barrow boy Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 Promoters. At your forthcoming conference, would you please take out some time to discuss improving the current starting procedures which are in my humble opinion causing annoying delays and severe aggravation among many paying spectators. May I suggest that you instruct referees to put on the green light (to be switched off before the actual start) after allowing a fair and reasonable time for the riders to prepare, which then indicates to the starting marshall that he is to get into position with his arms out, which in turn indicates to the riders that they must then line up in their starting positions. Riders not co-operating to the referee's satisfaction to be warned and/or fined after the race has been completed. This would then avoid all the aggravating pettyness and delays caused by riders and some starting marshalls when trying to get riders up to the tapes. I would also suggest that referees be instructed to put on the 2 minutes warning immediately after any false start. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Icescot Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 why not try an immediate 3 minutes for a false start then the standard 2 takes over and any rider leaving the track to enter the pits treated as a retiral! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_minall Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 Promoters. At your forthcoming conference, would you please take out some time to discuss improving the current starting procedures which are in my humble opinion causing annoying delays and severe aggravation among many paying spectators. May I suggest that you instruct referees to put on the green light (to be switched off before the actual start) after allowing a fair and reasonable time for the riders to prepare, which then indicates to the starting marshall that he is to get into position with his arms out, which in turn indicates to the riders that they must then line up in their starting positions. Riders not co-operating to the referee's satisfaction to be warned and/or fined after the race has been completed. This would then avoid all the aggravating pettyness and delays caused by riders and some starting marshalls when trying to get riders up to the tapes. I would also suggest that referees be instructed to put on the 2 minutes warning immediately after any false start. Â This isn't really necessary - just ask the start Marshall to be a bit more ruthless when ordering the riders to tapes? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 This isn't really necessary - just ask the start Marshall to be a bit more ruthless when ordering the riders to tapes? Correct,but he has to getting backing from the Ref when riders are not obeying him.I think for a start that the riders should be made to come into tapes in order i.e 1-4 then they know the procedure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_minall Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 Correct,but he has to getting backing from the Ref when riders are not obeying him.I think for a start that the riders should be made to come into tapes in order i.e 1-4 then they know the procedure. unless maybe a second counter starts when the riders get to the tapes? they have 2 minutes to get from the pits and then a further 60 seconds to pick a groove to gate from? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fromafar Posted October 10, 2012 Report Share Posted October 10, 2012 unless maybe a second counter starts when the riders get to the tapes? they have 2 minutes to get from the pits and then a further 60 seconds to pick a groove to gate from? I have quoted this before but I believe in the GP's they have to be ready to start the race in the 2min allowance. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrow boy Posted October 11, 2012 Author Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 I think it is agreed then that something needs to be done Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
FTM Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Agree something should be done as most but not all riders try a practice start then return to the pit gate. As soon as all 4 are up to the start line a simple way to keep them there in my opinion is for the assistant start marshall to pull an elasticated rope, which is already attached to the fence approximately 3 feet behind the rear of the bikes,across the track to the inside line which will prevent the riders from turning around .To much time is spent gardening at the tapes so once the rope is drawn across the 2 mins should be on straight away.This IMO would lead to a quicker turn round of the main meeting and maybe we could return to 2nd halves for those who wanted to stay and maybe get more for their hard earned pennies .Why do I mention 2nd halves its for one good reason we as a nation are at the bottom of the pile as regards riders coming through with the standard required for E/L or the national squad .I know the N/L and P/L have got a good standard of riders but only half a dozen good enough to hold their own in the top league We all know its a lot harder getting track time in the U/K because most of the tracks arn,t owned by the actual promoters but as he or she has paid for it on race night why not use it as much as possible.Sorry its a bit long but I think its a couple of valid points and unless the promoters do something soon we shan,t have nowt to watch in U/K terms in the probable near future. Just one more thing when I was aTrack Curator I had to have a licence and we had a standard to uphold within the confines of the SCB rule book With the latest debacle at Poole last night adding to things that have gone on regarding track prep at other places this year the SCB need to tighten up everyone and everything immediately cos the fee paying clientel won,t stand for it much more . Edited October 11, 2012 by FTM 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Arson fire Posted October 11, 2012 Report Share Posted October 11, 2012 (edited) Hugh Skidmore will be papping his kevlars if the above were enforced..... Thee biggest fanny bar none, at the tapes since speedway was invented Edited October 11, 2012 by Arson fire Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_minall Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 Why do I mention 2nd halves its for one good reason we as a nation are at the bottom of the pile as regards riders coming through with the standard required for E/L or the national squad . Â I used to ride at Wolverhampton after the elite league meetings in the 2nd half races - I can tell you there's nothing more annoying than having to unload the van, get changed, warm up the bikes to be told that the main meeting overshot its allotted time and that the 2nd half wasn't happening. Â I don't even know why people still refer to it as '2nd half racing' any more - at best you'd be lucky to get 2 rides nowadays. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
