[LEL17] Rider Area

[Phil W]

Now open to all riders. 

We took this decision this morning since everything has been running / going fine this week.

You'll have your email or just access via the rider options on the main menu.  Access via English version of site the first time after that login from any language version for subsequent visits.

[grams]

Cheers.

Am I right in thinking if you want the earliest possible start time, simply picking "9 am" (and losing the ballot) could get you allocated to a much later start time, assuming the rest of the morning also ends up oversubscribed?

Also, what's the closing date for the ballot?

[Phil W]

The less oversubscribed the better your chances of getting your preference. Anything undersubscribed you'd be guaranteed that start once we lock start times.  So 09:00am not a brilliant choice looking at the demand that continues to rise.

We will lock preferred start times end of March.
You'll know by mid April your allocated start time
Then you'll have till the end of April to adjust any bag drops.

[LMT]

I like it.

[Redlight]

Just been in and done my business. I have to say I am so impressed at the professionalism and ease of use of the web site - chapeau to all involved.   If that's indicative of the event as a whole, PBP should look to its laurels 

[DCLane]

It seems to work well - kudos to Phil W.

The bit I like is looking at others' choices, and deciding not to join the pile-up by selecting a 10.30am start 

[alwyn]

Personally, I think picking 9am to start is only worth it if you are relaxed about getting 2.45pm instead.

Pondering this a bit more today, I think once I come allocate times there's merit in reallocating people from the least over-subscribed groups first, and moving them to their nearest free slot. At the end of the process you would have people from the 9am and 6am slots filling up all the remaining slots, likely to be 7:30am and 7:45am, and 2:30pm to 3:30pm. This approach might nudge people towards more caution and perhaps result in fewer surprises.

A couple of people have decided to leave the matter to fate. I think that's a grand idea. That means they'll start late and enjoy the controls at Spalding and Louth.

[lastant]

I have to say I am so impressed at the professionalism and ease of use of the web site - chapeau to all involved.

This. The whole process is ridiculously slick, putting a lot of professional outfits' web offerings to shame - chapaeu indeed.

[Fidgetbuzz]

Personally, I think picking 9am to start is only worth it if you are relaxed about getting 2.45pm instead.

Pondering this a bit more today, I think once I come allocate times there's merit in reallocating people from the least over-subscribed groups first, and moving them to their nearest free slot. At the end of the process you would have people from the 9am and 6am slots filling up all the remaining slots, likely to be 7:30am and 7:45am, and 2:30pm to 3:30pm. This approach might nudge people towards more caution and perhaps result in fewer surprises.

A couple of people have decided to leave the matter to fate. I think that's a grand idea. That means they'll start late and enjoy the controls at Spalding and Louth.

That is a splendid idea Alwyn.. greatest oversubscribed get reallocated last .. love it.

How about a new extra kink .. £50 to each of .. you Phil and me and you can get your preferred start time .. reckon we would make a mint here.

[Redlight]

How about a new extra kink .. £50 to each of .. you Phil and me and you can get your preferred start time .. reckon we would make a mint here.

You might make a bit more if you introduced fees for the beds, with Easyjet-style dynamic pricing

[Fidgetbuzz]

No .. that would not work .. cash in hand would go to the controllers .. we need cash for our efforts .. see Phils FB post about questions that are answered on the web site already .. cost the questioner a £100 .. and if on the web site more than 5 months ago then it is £500

[Phil W]

It is interesting watching riders pile into the 9:00am start. They've now got approx. a 41% chance of getting that start, and a 59% chance they will be flung to the far reaches of start times.  Those odds will only get worse.  That's just for single riders and teams of two, larger teams have even worse odds.

Bag Drops is also interesting.  I don't tie bag drops to sleep locations but many do.  If that is indicative many are going for a Pocklington and Brampton sleep strategy.  Bag drops are generally also linked to showers.  If it's anything like '13 that could be interesting. Me, I'd stick my bag drops somewhere quiet where I don't queue for a hot shower and I have the pick of the beds if I want to stop.  Of course, a lot of that is tied to them thinking they are starting at 09:00am and they'll need to change all that in April when many find they have been allocated a late afternoon start or some such.

