In Marin County, some LPM club members are now using an app called “Signal–Private Messenger”.
Under normal circumstances, we have traditionally played pétanque on Saturdays and Sundays. But due to the pandemic, nothing is ordinary anymore and many habits are evolving… and will soon become the norm.
Covid-19 is the main reason behind those changes. With a sharp increase of new cases, the authorities have been begging citizens to wear masks and avoid enclosed public areas. Since most everybody hates being cooped up for long periods and craves some kind of physical activity, pétanque has been a godsend. It is not a contact sport and everybody can enjoy himself/herself while keeping a safe distance.
And “habitués” have noticed a distinct increased activity in our field. We owe all of this to Eddy Pay. Eddy has talked our club into using “Signal–Private Messenger” to allow club members to easily communicate with one another… and it is catching on. This app can be found in the App Store and has to be downloaded to your smartphone. After you have done that, you simply join a group called “LPM Casual Play” and you are ready to roll. Our club president Christine Cragg is also sold on this initiative and if you need additional help, she will be glad to oblige.
To communicate with any member of this group, you simply enter a query on your smartphone and wait for a reply. Something like “Who is playing today?” And you will probably get an answer from somebody.
To the best of my knowledge, more than a dozen people have already joined this group and are presently active on that network. This app is free, easy to install, and easy to use. I recommend it to all our club members.
Eddy (who by the way is fluent in 6 foreign languages) is also very supportive and is always willing to show you the ropes. And as a bonus, you can probably question him in your own native language and he will respond in kind.
Signal–Private Messenger is not extremely sophisticated, but it serves its purpose. If you want to know who is going to be on the field on a particular day or at a particular time, ask… and you shall receive.
Don’t be shy, send me a Signal!
Alain