ATTN: PRO Drivers

[ryan_4z]

I think some of you have missed the point of those opposed. They are not concerned about being beat by a radio. They are also concerned about safety. Ask Davis Augustine about being pushed into the weeds in Constantine or Chris eating the pier in Omaha. The incidents of bearing away seem to rise with radios as those opposed see it. They are concerned as you all are and that is why this has been debated so much. If you think this is about people crying about being beat please re read some of the posts. I still remain neutral.
Sue.....was not anywhere around racing so I do not have but second hand knowledge on Debra's accident. It is not me you have to convince.....
NEXT!!

Kristi

If this is what is going on than the race officials are the ones who need to step up. Don't take a safety device away from the driver. Disqualify dirty drivers. There are already rules in place to keep these things from happening. Why do we need more rules? Enforce the ones that are there.

[ryan_4z]

For what ever it is worth.....

Three large, well funded teams have used radio comunications for "defensive" moves on the race course. Used correctly, radio comunication is a good thing, but these teams have used it to make their rigs very "wide" at times.

One very large, very well funded team would still be racing if they were not using the radios. (my opinion)

I had a real good race going with a guy last year. I kind of snuck up on his inside going into the last turn, only to have him drown my butt big time. Could not figure out how he saw me, he never looked ???? As I got out of my boat in the pits, his spotter comes walking by me laughing and asking if I got wet enough....... (fact)

I voted NO.

Michael D-1

Mike,

I hate to say it, but if you weren't there you weren't there, and if you were, then they should have been thrown out for chopping. Either way, the radio didn't cut you off.

[ryan_4z]

On more thought, you guys should come race CSH with us sometime. We don't need radios to cut each other off, I'll look right at you before I do it!

[Kristi Ellison]

That's why we don't race CSH

[ian]

Oh crap, now i'm "mostly" in agreement with Ryan ????

[dt 01]

not just you!!!

On more thought, you guys should come race CSH with us sometime. We don't need radios to cut each other off, I'll look right at you before I do it!

never raced you....but it never get's called in stock racing either ......seen it called like 2 time's in 3 year's. seen more boat's blow over because of being choped off than driver's getting DQ for it!!!

Dave 68R

[David Weaver]

A Couple More Thoughts

This thread has generated good discussion, much of it reasoned and some it passioned. The deadline for the vote looms, so get your into the mail if you have a preference one way or the other.

There is a lot of discussion about illegal manuveurs due to advice/guidance from the radio. I believe that what concerns some drivers is that the predictability of a driver's actions may be reduced when that driver is receiving advice via a radio (i.e. see the comments regarding eyes in back of head, boats getting wide and one boat needing turn signals - these are not my comments). PRO boats typically take failry predictable lines around the race course depending on driver preferences and boat set-up. So it has been unusual to see a boat flying down the back stretch or front stretch suddenly move to the outside in order to block another boat or suddenly move to the inside in a turn in order to cut-off a potential pass. In each case the move would be considred unexpected and may/may not have been legal. (And I know that it has happened in the past, but not as often since laydowns became so prevalent).

Some have suggested that everyone has the choice to use radios, so if a driver with a radio has an advantage then it is an advantage that is available to all by choice. This clearly suggests then that the spotter has become a particpant in the race and its outcome. I am totally OK with this subject to the following:

1) Spotter must be a racing member of APBA and thus familar with the rules.
2) Spotters must atttend the drivers meeting.
3) IF the driver is disciplined for some infraction that penalty should extend to the spotter to the extent possible (i.e. yellow card / red card/beached/etc.).

Of course, if the radio is for safety first, the spotter should not be focused on his/her driver and should be focused on the overall situation on the race course. Last year following a very bad accident, drivers with and without radio's made it almost all the way around the race course before pulling-up. These drivers did pay attention to the thet see flags and the spotters must not have been watching the whole course.

I like the safety aspect that radios can provide. But it must be in***bent upon the teams to use the radio responsibly.

[benf27]

Last year following a very bad accident, drivers with and without radio's made it almost all the way around the race course before pulling-up. These drivers did pay attention to the thet see flags and the spotters must not have been watching the whole course.

David, I knew that the red flag was thrown the moment they threw it.( I had my trusty radio on) I know for a fact that I entered that turn at about 40mph. Had I not been using the radio, I more than likely would have went flying into the turn and made a bad situation even worse.

