robert72 Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) Saw a prog the other nite about the early days of F1 and the lack of safety: at one point they were losing an average of one driver per month. Amongst other improvements the drivers demanded armco barriers at all circuits as some drivers had been killed when oping off the circuit and crashing in woods. Well at one GP, Spain early 1970's I believe it was, Emerson Fittipaldi didn't believe the armco was secure as it was attached to posts by bolts - no nuts - and bits of wire, he kicked the barrier and a lot of it collapsed. Emmo refused to race, he was either World Champion or at least GP leading points scorer at the time, but after sitting out most of qualifying the rest did eventually race. A driver crashed in the race and was killed, decapitated, as the armco barrier at one point was too positioned too high. Crashes still occur in F1, as they always will, but 99% of the time drivers stagger, if not walk away from enormous accidents which perviously they would not have survived and mercifully fatailities are almost unheard of.... Maybe they should look at the race suits, were leathers safer than kevlars ? Would a inflatable suit like bomber wore be safer. Air fences may not be perfect but nobody wants to see this Surely, it is the responsibility of the Clerk of Course to ensure that air fences are correctly installed. don't they have a health and safety person that checks things now Phew! Right so how can cost effectively air fences be improved / secured. Also who should be ensuring they are correctly tethered before a meeting? Its clearly not someone who puts themselves in jeopardy racing on the limit with the belief that the air fence will offer some safety elements rather than lifting and allowing the horrific injuries that the solid barriers located behind present them. Riders walk the track looking for ruts but don't check the air fence, maybe they should now Edited January 7, 2017 by robert72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Saw a prog the other nite about the early days of F1 and the lack of safety: at one point they were losing an average of one driver per month. Amongst other improvements the drivers demanded armco barriers at all circuits as some drivers had been killed when oping off the circuit and crashing in woods. Well at one GP, Spain early 1970's I believe it was, Emerson Fittipaldi didn't believe the armco was secure as it was attached to posts by bolts - no nuts - and bits of wire, he kicked the barrier and a lot of it collapsed. Emmo refused to race, he was either World Champion or at least GP leading points scorer at the time, but after sitting out most of qualifying the rest did eventually race. A driver crashed in the race and was killed, decapitated, as the armco barrier at one point was too positioned too high. Crashes still occur in F1, as they always will, but 99% of the time drivers stagger, if not walk away from enormous accidents which perviously they would not have survived and mercifully fatailities are almost unheard of....Until this year again 😣 Of course riders should take an interest in the air fences, it's them likely to use them .... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
robert72 Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) Until this year again Of course riders should take an interest in the air fences, it's them likely to use them .... If a rider pops an air fence panel does part of the repair bill come from their wages ? Not sure how much each panel costs. Would a foam fence be cheaper long term Edited January 7, 2017 by robert72 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Soldier Boy, a Leicester fan? I don't think so! Soldier Boy was always stood in the same place at Hyde Road, right next to the start line. This was the ideal position for bellowing at whoever might be the subject of his attention. As I was a season ticket holder and had my own reserved seat (wow), I always positioned directly behind SB and was ideally placed to observe the looks on the riders' faces when they received a verbal lashing.. Now, perhaps like some on here, he was an International Man of Mystery hiding behind multiple identities and so might have popped up at Leicester. But I don't think so as he had Hyde Road blood running through his veins but hey, you could be right. Wrong, soldier boy was Leicester through & through in the early 70s. Ray Wilson was his idol. He used to give Olsen a very hard time! 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trees Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 He used to give Olsen a very hard time! Good! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
steve roberts Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) Good! Was at Reading (Tilehurst) at an end of season meeting when Soldier Boy got covered in flour on the centre green (after a 'tug of war' contest which he was invited to take part in). Olsen was involved in that meeting but can't remember if he was the guilty party! Edited January 7, 2017 by steve roberts Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Little Thumper Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 (edited) Wrong, soldier boy was Leicester through & through in the early 70s. Ray Wilson was his idol. He used to give Olsen a very hard time! No, that's incorrect. He was only practising at Leicester. He perfected his craft at the Cathedral of Speedway and still gave Ole Olsen a very hard time! But of course, we didn't have air fences in those days. Edited January 7, 2017 by Little Thumper Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sommelier Posted January 7, 2017 Report Share Posted January 7, 2017 Good! Take it you wasn't a Ole fan! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Maybe air fence panels should be in two sections, an upper and lower bit, then there would/could be 4 anchor points, so the bike hitting the upper section would not deform the lower section that the riders slide under....?? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Starman2006 Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Maybe air fence panels should be in two sections, an upper and lower bit, then there would/could be 4 anchor points, so the bike hitting the upper section would not deform the lower section that the riders slide under....?? Nah, wouldn't work mate, but even if something alone those lines was thought up it would cost double what we pay for a fence now. And that would price out 99% of clubs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skid Sprocket Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Maybe air fence panels should be in two sections, an upper and lower bit, then there would/could be 4 anchor points, so the bike hitting the upper section would not deform the lower section that the riders slide under....?? Two sections just like this topic, I think the original slid under the fence way back Another way is burying the skirt in the shale but its not very practical and all you are doing really is weighing it down so why not part fill with water to give it some weight and get he same effect if you have somewhere to drain the water after the meeting, the downside is that a punctured section could cause a flood. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SCB Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 The issue is that no one fence can be a catch all situation. Glance a fence and you want it to be pretty solid, hit it hard yourself you want it to burst around you. Bike go in first then you need a secondary fence. Whatever fence you go with will have failings in certain situations. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Air fences may not be perfect but nobody wants to see this Surely, it is the responsibility of the Clerk of Course to ensure that air fences are correctly installed. I was there that day , Richard Sweetman ( in blue ) after dusting himself down came out and won the rerun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 I was there that day , Richard Sweetman ( in blue ) after dusting himself down came out and won the rerun Glasgow v Sheffield? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
speedibee Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 He seemed to have a pretty short career which was curtailed by illness. Do you know much about him, speedi? he did have a short career a few second half races here and there , perhaps someone should tell him ,because that is not what he tells folks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paulco Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Glasgow v Sheffield? Glasgow v Somerset 2011 , ironically the other rider in the shot is the current Glasgow skipper , Aaron Summers , guesting for the Rebels that day Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tsunami Posted January 15, 2017 Report Share Posted January 15, 2017 Two sections just like this topic, I think the original slid under the fence way back Another way is burying the skirt in the shale but its not very practical and all you are doing really is weighing it down so why not part fill with water to give it some weight and get he same effect if you have somewhere to drain the water after the meeting, the downside is that a punctured section could cause a flood. And contaminate open wounds of the riders in the crash. Filling the fence with water is just not a runner for many reasons. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 I think an air fence with split panels would work, shame you can't put drawings up, as I don't think you understood what I meant... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ruffdiamond Posted January 16, 2017 Report Share Posted January 16, 2017 And contaminate open wounds of the riders in the crash. Filling the fence with water is just not a runner for many reasons. could you not use sand, or something similar ??? instead of water, put saline solution in and if the 'unfortunate' happens, it would be of use using saline might be costly, but sea water might work, and you could grab some free sand while your'e there... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Shale Searcher Posted January 19, 2017 Report Share Posted January 19, 2017 If, the panels were made by having 2 parts, an upper part and lower part, with a 70% & 30% of current height, the upper part being the 70%, when a bike hits the fence upright, the upper section would lift, leaving the lower 30% still in its original form to catch the rider.... This dual section panels would need some fine tuning, but it's could be worth looking at... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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