, I'm signed up with 2-Fast, because I'm too far down the path to be deterred by an extra hundred bucks I wasn't expecting. I do, however, reserve the right to be supremely annoyed, and gripe on at least a solid handful of occasions. And if the 2-Fast school is less than stellar, turn on your naughty-word filters before you read the journal entry following that event...
Posted at 11:37 permanent link category: /motorcycle
Categories: all aviation Building a Biplane bicycle gadgets misc motorcycle theater