[L. Allen]

Ballot Wording

If I am pro radio, do I vote yes or no?

(Kind of confused by the wording of the ballot.)

Thanks for your help.

L. Allen

[benf27]

Vote NO If you want to keep radios

[L. Allen]

Thanks Ben.

[Bob Rusnak]

Look right at you????

On more thought, you guys should come race CSH with us sometime. We don't need radios to cut each other off, I'll look right at you before I do it!

Sorry to say but this is one of the dummest statements to be made regarding safty in outboard racing on a public foram. Things like this only hurt the image racing, even said in fun!!!!!

[ryan_4z]

Sorry to say but this is one of the dummest statements to be made regarding safty in outboard racing on a public foram. Things like this only hurt the image racing, even said in fun!!!!!

I don't think that you are so sorry to say that at all. And apparently you've never been through the first turn in CSH at Millville if you think I'm kidding.

[Jerry Davids]

It's Amy Eldredge!!!

Ryan will always be in front because he has a degree in jumping the gun.
JUST KIDDING, RYAN!!


Like I said, we don't get paid for racing boats. It's something that, for most of us, has been passed down from generation to generation. It's a tradition and a hobby. And yea, it is great to win, but you have to win in a safe way. I'd rather get second place than do something stupid and hurt somebody. It's all fun until somebody gets hurt. It's good to win, but keeping everyone safe is really more important. Sometimes people make mistakes and really don't see the driver coming up behind them and take the pins, but other times (RYAN ) well, you know.

We can all probably remember a time when we were at a race and there was a fatal accident. Those feelings are terrible and heartbreaking. In those moments, one wishes that the feeling would go away, and that they could go back in time and tell the driver what was going to happen to them so they could avoid it, but we can't. And in that same moment, we want to do everything possible to make sure that an accident like that never happens again. But here we are now, in a different moment, feeling other feelings, trying to take something that could definitely prevent an accident away. Radios are there for safety. They are there to prevent accidents. And when used properly, they save lives. And sure, some people don't use them properly, so let's do something about those people and not punish the people who use them properly. If someone breaks a rule, DISQUALIFY THEM!!!!!!!! If they break it again, BEACH THEM!!!!!! They will learn eventually that they are gunna be beached if they continue breaking rules.

I think of it like when I was in elementary school. There were rules posted on the wall that we were supposed to follow, and consequences right next to them for when we broke those rules. But the teacher never enforced the rules. If I didn't raise my hand to ask to go to the bathroom, she'd let me go anyways, instead of making me raise my hand. Eventually, none of us followed the rules, because we never got in trouble for anything. But eventually we got a new teacher who was very strict, and we knew quickly that if we broke a rule, there would be a consequence for it, so we stopped breaking rules. When we know that 9 times out of 10 we are gunna get in trouble for doing something, we probably aren't gunna do it anymore.

The same goes for racing, enforce the rules, and there will be fewer problems. Don't punish the good guys (AND GIRLS) who do the right thing.



Amy
(not Jerry)

[shadowracerwoo]

Helmet Research

Connie

We couldn’t agree more that there needs to be more research and testing around helmets and water. From what research we were able to do, the helmet restraints made by Lifeline and Security are designed to resist “bucketing,” The 6 straps are tension devices that will take some of the “bucket” load that the neck would have had to take all of. The shorter the straps, the more load they will take as this reduces the slack and elastic deformation due to the reduced overall length. This is why I hate to hear people say just “Loosen them up” until you have full visibility, as this will reduce their effectiveness. This is from my Engineering judgment as an ME with 20 years of structural experience. Without testing, we do not know what the real effectiveness is, so we use them based on sound principle.

I do not believe these straps would be recommended in cars or capsule boats where the driver is seat-belted in. In this case, the helmet device needs to resist deflection in the lateral direction like the HANS was designed to do when the vehicle (and driver) come to a sudden stop.

There are other ways of reducing the “bucket” load as you suggested like structurally designed holes/vents in the helmet that would reduce the pressure and the loading. I have also thought about some type of “Boot” that would seal the perimeter of the helmet on one end and be worn under your Kevlar on the other to keep the water out of your helmet completely. As you said, if we could get some support from the manufacturers, we could find better solutions, or at least validate the one we are currently using.

Dave Eldredge