NHAA South Eastern Regional Meet FEEDBACK THREAD

[Guest]

Please post your commentary here. I'll start.

the only thing i think that didn't go smoothly was our convoy exit from the hotel. I think we really need to have a one-radio per coach minimum for convoy participants. I think we also need to have a better exit procedure, like have everyone stand in front of their cars, and once everyone's accounted for, we can start the line up. We can't be blocking up the hotel exit for 15 minutes like that again.

[Psychoholic]

I think part of that was that the folks in the front couldn't hear me - I said 'go!' about 10 different times and in a few different languages, then someone would say 'we're just waiting on Chris to say go', so I'd respond again, again they'd say it, again I'd say it.

I'd like to get everyone to wear a name tag with their forum name on it as well and what club they are affiliated with.

[60Crown]

Fantastic job to everyone involved. I commend each and every one of you. Weather was the only real attribute that could have been better all things considered for a first time event. Please don't take any of the following as criticism as it is not intended as such. And some may be redundant to Sunday morning. Merely throwing it out for those not present.

1. Needs to be longer. I enjoyed the more laid back atmosphere of this meet and maybe the rain came into play but I did not feel like there was enough quality time spent with attendees. Consider a Thursday night meet-n-greet leaving two full days for social activities. Hotel stay can still be two nights, giving people option of taking off Saturday evening or sticking around again until Sunday. Assuming Asheville remains as meet location, this would also provide more time to actually see the city. Or some fun local optional group trip on Friday, keeping car show on Saturday.

2. Longer car show/swap meet time. Granted, weather and H-D dealership came into play. Exiting hotel late did as well though. Tack on a couple hours here - especially considering next year's turnout can be double.

3. Imperative to maintain the 'fun' factor by not having too many rules nor too rigid a schedule. This had a really good vibe. Keep that going by continually allowing attendees room to breathe.

4. Better advertising. Taking time to personally contact FDs within a couple hour radius too. Pictures from this year will convince them that it wasn't some cheesy gore fest.

5. Keeping event early on in season but not same weekend as National HauntCon in Philly.

6. Heavily weighing option of not banning coffins & caskets entirely but asking they be kept in coaches. It seemed a couple people were offended thinking our group was insensitive. Slightly better public acceptance verses telling them to eff' the hell off. You decide.

7. Make sure Tristin and her friends attend. Models offset sausage fest.

I've not connected with alternate possible show location as of yet and will report back on that.

[twg1987]

1. I would say let do a Crazy Costume type party to offer a social hour later late Friday or Saturday if you extend the meet.

2. Also start several committee to help grab sponsor around asheville to help off set cost of shirt, evening social hours, ect, Also get coupon or deal for other activities to make goodies bags

3. Also let do the Swap meet during a social hour one night if the meet is extended, that why the more creepy stuff can be brought out and sold within the group, and the rest can be set up at the car show minus the more offensive items.

4. Also if you start charging for Registration fee for the one who want to pay make a plan like that include ( T-shirt, Costume Ball ticket, patches ect, or more stuff in the goodies bag)


these are some suggestion,

i have been involved with planning major event from 400- 2000 people in my past history, i be glad to help in anyway that i can i have chaired several committee also

Thomas
70 MM Ambulance

[LMS]

Denise(Hellcat) and I had a great time. Mad props to the organizers, you all deserved trophy's of your own for your hard work.
I think it would have been even better had the weather not sucked but that was out of our hands.

For a first attempt at this I think the turnout was amazing. I was really thinking there would only be 10 or so coaches there and was beyond happy at the 24, seriously I almost nutted myself (there I go again with the TMI). EVERYONE who attended needs to get out there and plaster details of the event on every square inch of the interwebs.
People who did not attend need to know what they missed and hate themselves for missing it.

The lineup and departure for the Harley dealer could have been handled better. I saw several other hotel guests trying to leave and could not get out because we had the lot tied up. I even saw one elderly couple come back into the hotel complaining to each other about how they couldn't leave and how those people don't care about us.
That could have scored us a bad rap with the hotel. Next time we need to be aware of other guests trying to come or go and give them space to do so.

As we stand right now the staff and management of the hotel LOVED us being there. They thought the cars were great and the variety of characters were fun and entertaining. We have done wonders in my opinion to leave the hotel with them feeling this way about us. We must not ruin this good standing.
That brings me to my next point which Atti touched on briefly.

