~ The Amazing Race ~ Season 16 ~

[declansdad]

I knew the final three a long time ago from spoilers on another website. What wasn't shown and doesn't seem fair to me was that Jet & Cord and Caite and whatever he boyfriend's name was got stopped by customs and the brothers did not. They got a 30 minute lead out of the airport. Seems to me that the producers should stop them until everyone is out of customs and then let them go in order - and with the time advantage of getting off of the plane. Getting stopped by customs is just something that cannot be controlled. I know a bad cab driver can kill you but you have the option of jumping out of the cab and finding another one. Getting stuck in customs leaves you with no options.

I don't think they all should be stopped until they clear customs, customs is part of the race. There are many things that are out of the control of the racers and this is one of them.

 

[declansdad]

Ohh I didn't know that! well that sucks, how come they didn't got stopped by customs?

The whole thing with flying first class was not fair for the other 2 teams and the production should had give them a penalty for that.

But they didn't break the rules. They are not allowed to purchase the ticker, and they didn't. They simply found a method to use them to their advantage. Sort of like Rob convincing people to take the time penalty or hiring a cab and you follow it when you are not allowed to take a cab.

 

[robinb]

Oh, and FTR, when I was flying internationally, as a f/a, I would've gotten in trouble for upgrading the brothers to first (or business) w/o cause. I imagine the policy is the same at United and this f/a was bending the rules for them.

I wonder if the camera man was upgraded too, LOL!

 

[PixieDust32]

But they didn't break the rules. They are not allowed to purchase the ticker, and they didn't. They simply found a method to use them to their advantage. Sort of like Rob convincing people to take the time penalty or hiring a cab and you follow it when you are not allowed to take a cab.

Oh I know that, they were up grated because they asked, I know that, but the point is the same I think that's why the show does not allowed the teams to flight first or business class.

 

[amid chaos]

I've got a thought that I havent seen discussed yet. During the virtual reality thing when the cowboy (excuse me for not knowing names) was stuck behind one of the brothers while he spun around so the other could read the clue. I have to wonder if it had been anyone else besides the cowboys if they would have nudged the other brother out of the way. You can bet if the situation would have been reversed that the cowboy would have been knocked on his butt so the brother could continue.

 

[PixieDust32]

Oh I bet the brothers were had "lost it" like they did in the cabs and Im sure they would had pushed the cowboys or whoever was on their way,the cowboys had more class and manners to behave like that. "Oh my gravy".

 

[PixieDust32]

I wonder if the camera man was upgraded too, LOL!

Im sure they did too lucky them.

 

[MiniGirl]

I wonder if the camera man was upgraded too, LOL!

I was thinking that, too. LOL!!! Actually, I've noticed that we never see them going through customs and immigration. I wonder if there is some rule against filming in there or if they must have it all packed and put away for the inspectors. However, they will show them all standing around and waiting to get off the plane, etc.

The whole thing with the cameraman raises lots of questions for me. Does a team keep the same camera crew through the entire race? Certainly some crews are better/faster than others. If your crew doesn't like the team their assigned to, is it possible for them to slow them down just a bit. I mean just a couple of minutes here and there could add up. Can befriending your team help. (For example, the coconut challenge this year. The camera would swing back and show them leaving one behind. If your cameraman liked you, could he make a big deal of doing that and "inadvertently" call it to a team's attention that they left one? Or when they run past a clue box and the cameraman zooms in on it? Does that ever help the teams. Or could they do it as another team is running up to it thereby giving away its location.

Does anyone know? Just curious.

 

[KAMLEM]

The clue to finding the final pit stop was way to easy. I would really like to see them test the memories of the route by making them know a mixture of who won the leg, who was elimanated, roadblock or detour options, country or city they are in. That would make it more challenging.

I really don't think it would have made a difference. Jordan kept track of every little thing that happened on the race so he would have been able to do any challenge like that.

I've got a thought that I havent seen discussed yet. During the virtual reality thing when the cowboy (excuse me for not knowing names) was stuck behind one of the brothers while he spun around so the other could read the clue. I have to wonder if it had been anyone else besides the cowboys if they would have nudged the other brother out of the way. You can bet if the situation would have been reversed that the cowboy would have been knocked on his butt so the brother could continue.

