06-21-2017, 11:52 AM
Yes, trying to talk sense into another driver when you are not in a position of authority is a real challenge.
I tried to do that at an event and a member of the offending drivers entourage physically assaulted me in the hot pit for "insulting" their driver. Most of the bystanders that only observed the end of this incident in front of the race director were not aware of the sequence of events that led up to the end.
My suggestion as a potential way to help "police" bad behavior drivers is to do two things:
1. Require all participants to serve a small amount of time as corner workers with yellow flags and radios in communication with the race director and his alternate(s). This would enhance safety by having caution flags at the ready, and to report bad behavior drivers to the race director for counseling. Yup, will require some additional organization and maintaining about 6 radios (4 plus a couple of spares).
2. Establish a somewhat "formal" method for drivers to register complaints with the race director for driver "counseling". This would include a published rule that the race director will listen to complaints, and that "bad behavior" drivers WILL BE DQ'D for a day or an entire event AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE RACE DIRECTOR. It will take very, very little discipline to make this work. Once you DQ a single driver, the rest of the bad boys will likely toe the line. I have essentially "DQ'd" myself when encountering out of control drivers, in that after one heat driving with the bad boys I simply decided that I would retire for the day rather than be on the track with someone(s) who were willingly putting me in danger. If it is fair for me to essentially be driven off the track for the day, it is fair that the guilty parties get to have the same experience.
I truly believe that our entire sport is at risk if we do not get this under control.
Again, we all know what opinions are like......
I tried to do that at an event and a member of the offending drivers entourage physically assaulted me in the hot pit for "insulting" their driver. Most of the bystanders that only observed the end of this incident in front of the race director were not aware of the sequence of events that led up to the end.
My suggestion as a potential way to help "police" bad behavior drivers is to do two things:
1. Require all participants to serve a small amount of time as corner workers with yellow flags and radios in communication with the race director and his alternate(s). This would enhance safety by having caution flags at the ready, and to report bad behavior drivers to the race director for counseling. Yup, will require some additional organization and maintaining about 6 radios (4 plus a couple of spares).
2. Establish a somewhat "formal" method for drivers to register complaints with the race director for driver "counseling". This would include a published rule that the race director will listen to complaints, and that "bad behavior" drivers WILL BE DQ'D for a day or an entire event AT THE SOLE DISCRETION OF THE RACE DIRECTOR. It will take very, very little discipline to make this work. Once you DQ a single driver, the rest of the bad boys will likely toe the line. I have essentially "DQ'd" myself when encountering out of control drivers, in that after one heat driving with the bad boys I simply decided that I would retire for the day rather than be on the track with someone(s) who were willingly putting me in danger. If it is fair for me to essentially be driven off the track for the day, it is fair that the guilty parties get to have the same experience.
I truly believe that our entire sport is at risk if we do not get this under control.
Again, we all know what opinions are like......
Jim Waltz, West Sacramento, CA