Street racing; making up rules as they go..??..

[dangerous]

It did seem to serve a purpose though- when the F1 boys had a crash at turn one, they were able to park it in plain sight to warn the riders that there was a problem when they finished the first lap...which was handy as everyone was waving a YELLOW flag, not a red one

So they parked a car.. on the track while riders were still riding about on a yellow flag, I would have thought that would make for a lage object to hit and more riders go down???

[bell]

Ya joking right?
Mate duno what the street races are like were ever you are from, but down here they go off with the spectators in a big way.
a dear mesh fenc is all that seperates those watching and the riders... at a race track ya having to watch from a distance???

How close does one need to be?

[sAsLEX]

How close does one need to be?

bloody Nicko was taking it rather wide coming into the Ss at wanganui had to stand up to avoid him nearly

[TonyB]

So they parked a car.. on the track while riders were still riding about on a yellow flag, I would have thought that would make for a lage object to hit and more riders go down???

Nah- the accident was at turn 1. I imagine the car couldn't have gotten past the accident even if it had tried. Plus EVERY marshal and official on the straight were frantically waving the bikes down. It was all pretty safe- a bit tense but safe.

Early on they had a paramedic in the safety car- the idea being that help is on hand immediately in the first few corners where accidents are likely to happen. Then when she had to attend to an injured rider who stayed on site, they put a fire fighter in. Later on it was a cop. The FF and the cop would have first aid certs. So I guess I can see the point of the safety car, but the way it did the sighting lap seemed a bit pointless from a sfety point of view.

[bell]

Early on they had a paramedic in the safety car- the idea being that help is on hand immediately in the first few corners where accidents are likely to happen. Then when she had to attend to an injured rider who stayed on site, they put a fire fighter in. Later on it was a cop. The FF and the cop would have first aid certs. So I guess I can see the point of the safety car, but the way it did the sighting lap seemed a bit pointless from a sfety point of view.

When this little sequence took place the Paramedic was on hand within about 20 seconds. That was useful. Otherwise it was a waste of time and bitumen. I so wanted to give a slow "wanker" hand signal every time he went around. I resisted. It took a bit of restraint...

[MyGSXF:Me]

they need one so that it can try to run up my arse
...well at least thats what it tried to do last year, after a marshall let me out... (cos my bike wouldn't start at first so i missed the warmup lap)... and he came racing round like he was on fire, and damn near run me down. So obviously the bucket club letter to them meant shit all and they have changed nothing... I guess we prob wont be racing there again.
Roll on Greymouth

Sounds more like an unfortunate clash of timing & events G.. than a "deliberate act against you" m'dear..

a) should they really have let you out if you missed the warmup lap?

b) the Marshall who let you out is more likely at fault here (for letting you out/&/or not informing anyone on his walkie talkie thingeemagig that you were going out & thus to inform the car there is another bike on the track)

c) how was the car to have known that you had been let out onto the track late..(surely not something they would be expecting!!) to know to "slow down" for you...??

sooo.. in summing up.. not deliberate, poor communication, bad timing & judgment calls...

Tis a shame for you guys to boycott this event & still be plastering it on a national forum a year later.. when sooo many other people spoke of a well organized day that they thoroughly enjoyed & will be back to participate in again next year.

just trying to add a rational point of view here.. & not one based on emotions because they were "pissed off at not getting to race a certain bike in a certain class, or pissed with the car" etcetcetc.. ok

[sAsLEX]

Sounds more like an unfortunate clash of timing & events G.. than a "deliberate act against you" m'dear..

a) should they really have let you out if you missed the warmup lap?

b) the Marshall who let you out is more likely at fault here (for letting you out/&/or not informing anyone on his walkie talkie thingeemagig that you were going out & thus to inform the car there is another bike on the track)

c) how was the car to have known that you had been let out onto the track late..(surely not something they would be expecting!!) to know to "slow down" for you...??

sooo.. in summing up.. not deliberate, poor communication, bad timing & judgment calls...