I don't know about that. Every reality show has rules banning any type of physical confrontation so I'm sure AR does as well. I don't think the brothers would risk being eliminated, especially at this point in the game.

 

[OhMari]

I was thinking that, too. LOL!!! Actually, I've noticed that we never see them going through customs and immigration. I wonder if there is some rule against filming in there or if they must have it all packed and put away for the inspectors. However, they will show them all standing around and waiting to get off the plane, etc.

The whole thing with the cameraman raises lots of questions for me. Does a team keep the same camera crew through the entire race? Certainly some crews are better/faster than others. If your crew doesn't like the team their assigned to, is it possible for them to slow them down just a bit. I mean just a couple of minutes here and there could add up. Can befriending your team help. (For example, the coconut challenge this year. The camera would swing back and show them leaving one behind. If your cameraman liked you, could he make a big deal of doing that and "inadvertently" call it to a team's attention that they left one? Or when they run past a clue box and the cameraman zooms in on it? Does that ever help the teams. Or could they do it as another team is running up to it thereby giving away its location.

Does anyone know? Just curious.

I can only answer one of your questions. Camera's are not allowed when you go through customs. We went on a cruise, and I had my camera out and took pictures, and I was told, if I didn't put my camera away, they would have to confiscate it, no camera's are allowed in customs anywhere.

 

[FireDancer]

Customs is just part of the race. If you are lucky and get through quickly you get an advantage. If you are unlucky and get some additional screening it is just an unfortunate part of the game.

As for the first class debate, there is no rule what so ever about flying first class. The only rule is you must purchase a coach ticket. If you can talk the ticketing agent into upgrading you or a flight attendant into upgrading you and there is no additional charge you are free to do so.

I always knew I would struggle to remember what happened on the legs and always thought I would have to right everything down after each leg. I imagine that being there and doing the race over a month as opposed to over a television season makes it easier to remember but when Dan or Jordan (I forget which is which) took out the journal I though "that is what I would have done".

From this season I have added duct tape and a counter to the list of things I would have to pack if I were a contestant. Hopefully Google gets their translation service set up so I can just whip out my Android device and have everything translated for the cabbies.

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

I've got a thought that I havent seen discussed yet. During the virtual reality thing when the cowboy (excuse me for not knowing names) was stuck behind one of the brothers while he spun around so the other could read the clue. I have to wonder if it had been anyone else besides the cowboys if they would have nudged the other brother out of the way. You can bet if the situation would have been reversed that the cowboy would have been knocked on his butt so the brother could continue.

I remember a few occasions where one team interfering with another team was penalized by waiting at the pit stop (in this case, the finish line) for a given amount of time, usually in hours. I am guessing there's something written along the lines for actively disrupting another team's progress.

 

[DSNY4ever]

Okay, I just caught up and watched the finale and I was disappointed. I was really hoping the cowboys would win

I was thinking that, too. LOL!!! Actually, I've noticed that we never see them going through customs and immigration. I wonder if there is some rule against filming in there or if they must have it all packed and put away for the inspectors. However, they will show them all standing around and waiting to get off the plane, etc.

The whole thing with the cameraman raises lots of questions for me. Does a team keep the same camera crew through the entire race? Certainly some crews are better/faster than others. If your crew doesn't like the team their assigned to, is it possible for them to slow them down just a bit. I mean just a couple of minutes here and there could add up. Can befriending your team help. (For example, the coconut challenge this year. The camera would swing back and show them leaving one behind. If your cameraman liked you, could he make a big deal of doing that and "inadvertently" call it to a team's attention that they left one? Or when they run past a clue box and the cameraman zooms in on it? Does that ever help the teams. Or could they do it as another team is running up to it thereby giving away its location.

Does anyone know? Just curious.

A friend of mine is actually a field producer for the show and I have asked him lots of questions about how things work- questions about eating/ airplane tickets/going to the bathroom/getting sick while racing etc. But when I asked questions about the camera men his lips were SEALED. I am curious too- do they have the same camera man the whole time- do they switch each leg, what if one camera man is slower and can't keep up with the team etc...?

