Pennine Trails running marshal sacked

[cougie uk]

Could we blame a lack of training? If Pennine Trails hasn't prepared their volunteers in some basic conflict resolution that could explain why this escalated so quickly.

Have you ever marshalled your Club 10 or something similar ? What conflict resolution training did you get ?
It's a volunteer. Not a United Nations Peacekeeping Force.

It's like pulling teeth trying to get members to fulfil their commitments to marshal two events a year already without them having to do training courses as well.

 

[Drago]

I have marshalled at many events and,aside from motor racing and British Cycling events, have never seen any training of marshals taking place.

I've marshalled a few and found the organisation terrible and guidance non existent. On top of that a tiny minority of riders behave like utter dilberts towards the marshals, bad enough that I've never volunteered since.

 

[Profpointy]

Can you sack a volunteer ?

Poor woman volunteered her day pointing people in the right direction and ended up refereeing a fight.

Kid was in the wrong. Old runner was in the wrong. Marshall caught in the middle.

Did you watch the video ? The marshal is shown angrily shouting at the man who is trying to back off and de-escallate. If she'd been a bloke the father would have been expecting to have to defend himself from an assault any second. Her actions encouraged the angry old man to join in again. I'd have been genuinely frightened and be thinking about whether to hit out before being assaulted by two crazy people

 

[wiggydiggy]

Have you ever marshalled your Club 10 or something similar ? What conflict resolution training did you get ?
It's a volunteer. Not a United Nations Peacekeeping Force.

It's like pulling teeth trying to get members to fulfil their commitments to marshal two events a year already without them having to do training courses as well.

My own experience of marshalling is irrelevant. I was just suggesting if training is not provided, even if that is just some pointers on the morning of the event in how to react in case of a conflict, that could have escalated the situation.

 

[gbb]

Pretty awful behaviour by all and the trouble is, we didn't see what caused it and without that, any opinion is pretty pointless.
The one I feel sorry for is the Marshall. Probably not experienced that kind of thing before, as said, probably not trained how to deal with it, possibly right out of her depth, denied the opportunity to de escalate by the dad...I doubt she will ever ever want any further doings with it ever again.

 

[gbb]

Ok, so as dad says a little way in
'He's 14'
Marshall (some indecipherable shouting beforehand) says
'Pack it in' (de.escalation?)and shortly after turns to runner, seemingly trying to usher him back (de escalation?)
Some more words and she shouts
'Whoa' (de escalation ?)then shortly follows up with 'I'm not sure if you're aware' (trying desperately to explain) but is cut off by dad who says 'stop shouting at me'
Her hands are palm up, to me that's a de escalation sign/request.
Dad says 'stop talking to me' so is not interested in de escalation
Marshall..incomprehensible words then 'stop now' (de escalation attempt ?)
Dad further shuts down Marshall.
Marshall 'no, there's an event on'..'just go'...another attempt to explain or diffuse the situation ?

The runner didn't help, the dad didn't help, the son (i think) had to be told you get back and I think swore again (theres and awful lot going on)

The poor frikking woman, stuck between two grown aggressive men, who has perhaps not even seen what caused it all, probably no training on how to deal with it, did the best she could IMO.. not her fault not her doing, just stuck in an awful situation with a potentially violent outcome...and we wonder why she's shouting ??

Did she do it well ? No of course not. Could she have done it better, yes of course....was it her fault ? Absolutely not.

 

[tom73]

A few things come to mind. As a qualified youth worker the fact that only the father is concerned that a child has been assaulted is quite concerning. I've volunteered for over 20 years including a good few years as a high up senior volunteer with bird muck to match. I've also managed volunteers as a paid job. If she'd have been one of mine she'd be gone. She totally lost it a classic case of visi-vest power gone mad. You have to question what would have happened if a runner had collapsed of a heart attack. You don't need training to know things can go tits up very quickly. Or training to know assaulting a young person is wrong.

Having done medical cover at stuff like this the standard of Marshall is normally pretty poor, many don't even get even a basic briefing before hand. I've often had to deal with fall out from a good few over the years. If you can't even be bothered to even provide some basic training and advice then don't take on volunteers. Or don't be surprised by the sort you end up.

Lastly as someone who also has autism I've a good idea what the lad was having to deal with as all this was going on. Not only being assaulted but having to process what was going off. He did well not to totally go off on one , so all power to him and to his dad for doing what dads do. Not only dealing with what's happens but keeping his son calm at the same time.

 

[wafter]

The video lacks a certain amount of context since it begins after the initial exchange has taken place; maybe the kid had a legit reason to swear at the old bloke, maybe he didn't but it's pretty clear that the old bloke escalated the situation massively from a simple verbal exchange to what probably constitutes physical assault.

Dad tries to de-escalatefor the most part by managing both son and the running posse (and tbh along with son is consistently the most calm and composed party throughout), old git continues to go hard and while the marshall is initially pretty well-behaved and even-handed (if perhaps somewhat aggressive) she eventually loses it as well and seemingly sides with the runner in just shouting down the dad (which arguably buoys the runner for another go)... although to be fair the dad didn't give her much opportunity to speak.

Bottom line IMO is adult runner assaults minor, however as usual the reality is somewhat more nuanced.

 

[KingstonGraham]

Can you sack a volunteer ?

Poor woman volunteered her day pointing people in the right direction and ended up refereeing a fight.

Kid was in the wrong. Old runner was in the wrong. Marshall caught in the middle.

What can you see from that video that the kid did wrong?

 

[Drago]

What can you see from that video that the kid did wrong?

He farted and blamed the runner.

 

[Ming the Merciless]

The video isn’t from a neutral party. Let’s see the video for the continuous 10 mins before and after.