The dreaded "No Safety Pins"

[Fudge the Elf]

I may have missed something ( I often do, including check points) but what is this thing about several races listed in the calendar having no safety pins?
Are there certain parts of the country where they are difficult to source? Has the risk assessment deemed them too dangerous (runner stabs himself with safety pin, leaves trail of blood across area of outstanding natural beauty). Is it so as not to cause deviation in compass readings? Or is it something daft like pretending to be environmentally friendly?

[Deejay]

I may have missed something ( I often do, including check points) but what is this thing about several races listed in the calendar having no safety pins?
Are there certain parts of the country where they are difficult to source? Has the risk assessment deemed them too dangerous (runner stabs himself with safety pin, leaves trail of blood across area of outstanding natural beauty). Is it so as not to cause deviation in compass readings? Or is it something daft like pretending to be environmentally friendly?

Not to mention the cost of the things;-)

[XRunner]

I may have missed something but what is this thing about several races listed in the calendar having no safety pins?

It because, as a race organiser, we can provide 1,000 safety pins for an expected field of 200 runners and there are none left before half the field have registered. One person took a very large handful from the box and he was most indignant when I asked him to return them all.

The greed of a few individuals spoils it for everyone.

[Grouse]

Yes it's bloomin' ridiculous. It's often those same organisers who fail to provide maps and compasses for runners. What a bleedin' liberty. I think it's a bit much that you are expected to wear your own Walshes shorts and vest. And why do I have to get myself to races? Why don't race organisers come and pick me up from my house? Something should be don. I'm going to phone the Daily Mail hot line. Right now!

[Deejay]

Yes it's bloomin' ridiculous. It's often those same organisers who fail to provide maps and compasses for runners. What a bleedin' liberty. I think it's a bit much that you are expected to wear your own Walshes shorts and vest. And why do I have to get myself to races? Why don't race organisers come and pick me up from my house? Something should be don. I'm going to phone the Daily Mail hot line. Right now!

And I don't think it's too much to ask them to provide someone to do the race for me when I'm feeling a bit tired;-)

[RichK]

Every single running shirt I have now has four pins permanantely stuck in. No need to take them out for the washing machine, so everytime you race, just rip the number off.

[Tussockface]

Every single running shirt I have now has four pins permanantely stuck in. No need to take them out for the washing machine, so everytime you race, just rip the number off.

A truly eco-friendly running club would have rust coloured vests.

[harrymoon]

I think its time for velcro vests and numbers, or just give every runner in the country a unique number that they can use for every race,

[Grouse]

Don't go there...

[GeoffB]

When my 80 year-old Dad saw this in the calendar he thought it was some kind of a punk fashion statement!