2ndbendbeerhut Posted October 12, 2012 Report Share Posted October 12, 2012 2 minutes to get onto the track and be in position to start the race. Then let the riders do what they want, eg not have to sit still, if they want to get a roller, let them as long as they dont touch the tapes.will save all this faffing about with did he or didn't he move. Tapes could be on a timer so that the ref presses a button and then they release between 1.5 and 3 seconds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mike1944 Posted March 15, 2013 Report Share Posted March 15, 2013 A believe that when a restart is called after a false start there should be no return to the pits, the pit gate should remain closed, the riders to return immediately to the gates for the restart. Last season we had so much gardening and faffing around at the tapes it just got ridiculous and boring to watch, there seriously needs to be something done about it. Â The suggestion that a tape be put across the track a few feet behind the riders when they get to the tapes is a great idea, It would prevent riders doing a circular tour of the stadium by turning round and heading back on a scenic ride to the third bend and sometimes beyond. Â Some refereeing decisions made last year also spoilt the racing, referees need to be more consistent and fair in their decisions. On TV I saw many riders disqualified. who never deserved it or when it was 50/50, even when the referee could see a replay. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dave_minall Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 A believe that when a restart is called after a false start there should be no return to the pits, the pit gate should remain closed, the riders to return immediately to the gates for the restart. Last season we had so much gardening and faffing around at the tapes it just got ridiculous and boring to watch, there seriously needs to be something done about it. Â The suggestion that a tape be put across the track a few feet behind the riders when they get to the tapes is a great idea, It would prevent riders doing a circular tour of the stadium by turning round and heading back on a scenic ride to the third bend and sometimes beyond. Â Some refereeing decisions made last year also spoilt the racing, referees need to be more consistent and fair in their decisions. On TV I saw many riders disqualified. who never deserved it or when it was 50/50, even when the referee could see a replay. Â I think we all agree that there should be no returning to the pits after a false restart. I think a lot of riders tend to get paranoid that they'll need more fuel etc. I know they're running super lightweight tanks now that don't hold much but lets be honest, how many times have we seen a rider pull up because they've ran out of fuel because they didn't fill up after a false start? 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oldace Posted March 19, 2013 Report Share Posted March 19, 2013 I think we all agree that there should be no returning to the pits after a false restart. I think a lot of riders tend to get paranoid that they'll need more fuel etc. I know they're running super lightweight tanks now that don't hold much but lets be honest, how many times have we seen a rider pull up because they've ran out of fuel because they didn't fill up after a false start? Â A team should be allowed a "time out" to be used once and once only during the match whereby in the case of a restart a rider can indicate that he wishes for an additional two minutes and the pit gate will be opened and the four riders use the time as they wish. Once a team has used the option then the pit gate remains shut to them in the case of any further re starts. Should a race be re started twice then the additional two minutes and pits access will be granted to all four competitors. Of course in the case of a fall then the time should be at the refs discretion Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Humphrey Appleby Posted March 21, 2013 Report Share Posted March 21, 2013 I know they're running super lightweight tanks now that don't hold much but lets be honest, how many times have we seen a rider pull up because they've ran out of fuel because they didn't fill up after a false start? Â Perhaps they should be required to have tanks holding enough for several additional laps in case re-runs are needed? 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Know Posted March 22, 2013 Report Share Posted March 22, 2013 Perhaps they should be required to have tanks holding enough for several additional laps in case re-runs are needed? Â NO! Them saved 4 ozs mean they are so much faster round the track Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
brianbuck Posted August 19, 2014 Report Share Posted August 19, 2014 There isn't the need to frame any new starting rules - just a need to rigidly enforce the existing rules! "Two minutes" should mean that a rider has 2 minutes to be at the start line (or a rest line drawn across the width of the track 2 metres behind the tapes. Any digging, rocking backwards and forwards or turning back towards the last bend should be included in the two minutes and there should be no reserve replacement for a rider excluded under the two minute rule. Â Riders can't have it both ways. They should have two minutes to be ready to start the race - not two minutes to get out on the track and then as long as they please to get themselves ready. Â To avoid confusion, the two minute warning should be sounded before the start of every race, and the pits gate should only be opened when it is sounded. Â All it needs are hard and fast rules that are rigidly observed. There would be chaos at first whilst riders tried it on, but they'd soon get the message and meetings would be speeded up accordingly once this has sunk in. 6 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BangerBoy Posted August 20, 2014 Report Share Posted August 20, 2014 hear hear Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
barrow boy Posted September 13, 2014 Author Report Share Posted September 13, 2014 There is more time wasting at the starts than ever now. I think that starting marshalls are now being totally ignored with many riders not wanting to line up until the others have done so. When more than one rider does this it takes forever. Sometimes the referees flash the green light to tell them to hurry up but this is a waste of time because they simply do their own thing. Gate one should be asked to line up first then gate two and so on. Riders not conforming to the satisfaction of the referee to be dealt with after the race has been completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
foamfence Posted September 23, 2014 Report Share Posted September 23, 2014 I would have a line several feet back from the start line, once the riders assemble there put them under starters orders, as soon as they have approached the tapes and are looking to be stationary, I would release the tapes. If any of them has committed an offence like tape touching, I would allow the race to finish and then exclude them after the race finishes. Anyone gardening or pretending to adjust their clutch would also be excluded after the race, NO EXCEPTIONS! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.