So, after being made redundant they decided that I had to stay at home for 5 months on garden leave. At first it was boring, but then I joined the gym and some time passed whilst running and weight lifting, sauna, steam room and most importantly the tanning room LOL.
Anyway I had to look forward to what I wanted to do next. One thing was clear in my mind, and that was that I did not want to start all over again with a new company in sales. Whilst I like sales, it can be a seriously tough job in this current economic climate. I made a list of the jobs that I thought would make me happy, using some of the skills I had learned over the last 5 decades and settled initially on being either a driving instructor or a lock smith. Being the person that I am I set about finding out what was involved in become trained and did the sums regarding possible earnings.
I soon ditched the idea of the driving instructor as it was all about selling your own hours. IE the only way you could earn decent money would be to work over 40 hours every week and prices per hour were seriously depressed. I had just paid for my daughter to pass her test and at £20 per hour it was way too cheap, well not for me to pay, but that £20 per hour had to pay for fuel tyres, insurance, you name it and then pay for the instructor.
The lock smith intrigued me and there were plenty of courses to learn the trade, and if you look at the BBC Rouge Traders series, there’s a killing to be made with the poor unsuspecting public LOL (only kidding).
In both of the jobs I fancied there was always an element of relying on the phone to ring! I had a eureka moment about how to find clients with the lock smith business, but you are still reliant on peoples bad luck in some respect, and site work fitting locks and the like was not high on my list!
In a different life I was a mechanic for 10 odd years and served an apprenticeship, but a few years ago I had a dream that I was back in that job and woke up in a sweat and panic. I was very happy to learn it was just a nightmare! LOL.
So, what did I really like doing? What is my passion? What would I willingly do for little or no pay? I consider this and knew in my heart of hearts that it was motor-sports related! `. I had run my Radical SR3 for the better part of 3 years and if it were possible to make a living at giving passenger rides I would do that!
Stop it now, I can hear you shouting at the PC and asking what the f*ck are you going to do?
Well, I have started a business (good what 5 months off work with pay can do for you when your looking for time and inspiration!). Its called Onboardvision Limited and has achieved accreditation as an authorized dealer for Racelogic Video Vbox systems. I have 15 complete Video Vbox pro systems which will be available for hire at track days currently run by Gold Track, RMA Track Days & Porsche Club GB. The access to the track days run by GT and RMA has been arranged for me by the owner of Track Club Ltd. Porsche Club GB have agreed to me attending not only their track days but also their race events.
I have a friend that competes in the Kumho cup championship and I’m going to sponsor him with a Video Vbox system in his car for this season. So a bit of advertising there for me and his sponsors can have “on screen advertising” with this system which they can use for their own marketing purposes. Hopefully I will be supporting some of their events this year.
Additional to all of the track days that I’ll be supporting are the racing series through out the UK. These are not decided as yet, but Track Club do field some cars in the Elise Trophy, so I might be there as some time in the future.
I have set up this business from scratch and my first event to attend is likely to be a Gold Track day at Bedford on the 20th, then its 2 days in Spa Francorchamps supporting Bookatrack (another TDO I hope to support)
I have put a link in to my most recent video and a demo of the free software each client will get.
Pricing is going to be £60 per day hire in the UK and £75 in Spa (not bad for equipment that sells for nearly £2000+VAT). Additional to this will be the hire of an 8 GB USB drive. I say hire for the USB as I am taking a unique route to keep the cost low for the client. This USB is £25 for 5 days hire. This should be enough time for the client to get home and down load the files to their PC or laptop. The Client may return the drive after downloading a return form from my website and then will receive a £25 credit against their credit card. (I have a credit card merchant account and mobile terminal for use at the track). Clients will be asked to install the Video Vbox system to their own cars whilst following written instructions and receiving technical support. All systems will be safety checked and aligned before entering the track. The client assisting in installing the equipment dramatically helps to keep the cost as low as this.
These systems normally rent (when you can find them) for some £125 per day / event to £200. That which I am offering is revolutionary and is being well received by the TDO’s and track day fans I have already canvased.
I will have all the mounts necessary to install 2 cameras on an enclosed car on the inside of the windscreen or open cars via its roll cage. Where the cars are not fitted with a cigar lighter I also have optional battery packs available for hire.
The best bit about this Racelogic system is not only do you get 720 x 576 resolution imagery, but you also get all of the data logging information. This information along with the video imagery can be viewed and analyzed with the free analysis software (issued by me) when the USB is taken home.
I will have with me a 37 inch monitor for people to see how they are doing and if the recording is working correctly and to compare laps between friends at the end of the day (no timing rules!). Realistically just looking at the data will show where a driver come off the gas and on the brake and how much corner speed the drivers took compared to each other.
If you are taking driver instruction you will be able to make comparisons between your early laps without training, your instructors laps and then your laps after instruction.
I have also listened to the clamor by TDO’s to not use suction mounts. To this end I have had manufactured special mounting posts which will affix to the screen via special high bond tape.
Any way thats enough from me. If it works I will be as happy as Larry. Once I have this area sorted I will develop the kit to work with motorbikes for track days.
I can only hope that I have chosen a product, a market and a community that is ready for this service. I think all of us dream of having filmed the best laps of the day and any incident that occurred in front of the car we were driving! If friends are coming to an event they will be able to compare their laps side by side on the screen, possibly one behind the other!
http://www.onboardvision.co.uk
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Look out for this logo and flag
http://www.racelogic.co.uk/_downloads/v ... o_DATA.pdf
Dario