6. Heavily weighing option of not banning coffins & caskets entirely but asking they be kept in coaches. It seemed a couple people were offended thinking our group was insensitive. Slightly better public acceptance verses telling them to eff' the hell off. You decide.

Depending on the venue of the show/swap meet part we may need to leave the coffins/caskets in the cars.
Please hear me out before you roast me and accuse me of going all PCS.
Before we left Cary, Atti, Denise and I had about a 30 minute discussion on this subject. We all felt we had a good thing started here and the possibility to grow it into a serious yearly event if we don't fuck ourselves (the last part are my words not theirs).
Right now it's true the hotel management and staff loved us and want us back next year.... BUT they did not get the full meal deal. The hotel only saw the cars and the people, and Josh petting his severed head (which I got a kick out of all weekend).
Had the hotel started getting complaints about a bunch of coffins in the parking lot, or worse had people cancelling reservation and checking out early their attitude about us would be totally different.

I am by no means saying that caskets/coffins not be allowed, just that DEPENDING on the venue for the show/swapmeet they may need to stay in the cars.
If we have the show somewhere else like at the motorcycle museum for example we could ask if they would mind a full on display.

Roast me if you want, just the way I feel about it.

[Guest]

i think the coffin/casket idea is fair. i think that is why we will not be back at harley-davidson next year. If we end up doing the car show portion at the wheels museum, then we should probably make that a rule.

[60Crown]

Great point about host hotel David. You guys deserve a piece of grandma's carrot cake for picking the right one. Seriously.

That Holiday Inn really enjoying having the group. They were hospitable and accommodating. Lot was big enough for coaches. Breakfast that ended up being included was plain giggity. Plus they're pet friendly. And had a pool (<---even if I was the only one that appreciated it). Room rate was reasonable. How many guests did they state "looking forward to having you back" upon check out? Most!

The only drawback I can think of is steep angle prohibits any l o n g trailer from entering their lot. I've been in a truck when less of an incline caused a fifth wheel trailer to come right through the back window. Gunshot rang out like a bell...



Another idea if event is a day longer that I would *love* to organize: A good old fashioned funeral related scavenger hunt!

[EternalCombustion]

I already gave my general review of the show in the other thread. But as for suggestions for next year...

It's funny but I was thinking practically the same thing as Atti as far as starting on Thursday. It would allow more time for checking things out around Asheville.

Also, I would like to weigh in a little about the starting time of things. While 9 am doesn't sound extremely early right off the bat, let me give you a view from a slightly different perspective. To save some cash the four of us from WV went together on a single room. Now for 4 people to get up, take showers, get dressed (make up, etc.) with one bathroom by 9 am we are having to get up at the crack of dawn.

As far as the scheduling conflict with National Haunters, while I do understand trying to avoid this, if it gets too late in May it becomes a hardship for us because of the Midwest Haunters con. Both by expense because of travel and hotel costs and taking time off from work. Having this show close to the first of May gives a month to get ready for Midwest. And I would venture to say that even offsetting SERM by a week or 2 from National Haunters still might require a choice of either or for some for this same reason. We went to National Haunters a couple of years ago and while it was a nice show it was a 9 hour trip for us as opposed to a 3 hour trip for Midwest so the when we had to chose between the 2 it was no contest.

While if the weather is nice then the parking lot of the hotel will sort of become a natural gathering place but if the weather turns bad again a contingency plan needs to be in place to gather. When we got back from the show it seemed like things almost fell apart. I was almost to the point that I was regretting not starting back to WV right after the show until we ran into some in the hotel restaurant and made it worth staying. Maybe renting that room for a meeting / vendor room for the whole show might be an idea *shrug*

Anyway, just a few thoughts off the top of my head.

Edit: Just wanted to add that the decision to move the date away from the National Haunters convention would not necessarily prevent us from coming back. But it does get more difficult the closer it gets to June.

[LMS]

The weather really did mess it up a little Saturday evening. Had it been nice out we surely would have hung out in the parking lot till all hours of the night. With the weather being shitty though we might have been better off all pitching in and getting the conference room to use as a hang out place.
Lessons learned for next year I suppose.

[EternalCombustion]

I'd also like to weigh in on the coffin issue. While I have a coffin in the back of my car, I actually don't really care either way. In fact given the choice all over again, I'm not sure that I would chose to get a coffin again. With that being said I would like to play sort of the devil's advocate if for no other reason than to ensure that the issue gets completely thought out.

