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Air Fence Safety Performance - Research?


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Apart from the development of safer fences, body protection worn by the riders should also be continually researched and designs enhanced.

 

We now have various types of body armour, neck braces and air jackets, but it appears that they are not universally accepted by all riders for various reasons.

 

For instance I spoke to one rider who has now discarded his air jacket because the inflation only occurred after he had cracked his ribs and in his opinion, exacerbated his injury.

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there does need to be some research into the fitting of airfences and whats behind some of them (lifting up) but the airfences are by far the best fence at any track ,trust me i know ive tested one to the full. check out my profile picture .im the one in white not the one on the ground. that would of ended a lot worse without an air fence

 

I think it was the same meeting where your team mate Dan Blake suffered a compound break of the leg after his bike moved the air fence and he hit the wooden boards feet first. If it had been tethered better he might have walked away the same as you did.

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I think it was the same meeting where your team mate Dan Blake suffered a compound break of the leg after his bike moved the air fence and he hit the wooden boards feet first. If it had been tethered better he might have walked away the same as you did.

yes it was but its the instalation of the fence not the fence itself that needs to addressed
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yes it was but its the instalation of the fence not the fence itself that needs to addressed

 

Agreed. The air fence at Leicester is tethered to a wire mesh fence top and bottom and so far has not been moved out of the way by a bike leaving an exposed pole or something for the rider to hit. The wire mesh fence itself does a very good job of absorbing any impact as was proved in the Bjerre/Neiminen crash a few years ago.

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  • 3 weeks later...

Couldn't give a monkeys testicle about whether or not the FIM ,bspa or god wants air fences maybe they should ask the riders after all there the ones putting there lives on the line.

 

So no independent research to verify that air fences are safer; just twaddle from the manufacturers and a feeling its a good thing, plus if the riders want it must be right. That's all right then!

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I guess an independent researcher would ask the riders wouldn't they ? After all they plough into the damn things so I guess there views are paramount. Personally as a fan who has only ever rode a push bike all tracks should have an air/foam fence buts that's imo as I am not crump ,loram or olsen just a fan.

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Couldn't give a monkeys testicle about whether or not the FIM ,bspa or god wants air fences maybe they should ask the riders after all there the ones putting there lives on the line.

 

Perhaps they should ask THEM to PAY for them. :shock: :shock: :shock::blink:

 

I DO think they are a good thing though. :t:

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That's what I thought, as I had a quick look around the FIM website and couldn't see anything relevant. So, who started all this off then, and why?

 

2013 FIM standards for Track Racing Circuits (STRC) can be found on this link. Para, 079.4.2 Page 11 for Safety barriers for Speedway.

 

http://www.fim-live.com/fileadmin/alfresco/2013-6550003_eng.pdf

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2013 FIM standards for Track Racing Circuits (STRC) can be found on this link. Para, 079.4.2 Page 11 for Safety barriers for Speedway.

 

http://www.fim-live....6550003_eng.pdf

 

Oooops. Seem like a couple on here need to read before they show themselves up. Too late. :D

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when there is no proof (apart from opinion) that they are actually safer?

You don't have any proof there is no proof.You haven't found any proof.That is different to there not being any.I haven't found gold.......

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Oooops. Seem like a couple on here need to read before they show themselves up. Too late. :D

 

Well, no.

When making such a comment it may have been better to read the item yourself..

The first section makes it plain that the regulations quoted are for standards required for obtaining an FIM Track Racing Licence.

 

My personal opinion, for what it is worth, is that I am completely in favour of APDs for all tracks.

 

But I am concerned that at some tracks they have been fitted in front of hideously dangerous obstacles.

And that at some venues they are woefully poorly anchored at the bottom so that they are easily pushed out of the way in a multiple impact collision.

 

Seeing a rider slam into the unprotected obstacles lurking behind an inadequately anchored air fence that has 'bounced' out of the way is horrific.

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You don't have any proof there is no proof.You haven't found any proof.That is different to there not being any.I haven't found gold.......

 

Nice effort but irrelevant. There is no proof; if there were it would be readily available to back up the manufacturers marketing efforts. The reason there is no proof is that it would be horrendously expensive to do the work; I don't know if you've notice but speedway doesn't have two brass farthings to rub together; they cannot afford the research.

 

They also cannot afford to implement the technology which is why many have passed the hat to raise funds for a safety device that is scientifically unproven. So it appears the following is or may be true:

 

Air fences are not compulsory under FIM rules except for World Championship events.

There is no independent scientific evidence that shows air fences are safer than other more traditional solutions.

Speedway has no spare cash around to waste on unnecessary expenses.

 

So why are these fences being foisted on clubs who don't need them and can't afford them?

 

If I apply the usual level of scepticism found on this forum I would assume that someone with a financial interest in Air Fence production has used their influence to persuade the sport that they are a must have.

 

Of course scientific testing and proof would make this conjecture irrelevant; so where is the proof?

 

 

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Air fences are not compulsory under FIM rules except for World Championship events.

 

 

Speedway has no spare cash around to waste on unnecessary expenses.

 

So why are these fences being foisted on clubs who don't need them and can't afford them?

 

 

You say they are not compulsory under FIM rules,then say they are being foisted on clubs.Who is doing the foisting then?And if clubs don't have the money and there is no proof they are better and the FIM doesn't require them for league racing don't you think promoters would be up in arms instead of going out and getting something unnecessary?And that apart from ignoring riders who say they are better

 

Like some have said the problem is proper fixing of the fence,but that is the same as people who ride a motorbike with a helmet that isn't done up

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