I guess I'll never know

 

[Mrs.Toad]

DSNY4ever, that's interesting that your friend was so tight-lipped about the camera crew, because I have read that each team has their own camera crew, and they have to be able to get on the same plane, bus, train, etc, with them. I can't remember where I read it, but I'm sure it was an article of some sort. It said that each team has to buy four plane tickets and if there are only 2 seats left, they are out of luck. They buy the four tickets first, then they have to ask for two tickets and pretend to go through the transaction to get it on film.

.
.
OK, googled it: Here's what wikipedia says: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Amazing_Race_(U.S._TV_series)

and more from a TAR site http://www.tarflies.com/article.php?_f=detail&id=29#film3

 

[Kurby]

see i found this interesting

"What sorts of items are the teams not allowed to bring?
First, they're not allowed to bring their own money (including credit cards). Second, they can't bring any sort of useful information: no language books, travel books, maps, GPS units, almost anything electronic (even CD/DVD), etc. Nor can they bring written notes of that sort. (Although according to TAR1's Brennan, nothing stops you from memorizing that sort of stuff right before you leave, and then writing it all down in a blank notebook as soon as possible after the Race starts.) If teams want such items, they have to buy them with their Race money. And frequently they do. Finally, teams are not allowed to bring cameras, because the show does not want pictures to be leaked to the media."


considering the brothers bragged about watching the show for years and then showed one of them with a note book reading off the answers to the order of who left first.


so if they can't do it why were't the brothers punished? it looks like it's a sliding scale of what you can and can't do - as far as the memory thing is concerned

 

[robinb]

see i found this interesting

"What sorts of items are the teams not allowed to bring?
First, they're not allowed to bring their own money (including credit cards). Second, they can't bring any sort of useful information: no language books, travel books, maps, GPS units, almost anything electronic (even CD/DVD), etc. Nor can they bring written notes of that sort. (Although according to TAR1's Brennan, nothing stops you from memorizing that sort of stuff right before you leave, and then writing it all down in a blank notebook as soon as possible after the Race starts.) If teams want such items, they have to buy them with their Race money. And frequently they do. Finally, teams are not allowed to bring cameras, because the show does not want pictures to be leaked to the media."


considering the brothers bragged about watching the show for years and then showed one of them with a note book reading off the answers to the order of who left first.


so if they can't do it why were't the brothers punished? it looks like it's a sliding scale of what you can and can't do - as far as the memory thing is concerned

Doesn't that just mean that they bought a notebook with their race money?

 

[lacrosse_lady72]

Doesn't that just mean that they bought a notebook with their race money?

Exactly. Or they could have just found a piece of paper.

It seems like post start of the race, you can purchase anything you want (aside from cameras) including notebooks, or as the cowboys used, a guide to San Francisco.

 

[Kurby]

then why not just let them bring a notebook and pen with them?

what's the difference if you bring a blank notebook or buy one - there's no advantage or disadvantage

 

[Mrs.Toad]

Yea, I see a see difference between bringing written notes and bringing an empty notebook to write stuff in as it happens or from memory. According to the quote, the latter are allowed.

I don't see anything in that quote saying they can't bring blank notebooks, either, just no "written notes"'

And I remember seeing other teams using notes that they've made during the race for that final challenge in other seasons. It's a smart move, but the Dan/Jordan wasn't the first to think of it.

 

[DisneyLover1217]

then why not just let them bring a notebook and pen with them?

what's the difference if you bring a blank notebook or buy one - there's no advantage or disadvantage

I think the difference is they have to use their race money to buy it. Some of these legs they get very little money so they really have to strategize what they should spend their money on like maps, language books, note pads, food, water, etc.

I would like to know how long everything takes. Like they will post the time the start the leg, but then that's it. I would love to see what time it is when they reach a task and then what time it is when they end it. I guess they don't do that to add suspense to the show. Obviously if we see a team leave an hour before the other one we know who gets to the pit stop first, but I'd still like to know.