2 minute start clocks

[DWP]

SCB 2018 rule that “riders must remain astride their machine when ‘gardening’ at the start-line. 

As we saw/heard last night in the first meeting of the season at Belle Vue, 3 riders excluded having got off their bikes to prepare their start position. 

Riders/managers complaining of this rule. I believe rule possibly brought in to speed meetings up. But it doesn’t. Riders in my opinion should be able to prepare their start position, have a cup of tea or what ever within the 2 minutes allotted time. As in Poland a digital clock should be placed by the start, the referee starts the 2min. count down and if a rider not ready, then he is excluded. 

This system should be in place for all leagues in all countries. Same rule everywhere. 

[A ORLOV]

Last nights meeting was finished by about 9.15 ish so whatever the reason, speeding up has worked.  I think as soon as all four riders are at the tapes the clock should be turned off and the race started.  Because the riders use the two mins the clocks have delayed starts with all the gardening etc that has taken place.

[Star Lady]

13 minutes ago, A ORLOV said:

Last nights meeting was finished by about 9.15 ish so whatever the reason, speeding up has worked.  I think as soon as all four riders are at the tapes the clock should be turned off and the race started.  Because the riders use the two mins the clocks have delayed starts with all the gardening etc that has taken place.

Agreed.

Possible side effect of the clocks would be the crowd counting  down the seconds when time gets critical, all adds to the atmosphere

[Starman2006]

1 hour ago, DWP said:

SCB 2018 rule that “riders must remain astride their machine when ‘gardening’ at the start-line. 

As we saw/heard last night in the first meeting of the season at Belle Vue, 3 riders excluded having got off their bikes to prepare their start position. 

Riders/managers complaining of this rule. I believe rule possibly brought in to speed meetings up. But it doesn’t. Riders in my opinion should be able to prepare their start position, have a cup of tea or what ever within the 2 minutes allotted time. As in Poland a digital clock should be placed by the start, the referee starts the 2min. count down and if a rider not ready, then he is excluded. 

This system should be in place for all leagues in all countries. Same rule everywhere. 

Riders will really need to be on there toes this year, as referees will exclud those who garden and get off there bikes. Its down to the team managers to ensure that riders are well aware of this ruling.

[g13webb]

1 hour ago, DWP said:

SCB 2018 rule that “riders must remain astride their machine when ‘gardening’ at the start-line. 

As we saw/heard last night in the first meeting of the season at Belle Vue, 3 riders excluded having got off their bikes to prepare their start position. 

Riders/managers complaining of this rule. I believe rule possibly brought in to speed meetings up. But it doesn’t. Riders in my opinion should be able to prepare their start position, have a cup of tea or what ever within the 2 minutes allotted time. As in Poland a digital clock should be placed by the start, the referee starts the 2min. count down and if a rider not ready, then he is excluded. 

This system should be in place for all leagues in all countries. Same rule everywhere. 

They say the best ideals are the simple ones.  so straight forward and there can be no arguments....

[MattK]

26 minutes ago, Starman2006 said:

Riders will really need to be on there toes this year, as referees will exclud those who garden and get off there bikes. Its down to the team managers to ensure that riders are well aware of this ruling.

Especially the shorter ones?

[Steve0]

16 minutes ago, MattK said:

Especially the shorter ones?

You’ve got to feel sorry for Tungate who has no chance of gardening astride his bike

Edited March 20, 2018 by Steve0

[Aces51]

56 minutes ago, A ORLOV said:

Last nights meeting was finished by about 9.15 ish so whatever the reason, speeding up has worked.  I think as soon as all four riders are at the tapes the clock should be turned off and the race started.  Because the riders use the two mins the clocks have delayed starts with all the gardening etc that has taken place.

Meetings at the NSS were usually finished by about 9.15 last season so I don't think the rule change made any difference. A 2 minute clock is the answer not discriminating against those riders who are vertically challenged. 

[BWitcher]

As usual it's a knee jerk reaction to appease the vociferous minority who whinge about a complete triviality such as 'gardening'. 

As said, 2 minute warning, ready to race when clock hits zero, no more gardening at that point. Oh so simple.

[A ORLOV]

21 minutes ago, Aces51 said:

Meetings at the NSS were usually finished by about 9.15 last season so I don't think the rule change made any difference. A 2 minute clock is the answer not discriminating against those riders who are vertically challenged. 

That is good but if the meeting is run by the ref it seems strange that BV finishes early but others drag meetings out as the ref changes from week to week and visit different tracks.

Edited March 20, 2018 by A ORLOV

[BWitcher]

1 hour ago, A ORLOV said:

That is good but if the meeting is run by the ref it seems strange that BV finishes early but others drag meetings out as the ref changes from week to week and visit different tracks.

Wolverhampton meetings tend to be done and dusted by around 9:15 (or earlier) also. Perhaps it is a case of highlighting those tracks where meetings do drag on.

[A ORLOV]

1 minute ago, BWitcher said:

Wolverhampton meetings tend to be done and dusted by around 9:15 (or earlier) also. Perhaps it is a case of highlighting those tracks where meetings do drag on.

That would be a good idea but as stated I thought it was the ref who dictated the start of each race and controlled the meeting not the club.  i accept there might be delays because of accidents or an air bag replacement, but often at Swindon the delays last season were numerous, mainly down to tape restarts but for other reasons as well.

[stevebrum]

The rule is a good thing. It's just a case of the riders getting into the habit of staying ON their bikes at the start line. 

In saying that, ALL tracks should have a 2 minute clock on track.

[BWitcher]

23 minutes ago, stevebrum said:

The rule is a good thing. It's just a case of the riders getting into the habit of staying ON their bikes at the start line. 

In saying that, ALL tracks should have a 2 minute clock on track.

Why is it a good thing? It does nothing. Riders can still garden.

[stevebrum]

Just now, BWitcher said:

Why is it a good thing? It does nothing. Riders can still garden.

It's essentially the same rule, just enforcing the staying on the bikes to do so. I think some refs are lenient when there isn't a clock on centre green.

[f-s-p]

12 minutes ago, stevebrum said:

It's essentially the same rule, just enforcing the staying on the bikes to do so. I think some refs are lenient when there isn't a clock on centre green.

So sitting on your bike 2 meters from the tapes until the clock shows "15 secs to go" is OK, but getting off your bike to dig your groove to be ready by "40 secs to go" is not?

 

[Trees]

It penalises the short riders so it's an unfair rule imo, 2 min count down clocks would be better..... 

[stevebrum]

5 minutes ago, f-s-p said:

So sitting on your bike 2 meters from the tapes until the clock shows "15 secs to go" is OK, but getting off your bike to dig your groove to be ready by "40 secs to go" is not?

 

Well that's the rule isn't it??

The simplest and easiest thing to do have done would be to ensure ALL tracks have a 2 minute clock by the start line so the ref, riders and fans know how long is left. Riders can do what they like till then. That would have been a very simple rule to enforce. 

[SteveLyric2]

Rosco in his post meeting interview on You-tube reckons a 2-minute clock would cost around £1300 - 'insignificant in the overall scheme of things'!!

[Bald Bloke]

4 minutes ago, Skidder1 said:

Rosco in his post meeting interview on You-tube reckons a 2-minute clock would cost around £1300 - 'insignificant in the overall scheme of things'!!

Easy done.Rosco should make the reserves wear bibs.Would pay for the clock