parkrun thread
2 lurkers |
506 watchers
Feb 2019
9:53am, 27 Feb 2019
30,521 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Thanks Sarah!  Dv, good point. We need more volunteers. How about a buddy runner / walker for every parkrun participant to collect their finish token, carry their barcode for them and get it scanned? That way no tokens would be lost. And 500 extra volunteering opportunities every week? racedirectorshq.com NFC is the other technology. Build it into the parkrun wrist band, and scan immediately as you cross the line. No more lost tokens! G
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Feb 2019
10:15am, 27 Feb 2019
59 posts
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JJJ
"make the finish funnel long enough and scan runner's barcode in order." - This doesn't work 1) not everyone has a barcode - the scanner would have to have 'unknown' to scan for everyone that came through without one 2) all barcodes don't scan - how would we deal with one that didn't? We'd have to scan a place marker and write the person down, but wouldn't know their position - at the moment we can slot someone in manually because we know position or time 3) with a few hundred runners it's hard enough already getting people through the funnel without backing up over finish, funnels would have to be 00s of m long and a hiccup scanning would grind it all to a halt. "I wonder how long it will be before chip timing comes to parkrun? " I can't see that it will - we can't print a chip at home and having to buy one breaks the fundamental free for everyone rule, also HQ like the fact that if you don't speak to anyone else all weekend you at least have to interact with token giver out and scanner. |
Feb 2019
10:23am, 27 Feb 2019
6,816 posts
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larkim
Print barcode (free) at home before your first ever parkrun Arrive at parkrun 10 minutes early Scan barcode, match to RFID tag / sticker (cheap as chips, 10p each to consumers, much less than that if bought en-masse by parkrun for example) - i.e. create the connection betweeh that barcode ID and the RFID chip Then thereafter use the RFID tag / chip on an NFC reader as you cross the finish line. It could work, though proximity to tag readers at the finish line might be an issue. Tech will develop though, and in 100 years if parkrun exists you can bet scanning barcodes won't exist then. The question is at what point the tech changes / becomes so simple and ubiquitous that it can be replaced. Bear in mind that laser scanning of barcodes is still the default approach for shops, and doesn't look like changing at the moment. The current system really isn't broken, it doesn't need fixing yet! |
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Feb 2019
10:41am, 27 Feb 2019
30,526 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
Yes, JJJ, I hadn't thought all those through. Larkim, good analysis. Not sure it "ain't broke" though - a lot of Unknowns in results, quite a high incidence of collation issues at busy events, and RD/EDs on this page pointing out that lost finish tokens are cost and waste. Re RFID/NFC being a "cost to entry" and hence breaking parkrun principles, then just let parkrun give you one for free. When you register, you are sent a wrist band. Compare with cost of initial tokens, scanners, timing devices and ongoing replacement of same. The "interacting with a person" bit, I get, but not sure I agree with! I interact with lots of people at chip timed events. It's just the poor b*ggers aren't having to worry about my race time! G
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Feb 2019
10:56am, 27 Feb 2019
3,839 posts
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jdarun
Again the "interacting with a person" is a prime example of a (weak) post-hoc excuse for something that has entirely different motivation (in this case, probably "we've done it like this for years and see no reason to change now").
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Feb 2019
10:58am, 27 Feb 2019
6,818 posts
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larkim
I've never "got" the interacting bit insofar as it relates to barcodes. I know some events do seem to know the runners by name, but my experience has been that the timers and scanners are different people every week so there's no real familiarity built up as they scan you and read your name on your barcode. I interact with the RD with a friendly "hello", and volunteer (insufficiently frequently!), but nothing which would change were I to have an anonymous barcode / RFID chip etc. Free tags instead of t-shirts anyone? |
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Feb 2019
11:03am, 27 Feb 2019
30,528 posts
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HappyG(rrr)
That was my thought larkim was that a tag might be a tenner cost to parkrun HQ, and a t-shirt similar. Give away a tag instead of T! But then as I was writing it, I realised that actually it probably cost justifies itself just by needing less scanning and barcode kit. Someone would have to do the numbers. Obviously, not everyone qualifies for or claims a t-shirt (10%?).  Everyone would have to be issued with a band on registering i.e. 100% Some parkrunners would lose them - replacement cost 10% p.a.? You'd need a parkrunner's address up front (vurrent registration just asks for name and email (and age and gender?), doesn't it? Would being asked for a postal address be a barrier to registration?) Anyhoo! G
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Feb 2019
11:07am, 27 Feb 2019
5,874 posts
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Jovi Runner
I think one of the biggest arguments (certainly in our case) for having the scanning away from the finish funnel is to stop the finish funnel backing up. Ours is approx 150-200m post the funnel - no capacity to have scanning at the end of the funnel - we'd have half the field queueing to cross the finish line not to mention it being a hazard to later finishers as people queued. We are fortunate in that as I mentioned earlier in the thread - you can't possibly miss scanning as the only way back to leave is to walk past the scanners.
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Feb 2019
11:13am, 27 Feb 2019
315 posts
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Spideog
You often see people claiming that scanning is great as you get to interact and learn people names. Never noticed that at any event I've been to, other than a cheery hello, well done and nice weather today type comments. If the person doing the scanning was spending enough time to be reading my name, and also medical details, off my barcode then I'd be very cautious about going anywhere near them again. Whilst my medical details are not a secret, the fact that it's written on my wrist band does not give anyone the right to be reading it, or even to read my name. That would just be creepy. But it doesn't actually happen, so not sure where these volunteers are that are reading everyones barcodes. |
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Feb 2019
11:24am, 27 Feb 2019
6,819 posts
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larkim
This is roughly the "prison funnel" setup for Delamere. Lots of capacity, no issues with queues for scanning backing up into the run-finish area. The only time queues develop is if the token distribution isn't quite fast enough, and that is then catered for by just moving the token distributor back away from the finish line a bit more. Image is rubbish by the way!! Excel should NOT be used like this |
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