ACO Membership - What's the Point?

[24hourman]

I have been an ACO member  for seven years and I do find it value for money with the discounts on tickets and other items. However when it comes to the allocation of camping passes it is an absolute farce. In the last few years the ACO has allocated the camping tickets that you order on a system that is loosely based on French system of torture that works like this firstly you give them the  three options that you are willing to purchase. This gives them a good idea  of what you are interested in. They can then of course  allocate you something totally different just to annoy you.
Every year for the last three years they have done this to me but this year was the best yet My options were  4 passes for Tertre rouge, Interior musee or Chappelle. I booked a year in advance and I also supplied as requested a colleagues disabled pass as one of our party has trouble walking long distances. what do we get allocated Beausejour you could not get any further away. After making numerous phone calls they changed it to camping bleu ( a little bit closer) They were kind enough to put me at the top of the waiting list for Tertre Rouge (or so they told me) three weeks before the event I called the ACO again and asked about my  camping tickets and they told me I was seventeenth on the waiting list they had apparently forgot to put me on the top of the list. I was told that it was unlikely that i would get the tickets. They then asked me would I like 4 Maison Blanche tickets instead as that was all that they could offer(first time at MB and a good crack).

Am I alone in this or are the ACO stalk raving bonkers and have no system for allocating passes. I would not expect to go to my local newsagents to order a copy of Autosport only to get 20 Benson and hedges and a box of matches.

[Black Granny]

I agree that the ticket allocation seems to be random. I am a member, booked my tickets for this year on return from last years race. I wanted camping passes for Tetre Rouge, but was allocated Bleu Nord. A friend of mine didn't order until August and got his allocation, no problem.

Having said that, it's still woprth being a member for the discount and the roadside assistance, which I have made use of when the started on the Black Granny expired in the heat on returning a couple of years back.

PS Have already ordered next years tickets.