Your preference...
 

I started out toward my game with plenty of time, but on the way there it started to snow, which absolutely no one had predicted. Literally no one. it was a long drive, and the snow got heavier and heavier and traffic got slower and slower and by the time I got to the game, well, I was late, even though I really had left plenty of time.

Okay, so here's the question. Would you rather have your partner who is arriving late come in the gym all ready to run and just step right onto the floor, or would you rather have your partner arrive and then spend three or four more minutes getting ready (attaching whistle, fastening back hair, tying shoes)? I had done all the prep stuff in the car, and I just walked right into the game, but other times, I've arrived not yet floor ready and gone on in. Which is better?

All that matters is being there in time for the game. That is all I care about. How you get onto the floor is not my concern or something I think that much about.

Peace

I don't know level of your situation, but to to expand on JRuts comments, being there in time for the game for me is a min. 60 minutes before for tipoff for a typical HS varsity game. Anything less is unusual and communicating that with your partners prior to is a must. With cellphones/texting/email not communicating is unacceptable.

Point being that even if you were late, you would of been early.

The same thing could be said if the visiting team ends up getting to the site late, due to unforseen circumstances.

Unfortunately with the changing weather conditions it doesn't help much. Not everyone has a cell phone to call ahead to warn about showing up late.

What does that have to do with anything. :rolleyes: If the visiting team shows up late, are you still going to tipoff at the scheduled time? :rolleyes: No, your going to let them dress and give them 15 minutes to warmup.

You can't take this avocation seriously and not have a cell phone. It's part of doing business.

I can understand where Juulie is coming from, having driven through the same storm to get to and from my game today. The snow was not forecast and caught everyone by surprise. It also started late enough (mid-afternoon) that there wasn't enought time to compensate.

I made it on time, but my assigned partner got caught in a major traffic jam and didn't make it. Fortunately one of the officials from the earlier game was able to stay and work it with me.

It took me 3 hours to get home from the game site - normally takes about 20 min.

Very true about the cell phone, however with strictler regulations coming out against the use of cell phones while driving means that more time is being used in having to find a safe place to pull off the road to make the phone call.

Normally, hopefully, in the case of the visiting team showing up late they should have a way to get ahold of the host school's AD to alert them to the fact that they're arriving late.

I was stating about the visiting team because of the fact that if it can happen to the officials, it could also happen to the teams.

Juulie,

My preference would be for my partner to be ready to step on the floor and go. However, living in a state that bills itself as having "The Greatest Snow On Earth", I have to say that coming in from the snow wearing your court shoes and going right onto the floor is a bad idea. So in this case (delayed by freak snow storm) you've pretty much got to come in and at least swap shoes before you step on the court. Just keep the delay as brief as possible.

Personally, I think cell phone laws are stupid, as more people are distracted by their radios, lunch, makeup, cigarettes, books, magazines, etc., then cell phones. I don't bother pulling over for a phone call, because talking on my cell phone is no different than talking to a passenger.

Hopefully you have no plans on driving in Oregon as they just passed a new law there that makes talking on the cell phone a primary infraction for getting pulled over.

Yeah, more people are far more distracted by eating, smoking, or beautification while driving than cell phones.

I use a headset when it's required. I drive on military bases (usually Air Force) often, and it's been a DOD regulation for years. Personally, I understand the concept, but I find it useless and arbitrary.

Texting laws, I understand, even if I think they're just going to lead to more accidents due to people placing their phone where it can't be seen from the outside while they text.

CO just passed a law on it, too. Under 18, no cell phones period. Adults get added to the no-texting laws.

Like others I try to get to games very early - hr for V, 45 min for JV, 30 min for Rec and everything else (it's the military in me).

If I am even late (as above) I will use my cell to call my partner, whose number I have readily available for just that occasion - traffic, weather, accident, breakdown, etc. I have used it several times. Partners are greatly appreciative if you are not there to at least know you are enroute and just a few minutes out - I know I am.

That being said, if I am working by myself, I would like my partner to jump on the court as quickly as possible - if that means you're dressed already, GREAT! Just a change of shoes - DO IT FAST! But, whatever you do, don't dilly-dally and take your time.... :mad:

The Oregon law doesn't generally ban talking on the phone while driving, it just requires the use of a "hands free" device. There are also a whole bunch of exemptions....

How do you know that? There's nothing in Juulie's post that indicates that the trip DIDN"T take more than an hour longer than she expected.

I agree that if she had a cell phone, she could have called.

You act like that's the frist state / locality to pass such a rule. It's probably not in the first 50 to do so.

Personally, I think they should remove all similar laws and just pass one that replaces the airbags in the sterring column with barbed spikes.