Rolling At The Starts - Growing Problem?

[MACK1]

Rolling isn't the problem, the problem is refs who don't know the difference between rolling and anticipation.

[Fromafar]

Rolling isn't the problem, the problem is refs who don't know the difference between rolling and anticipation.

I agree,but if the ref excluded the rider who he though was rolling completely from the race and no replacement or 15 mtr handicap allowed.the riders would soon sit still IMO.I would prefer just to let the race continue if nobody touched the tapes.

[tyretrax]

as long as they dont touch the tapes then it does'nt matter.

Tell the ref that.

[Vince]

Best thing that ever happened to Speedway was to make riders keep still at the starts. The old system with riders rolling over tapes and pulling back and rolling again made the start a lottery and ruined a lot of potentially good races in my opinion.

 

The solution is easy, riders called to the tapes by the start marshall have to respond immediately and put their front wheels within two inches of the tapes. Once he is satisfied he signals the ref and if any rider moves backward by even an inch the ref puts the red light on and guilty rider (not a replacement) goes from 15m. Otherwise if a rider doesn't touch the tapes and happens to get a flyer good luck to him.

 

Any rider not coming forward when called in by the start marshall is given one warning, second offence in the same meeting and he is excluded from the race with no replacement. One or two start marshalls will need keeping in line by the ref but that should be easy enough.

[Catabracadabra]

Totally agree with some of these comments. But I would agree rolling at the start adds a element to the racing and causes a talking point. It's not a bad thing. Some Speedway years ago had riders rolling at the start, the racing was still good. The meeting was quick and run at a fast pace. The worst thing these days is when the ref puts the red lights on for a re start. Come on, we want the meeting completed not dragged out till midnight. It's so boring keep watching the riders coming back for a re start than watching a rider maybe make the jump or anticipate the start. It's a sport but it's also entertainment.

 

Rolling at the start is the least of British speedway's problems.

[oldace]

. Otherwise if a rider doesn't touch the tapes and happens to get a flyer good luck to him.

 

 

 

 

You might as well say if a rider uses a 550 cc motor and gets away with it good luck to him, or takes banned substances etc.

 

The idea is for a reflex action start, nothing else. The rider should be still and not move until the tapes are released, anything else is cheating.

 

In Athletics there are not even allowed to go exactly on the gun. If they go within (I think it is) 1/10 of a second of the gun it is a false start because the human brain cant react that fast.

 

The only time a ref should leave the race to run is if the offender ends up at the back, otherwise bring it back

[stratton]

Best thing that ever happened to Speedway was to make riders keep still at the starts. The old system with riders rolling over tapes and pulling back and rolling again made the start a lottery and ruined a lot of potentially good races in my opinion.

 

The solution is easy, riders called to the tapes by the start marshall have to respond immediately and put their front wheels within two inches of the tapes. Once he is satisfied he signals the ref and if any rider moves backward by even an inch the ref puts the red light on and guilty rider (not a replacement) goes from 15m. Otherwise if a rider doesn't touch the tapes and happens to get a flyer good luck to him.

 

Any rider not coming forward when called in by the start marshall is given one warning, second offence in the same meeting and he is excluded from the race with no replacement. One or two start marshalls will need keeping in line by the ref but that should be easy enough.

Often then the rider who was rolling got punished anyway, for me not a problem it adds to the drama.If the rider anticipates good luck to him he took a gamble and he won if he gets it wrong he is punished.As others have said the sport has endless more problems to sort than this,nothing worse than endless restarts.And it seems to me some refs are trying to get the rider beat by delaying the start (ect) just like that Micky mouse referee Frank Ebdon used to. Edited July 25, 2014 by sidney

[Brian]

I can just imagine the fuss on here if it was a free for all at the start and a teams star man was pulling back when the ref released the tapes, there'd be 20 pages of conspiracy theories.

I want riders to sit still at the start until the tapes go up and their start depends on their reaction.

[stratton]

I can just imagine the fuss on here if it was a free for all at the start and a teams star man was pulling back when the ref released the tapes, there'd be 20 pages of conspiracy theories.

I want riders to sit still at the start until the tapes go up and their start depends on their reaction.

This is an entertainment first and foremost Brian, the rulers sometimes forget that, this sport is obsessed with the rule book most of them petty and unnecessary.If we were getting 3000 fans plus through the turnstiles fair anough but we are not get the product and entertainment levels right first.

[kelvinht]

At least you knew where you stood with Frank Ebdon...and meetings were run quickly and efficiently - as they should be!

[stratton]

At least you knew where you stood with Frank Ebdon...and meetings were run quickly and efficiently - as they should be!

That bloke was like a modern day football referee, he thought he was a star bigger than the sport he was in.He ruined many a match i went to,he took the pathetic rules to another level that England Ipswich test match in 1984 that day he totally made the sport world wide look like a fiasco.

[Vince]

 

 

You might as well say if a rider uses a 550 cc motor and gets away with it good luck to him, or takes banned substances etc.

 

The idea is for a reflex action start, nothing else. The rider should be still and not move until the tapes are released, anything else is cheating.

 

In Athletics there are not even allowed to go exactly on the gun. If they go within (I think it is) 1/10 of a second of the gun it is a false start because the human brain cant react that fast.

 

The only time a ref should leave the race to run is if the offender ends up at the back, otherwise bring it back

 

You really think that a rider anticipating the start or even just making a really good gate is as bad as using an oversize motor or drug cheating???

 

If the rider can't roll and doesn't touch the tapes which rise in a fraction of a second just how do you tell whether he made an excellent start or anticipated?

 

Riders who continually anticipate the start will touch the tapes as often as they get a good start if they are made to sit only 2" from the tape. I would much rather see them get the odd flyer than really good gaters getting penalised frequently which has been happening a lot.

[stratton]

You really think that a rider anticipating the start or even just making a really good gate is as bad as using an oversize motor or drug cheating???

 

If the rider can't roll and doesn't touch the tapes which rise in a fraction of a second just how do you tell whether he made an excellent start or anticipated?

 

Riders who continually anticipate the start will touch the tapes as often as they get a good start if they are made to sit only 2" from the tape. I would much rather see them get the odd flyer than really good gaters getting penalised frequently which has been happening a lot.

Great post Vince,in my memory i think most people would believe that Mauger and Lee were two of the worst offenders in history at rolling.But i always felt over a period things evened itself out,like you said how can you tell if he has anticipated the start or just made a excellent start?you can't.I watched Bob Kilby for years he was the best starter i have ever seen but his reactions were so quick a skill, a main bug bearer for fans are the continued delays back and forth to the pits. Edited July 26, 2014 by sidney