It has always seemed to me that anyone that I have run into that has had a problem with the coffin had a problem with the car in general and the coffin was just a convenient scape goat to nitpick. And in the case of Greg's Reapers Rod, it was enough over the top that it became fun and not threatening.

But where do you draw the line. A casket in the back of my car is not as visible as one setting outside of my car granted. But the coffin in the back of Reapers Rod with the large window cut outs is quite visible, not to mention the fact that it is made of plexiglass and has a mummified body in the back that moves. So do you allow the coffin in the back of Reapers Rod and cause the possibility that someone else feels that there display is slighted? Or do you not allow the Reapers Rod entirely because his coffin cannot be removed because of the mechanics that make the body move?

And does the line stop with caskets? I mean there were several full size skeletons, mummified bodies, and other various funeral, horror, and Halloween related items.

Just a few thoughts from the darker side of this issue. Lol

[HearseHaunter]

I agree with everything that was said here.

[LMS]

It has always seemed to me that anyone that I have run into that has had a problem with the coffin had a problem with the car in general and the coffin was just a convenient scape goat to nitpick. And in the case of Greg's Reapers Rod, it was enough over the top that it became fun and not threatening.

But where do you draw the line. A casket in the back of my car is not as visible as one setting outside of my car granted. But the coffin in the back of Reapers Rod with the large window cut outs is quite visible, not to mention the fact that it is made of plexiglass and has a mummified body in the back that moves. So do you allow the coffin in the back of Reapers Rod and cause the possibility that someone else feels that there display is slighted? Or do you not allow the Reapers Rod entirely because his coffin cannot be removed because of the mechanics that make the body move?

And does the line stop with caskets? I mean there were several full size skeletons, mummified bodies, and other various funeral, horror, and Halloween related items.

My main concern is what goes on at the hotel and keeping them liking us.
People expect to see a coffin in a hearse, or should anyway, so if they look in and get offended tough shit for them. That goes for Reapers rod as well. To me a coffin is part of a hearse that's why I would never want a no coffins rule.
I am just thinking the "wrong" parking lot full of coffins might be to much. In certain venues they may need to stay in the cars so we don't wear out our welcome.
If the hotel or whatever location we have the show at says they don't care then it's anything goes in my book. I just don't want to turn a hotel that loves us into an unwelcome sign next year.
Believe me I don't want this to turn all PCS, that would just run people off. Hopefully we can find a good place to have the show part so we can go all out.

[Abnorml]

The hotel only saw the cars and the people, and Josh petting his severed head (which I got a kick out of all weekend).

Well don't I feel special. I hadn't seen Marie in a while, She had been staying with Bert while Abbie was getting fixed. When we went to eat I took Marie and got weird looks, I'm use to that. The only jacket I had was my straight jacket, but it keep me warm. I forget I'm holding Marie and don't understand why people are looking at me. I really don't do it to shock or scare people.

Now some suggestions I have:

I agree with most of what everybody has said.

We need name tags, with "real" names and names they use here. I talked to people and I would have to ask who they were and then ask what they post on here as.

I have no problem with the coffins/caskets staying in the vehicles. I usually have one in Abbie, but didn't this weekend until Sat. when I bought Rick's.

I would really like to have more socializing time. When we got back from HD, people just scatted. It might have been different if the weather was better. I believe most people would be hanging out in the parking lot.

I like Thomas' idea of a costume party, but I like dressing up.

I think we should have different committee over different activities. Like if we go somewhere for a car show. The car show committee would park people and make sure everything was clean before we left.

I would love for it to be a longer weekend. Can't have to much time with hearse people.

[LMS]

Well don't I feel special. I hadn't seen Marie in a while, She had been staying with Bert while Abbie was getting fixed. When we went to eat I took Marie and got weird looks, I'm use to that. The only jacket I had was my straight jacket, but it keep me warm. I forget I'm holding Marie and don't understand why people are looking at me. I really don't do it to shock or scare people.

Not bashing, I thought it was great. Reminded me of the movie 8 Heads in a duffel bag. If you haven't seen that movie it's really funny, worth watching.

[Abnorml]

Not bashing, I thought it was great. Reminded me of the movie 8 Heads in a duffel bag. If you haven't seen that movie it's really funny, worth watching.

I didn't take it as you bashing me, at all. Like I said I forget most of the time that I'm holding Her. It would be weird for me not to carry Her around.