Tis a shame for you guys to boycott this event & still be plastering it on a national forum a year later.. when sooo many other people spoke of a well organized day that they thoroughly enjoyed & will be back to participate in again next year.

just trying to add a rational point of view here.. & not one based on emotions because they were "pissed off at not getting to race a certain bike in a certain class, or pissed with the car" etcetcetc.. ok

Well most I have read point to the fact that a slow heavy pig of an Australian V8 is not required to race around the track at all!


I mean Wanganui they had an old guy on a bike and a little 4x4 but neither of them went quickly at all so no problem would of occurred.

And adding to that it sounds as though the car thrashing about didnt help the tarmac situation.

[MyGSXF:Me]

Well most I have read point to the fact that a slow heavy pig of an Australian V8 is not required to race around the track at all!

I agree! I felt the car was a pain in the arse myself! & as already stated could easily have posed MORE of a problem if he lost control!

And adding to that it sounds as though the car thrashing about didnt help the tarmac situation.

Possibly not.. however it was ferkin HOT here today.. & I mean HOT!!! there was tar bleed in several places, so the track was not in the best condition.. even without the car!

[Kickaha]

Tis a shame for you guys to boycott this event & still be plastering it on a national forum a year later.. when sooo many other people spoke of a well organized day that they thoroughly enjoyed & will be back to participate in again next year.

Maybe this year was different but I've done it three times and not once would I have described it as well organised

[TonyB]

Possibly not.. however it was ferkin HOT here today.. & I mean HOT!!! there was tar bleed in several places, so the track was not in the best condition.. even without the car!

The tar was bleeding even in the pits where my bikes were parked. I guess the car wouldn't have helped at all, but it probably wouldn't have made that much difference to the track condition.

Maybe this year was different but I've done it three times and not once would I have described it as well organised

I thought this year was really well run. Obviously there were some issues with the SV650's in F3, but other than that it was pretty bloody good.

[Rashika]

Sounds more like an unfortunate clash of timing & events G.. than a "deliberate act against you" m'dear..

a) should they really have let you out if you missed the warmup lap?

b) the Marshall who let you out is more likely at fault here (for letting you out/&/or not informing anyone on his walkie talkie thingeemagig that you were going out & thus to inform the car there is another bike on the track)

c) how was the car to have known that you had been let out onto the track late..(surely not something they would be expecting!!) to know to "slow down" for you...??

sooo.. in summing up.. not deliberate, poor communication, bad timing & judgment calls...

Tis a shame for you guys to boycott this event & still be plastering it on a national forum a year later.. when sooo many other people spoke of a well organized day that they thoroughly enjoyed & will be back to participate in again next year.

see the post on the other thread about most of the above - http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...=1#post1363561
but to add here:

• I never saw it as a deliberate act against me, tho it was a danger to every racer out there... but as a marshalls stupidity (or lack of knowledge about the pace/safety/whatever car), and why the fuck should we be concerned about being run down from behind by a speeding car (and he goes far to fast to be doing sighting lap, and THAT obviously has not changed this meet), on a bike racetrack???????????????
•Any bikes on the track KNOW to slow down as approaching the start/finish line for the start of the race, the car driver seems to know fuck all about being on a roadracing track.
• and the car driver should have been expecting anything and everything, he was supposedly doing a sighting lap, shouldn't he have had his eyes open? (having said that he musta cos he DIDN'T hit me onya mate)
• we DIDN'T boycott the event: most people were still so fucked off about the entire days racing (and the above was only 1 area of concern to most of the racers), and lack of response to our complaints, that they had made other plans for new year by november.

Me? Well I was still contemplating going till a few weeks before the cutoff, but have other reasons now to be careful out there, so decided not to.

[dangerous]

"Tis a shame for you guys to boycott this event & still be plastering it on a national forum a year later..

ohhh man, like I say below... theres more in volved than the pace car, one example is, would you race pregnant on a track in conditions that you believe UNSAFE.
The race was not boycoted as such, the Nelson club did not respond to leters sent to them, i finely got to talk to darren H at Greymouth he got on to the case there and then, but thats to late as most of us in the club have familys and had alredy made other planes.

sooo.. in summing up.. not deliberate, poor communication, bad timing & judgment calls...

