This morning we received a letter anonymously from one of the Gumballers.
Is Gumball serious at all????
Less than a week before Gumball starts they announce by mail that everybody are on their own providing insurance for the US leg…..!!!
This is after working on it for months (or a year). For european and asian leg Gumball said that everyone had to pay Gumball brokers insurance package, no matter if they were covered by their own company, due to the nature of the rally! There was even a hefty 250£ fee to the broker for negotiating the deals! So when they dont supply a deal for US its fraud if they dont pay those money back. No when it turns out everyone are on their own regarding US insurance, the principle must be the same for european part. Those that are covered by their own policy must get their money back when double-insured. Minimum GB can do is pay back european insurance to those double insured, and whole 250 fee for failing on such an important issue, making GB a nightmare for so many.
People must either get private insurance in almost no-time, or go for a rental on final leg (which probably most non-americans will be forced to). That is unless GB charter a bus…
Is GB cynically calculating that most people will go for rentals, and then at own cost ship vehicles back from Bangkok instead of LA? In this way they save loads of money cancelling an Antonov or two…. (Like many speculated in 2004 F1 Barcelona. How much did GB save when they made a schedule so 95% missed it? As they were stopped by spanish police and fined for participating in an illegal car race. Even this GB didnt bother with!). Minimum GB can do is offer one plane (or even sea shipping) for cars back to UK.
According to some forum posts people have for long time been turned down when asking to do single legs. During Easter all of a sudden this is possible for the US leg. Of course it generates more money. But can the reason be that when understanding they fail on providing US insurance they had to do something to have more than a mini-Gumball in the states (with only US participants and some rentals?). Then opening up for some cool cars on US leg, and it can be presented as a Gumball!
Then of course at the same time when participants have bought flight tickets etc for family and close friends flying in to the party cities (where there originally were planned to be 4 huge concerts like U2/Rollingstones) Gumball proudly announces on equally short notice that all parties are exclusively for Gumballers (no friends or wives etc). Initially they provided hotel details for LA and London so friends and family could be booked. Is this gonna be another “6 gays in May” ??? As most gumballers are male, the parties will rock yeah! GB has to do someting about this abolutely lame policy. One thing if they had said from the start, but only thing said was that at mansion it was only 2 guests pr car. No limitations were set on other parties. This is unfair at best. Fraud at worst. (BTW there are good gay clubs in all these cities, London, Budapest, Bangkok (ladyboys mmm), Vegas and LA).
Not to mention the old stories about asia route changes… If North Korea was cancelled something equal was promised. HK to Beijing not too bad, though far from equal. Thailand (even minus Malaysia!) is the most commercial boring route possible in Asia, simple as that.
There are many enthusiasts and participants pissed at the moment. Words spreading mouth to mouth, in chat rooms, forums etc. GB has to adress these matters shortly.
A Gumballer