[eddum]

Are we expected to take showers ?.... that's a new one on me 

[Phil W]

Are we expected to take showers ?.... that's a new one on me 

Yes, ready for the kit inspection at controls (oh eeeerh)

[Phil W]

No doubt when I lock preferred start times someone will pipe up and say they didn't have enough time to choose one 

[alwyn]

Bag Drops is also interesting.  I don't tie bag drops to sleep locations but many do.  If that is indicative many are going for a Pocklington and Brampton sleep strategy.  Bag drops are generally also linked to showers.  If it's anything like '13 that could be interesting. Me, I'd stick my bag drops somewhere quiet where I don't queue for a hot shower and I have the pick of the beds if I want to stop.  Of course, a lot of that is tied to them thinking they are starting at 09:00am and they'll need to change all that in April when many find they have been allocated a late afternoon start or some such.

I think Brampton is a favoured stop for bags because it's the most northerly control that you visit twice.

[Veloman]

Are we expected to take showers ?.... that's a new one on me 

And you are also expected to change for Dinner when partaking of that offer at Controls.

No shower = eat from the hedgerow and sleep in the hedgerow!

[Wobbly]

I'm confused. Doesn't take a lot, really.

"The less oversubscribed the better your chances of getting your preference. Anything undersubscribed you'd be guaranteed that start once we lock start times ... we will lock preferred start times end of March."

If I pick an undersubscribed start time now but, come the end of March it's oversubscribed, what was the point of me picking a time now? Surely it makes sense to wait until just before the end of March to pick a start time.

Or have I missed a fairly obvious point? Which, given the week I've just had, would be unsurprising.

[jsabine]

Pretty sure that it's the level of under/oversubscription in March that will count, so my approach is going to be to pick a time now, then have another look shortly before the choices are locked. If I remember, that is.

[DrMekon]

Bag drops are generally also linked to showers.  If it's anything like '13 that could be interesting.

I saw things no man should see 

[Fidgetbuzz]

I'm confused. Doesn't take a lot, really.

"The less oversubscribed the better your chances of getting your preference. Anything undersubscribed you'd be guaranteed that start once we lock start times ... we will lock preferred start times end of March."

If I pick an undersubscribed start time now but, come the end of March it's oversubscribed, what was the point of me picking a time now? Surely it makes sense to wait until just before the end of March to pick a start time.

Or have I missed a fairly obvious point? Which, given the week I've just had, would be unsurprising.

I think you have got it .. combine this with Danial's suggestion that the least oversubscribed are the first reallocated .. and every reason IF YOU ARE INDIFFERENT TO YOUR START TIME .. to leave it to the end before putting in for your slot.. but if you feel the need for 9.00am and will tolerate 4.00pm .. then you might as well go for 9.00am

[Redlight]

Look, you're getting this all wrong.  What you should do is state that the start times will be at 15 minute intervals from 06.00.  Then we can all queue up from about 02.00 and hope to be away by 10.00.

I'm sure I recall that (not) working well somewhere before for many years....

[Wobbly]

I predict a considerable amount of time-slot-rejigging in the days/hours/minutes leading up to the moment the starts are locked.

It would be handy, therefore, to know exactly when the lock will be applied.

Might make an interesting animation showing how the redistribution occurs. 

[Fidgetbuzz]

Last minute rejigging depends on whether you think the riders are both  intelligent enough  and able to assess the odds of getting their preferred start time versus being kicked out to a time they do not care for.

[Fidgetbuzz]

Alwyn has floated the idea that the least oversubscribed slots are reallocated first which is interesting ... but I think the slow down is just due to  the initial burst of enthusiasm to get your slot choice in  .. without realising that there is no first come first served .  The sum of the  red dots total 1500 .. so they are all going to be full eventually