WHICH CAN LEAD TO DEATH is it really worth it? dont role ya eyes at a safty concern

You must remember I am club pressident... I had a LOT of complaints from last year, I was the one dealing with the Nelson club, and believe me ... there was a lot more in volved than JUST that car.

c) how was the car to have known that you had been let out onto the track late..(surely not something they would be expecting!!) to know to "slow down" for you...??

always expect the unexpected Jen you know that... the car is ment to be doing a siting lap the driver as you would expect gets carried away in the heat of the noment.

Sounds more like an unfortunate clash of timing & events G.. than a "deliberate act against you" m'dear..

which could end up as a death... what if the car span out and killed your boy?

You are looking at this from a spectators point a view Jen... try it from the racers view.

[feral1]

yes, sv 650s were not allowed in f3 at the port, i questioned the organisers on this one several days ago and they would not enter into a debate on this mater
it was due to the chairmans interpretation of the rules in the current mnz rulebook, when i pointed out the flaws, ie that he hadn't read the whole page, the reason was to even up the class

Thanks NSR Paul.

It seems wierd that they exluded the SV's. I mean come on. For better or for worse, love it or hate it, they have been part of F3 for season's now. It just seems wierd to me to chuck em out. The MNZ class rules are pretty clear.
What do you think about this Paul? Surely all other people would run F3 as it has been for years. The Nationals will be to MNZ spec. So I just can't work it out what made them make that call.
Feel for any fellow F3 racer that made the effort only to have to park their F3 bike up for the day and watch. suk
PS, Stevo did do great, aye Team Kaos Racing on the hot lil' ZXR was on fire too go that man

TonyB: please, let me be crystal clear. I have no intend to blag or run down the organisers of any NZ street meet. I know what is involved and the commitment required in organising. My hat goes of to all these people that make this possible. I know of the main man up there, he's a bloody wicked chap and him and his partner have made huge sacrificies for their event, incl monetary. Being a motorcycle event organiser myself, I know it can be a thankless job. So: THANK YOU to the people that give their time to allow us to enjoy our racing.

Rashika, Daryll and the bucket crew. I know there have been some bad tastes for you in the past and I think we have covered them pretty comprehensively over the last year or so (various threads). But what I wanted to have a discussion about is the F3 rules.


PS. as a closing para. I had various friends and my team mates race at this meeting. And all came back saying it was a wick day. So at the end of it; well done folks

Ta
Feral

[steve74]

It seems that the rules at a street race are not set in stone and do differ from the rule book. I found it increadibly strange without SV650s in the F3 field. in my opinion if its run under MNZ control, it must run by the MNZ rules.
My old 2 stroke 250 became competitive all of a sudden. As paul said, it did make racing in F3 pretty even. With the exception of Ritchie Newberrys rocket ship zxr440, all of the 30 odd bikes entered were pretty evenly matched.

It also amused me that the new rule enforced by MNZ at the Greymouth event regarding motards racing against road machines dosnt apply to the nelson club when it comes to the all in King of the Port race??

these things aside i thought it was a great event, the sun did let us down a lot with the tar melting and the track falling to bits, but just like the rain at greymouth, its unavoidable. I see both sides of running and riding a street race and think that it was a great effort by the organizers and helpers.

As for the pace car, i agree that it provides more dangers to spectators than the bikes do. We had a few concerns expressed to our committee in greymouth regarding the speed of the pace car and will be reviewing it for next year. We do recieve a financial boost from the local ford dealer and allowing the pace car to "show off" is a little bit of return for their financial support. maybe nelson have a similar arrangement??

my 10 cents worth anyway!!

[Deano]

It seems wierd that they exluded the SV's. I mean come on. For better or for worse, love it or hate it, they have been part of F3 for season's now. It just seems wierd to me to chuck em out. The MNZ class rules are pretty clear.

If the event is run under MNZ rules, then SV's should be allowed in F3.

What a crock of shit.