Only problem then is you are relying on people from the sidelines seeing things, when out in the field so to speak you know when someone is not playing ball
I did in Cartagena and absolutely fuck all was done about a guy on a triumph riding around who was joking about how much oil it was dropping later that day the bike blew up and dropped its oil everywhere at T7 and guess who fell of on it.... I was livid
Won’t work. Scrutineering for race days is a hour or two night before then and hour or two in the morning. uou also add the risk someone says it’s fine, then something falls off and they get sued. Racing is differ IMHO and needs to be treated differently
If it’s displayed on a computer screen it’s evidence of a complaint lodged that information can be evidence, it can be checked and signed off, this is very simple stuff but can be anonymous...one thing saying to a member of staff a rider is dangerous or his bike is not safe it’s very different if it’s logged and obliged to check the accuracy of the information and acted upon...one thing that is hitting me on this thread is how behind the times trackdays are considering the dangers involved...fuck me in this health and safety era it’s just a matter of time before authorities take the lead and that will be far worse than self policing.
Maybe we need to have a "collective" word with NL, FE etc.. about groups, bike condition, incidents, interventions... before the law does it for us?
My opinion is that FE's groups are better controlled than NL's. But I must stress that Ben's accident was not to do with grouping however ! But it does raise a question that has been asked many many times for sure.
I instruct on both high end car premium trackdays aswell as bargain price pack them in car trackdays. Due to the nature of all the days I work on being open pit lane (no groups) we get crazy situations so often. Yes there is always the problem of novices or guys in machinery of vast diferential of performance. But ultimately everyone on track should be respectful of absolutely everyone else and of course their own limitations. Any person approaching an overtake should be absolutely sure it’s safe. Basic do’s and dont’s do have positive results. Anyone that does not adopt this stance should be hauled to one side by the organiser and given the available options. Sadly test days for racers are a rare and expensive thing nowadays as track owners need to maintain their buisness models. Like someone else said about the number of bikes with race numbers. These are the guys that often need the hardest sanctions as they are the ones that should not be practicing what they are in the said environment, but then a trackday is the cheap option to get some unofficial race testing done. I have worked on days where race teams on trackdays are excluded from joining the masses and given their own session. The blame for what trackdays have often become should be taken jointly between the organisers that let bad things go on and the participants that know they are flouting the rules. Organisers need to toughen up and get serious about controlling their days. Putting fast guys in other groups is crazy buy then they are after all a buisness that is endeavouring to make profits. Solely the organiser is at fault if this is happening. Better briefings and an understanding that it is real and sanctions will be taken seriously. There is no better deterrent to poor standards on track than seeing people packing up and being shown the door. I am lucky that I am allowed to make that judgement call on some of the trackdays I work on. Only last season on one occasion I had warned a group of 5 racers that also had their own private instructor that if one of them makes one more violation of the rules they will all be going home. Yup, you guessed it one didn’t listen so I ended their day very early. But, the number of other participants that came and thanked me for doing it outweighed any pity in the excluded group. Organisers have the ultimate say but often they are weak in executing their own rules for fear of driving customers away. Sorry this is the wrong approach that is all too common irrespective of what type of event it is. No one enters a trackday expecting to be part of someones demise. But it is not a game, real life consequences deserve the utmost respect and the use of tough decisions.
Sad news...RIP. More and more pro-racers are using the track days as practice ground. Maybe NL should do something aboth this....sure they have access to ACU database. (obviuolsy is not the pro-racer that is causing the possible accident but the quick trackday rider trying to keep up)
One thing for sure is if one organiser really steps up to mark and is seen to night and day improve and stricter regulate the trackdays that in itself will attract a certain clientele the arseholes will then flood elsewhere until they too step up....not to bang on but all the companies can easily have a database where black marks can be added so in like the local pub watch schemes banned from one banned from all scenario...if nothing else these two poor fellas who were lost could be associated with a new safer future?
Thing is we all joke about stuff and us racers are the worst for joking about the crashes we've had but the reality is it's a coping mechanism for most of us. TD organisers on the whole are pretty accommodating and lenient so's not to piss the customers off... but perhaps its time to go back to the old school more 'regimented' ways. I certainly have zero issue with pulling someone aside if they're driving/riding like a tit. especially with the hot headed talent-less know it all brigade with their fictional laptimes for their mates down the pub. I did once watch a guy on an 899 leave the pits at brands in the first session and throw it at the armco at paddock.. on the first lap... didn't even make one corner ffs
It's not difficult to make this better and maybe sort it out. I think DG put ALL racers in Fast Group. Everyone has a transponder with live screen timing. Groups change at midday and end of day...up and down. The bloke who runs the DG Mugello event is not someone you would want to upset. Everyone seems to behave, have a great time and feel safe. That is all I want.
There's loads of pros who test at Cadwell and i'm one of those idiots that tried to keep up. High sided once and went grass tracking the other. It's nice to share the track with a pro and have them make you look like doris popping to the shops on nice sunday afternoon.
This is porbably something i should not admit on this forum in fear of being abused , however.... I do camping, love it and have done it for years. I only ever go to Camping and Caravaning Club sites (and yes i'm a member) because i know the rules are strict, the campsited are well equirped, well managed and there are no tossers there. If TD firms were stricter i don't think they would get any less trade, they infact could get more because from this thread you can see some people are put of by some of the clowns on trackdays. I must point out though that I don't think there is a huge issue here, but the minority definately spoil it for the majority. Happy camping everyone
Stick a small capacity ducati in the fast group and it will be carnage. it’s not an easy thing to fix. U.K. really only has one provider now for bikes, NL, so if anyone can it’s them. ime NL (and others) ‘instructors’ and those meant to be policing are some of the worst out there. Especially mid afternoon when they are all racing each other.
