Track day crashes!

[Mental Trousers]

Ohh and yea I know full well a bad rider can have moments of brilliance whilst a great rider can for a short time ride like "a red misted knob jockey"

If you know that why are you asking?? I wasn't at the track when that incident happened but the fact the guy was actually on the track means he wasn't yet deemed dangerous so he either made a bad call or got the red mist during that session.

You can't stop that.

[Cracker]

Why can't we go the "other way round" on that track. Would make it a new adventure to many of us who have done the track to death. Would also get rid of a yellow line brick wall rule which the poor geezer clipped and caused the chaos.

How hard can that be ? If Len Brown can do, we can do it.

[rapid van cleef]

I think the council were concened that the straight heads towards the highway when it runs in the original direction, thats why it got changed apparently?

[vinducati]

No run off on turn 3 for a start.
No run off on turn 1.
the track direction thing is a myth.

[Erelyes]

Hang on a mo--To be clear I 100% agree with that sentiment BUT if the guy on the R1 saw that big ol 2.0m gap and the fairly big difference in speed and felt it was a safe gap then the guy in front who changed line has to accept a fair bit of responsibility for the crash.


Hey look I feel for both of those guys.

Im seeing the crash from the prospective of an ex track day organiser and in fairness also an ex racer (gonna be again please)
I saw a HUGE gap AND even with door firmly shut I saw the space and time to make an accident into just a bit of a change underpants incident.

Fair enough. My comment would be that as a racer you'd be entirely prepared for someone to shut the door in a case like that, and would know what to do / how to react.

That said I doubt even Rossi would have tried that move.

As a track dayer you wouldn't know what to do and would collect the other rider (like here). Accordingly you shouldn't try a passing maneuver like that in the first place. KNOWING that you're not a good enough rider to deal with that, is the key. Unfortunately sometimes ego gets in the way!

End of the day, overtaking rider failed to forsee an entirely predictable (and even likely) move from the rider in front. Missing obvious and likely hazards on the road is arguably more dangerous, at least he was on a track and got away with minor injury to body (albeit major injury to pride and bike)

[FROSTY:Me]

Fair enough. My comment would be that as a racer you'd be entirely prepared for someone to shut the door in a case like that, and would know what to do / how to react.

That said I doubt even Rossi would have tried that move.

As a track dayer you wouldn't know what to do and would collect the other rider (like here). Accordingly you shouldn't try a passing maneuver like that in the first place. KNOWING that you're not a good enough rider to deal with that, is the key. Unfortunately sometimes ego gets in the way!

End of the day, overtaking rider failed to forsee an entirely predictable (and even likely) move from the rider in front. Missing obvious and likely hazards on the road is arguably more dangerous, at least he was on a track and got away with minor injury to body (albeit major injury to pride and bike)

Hey thanks a million for turning this back to a discussion from being a slinging match.
I can though tell you with 100% confidence I even rusty as I am could have avoided that accident. So If I could avoid it any club level rider could have avoided it. -there were just so many options available.
1)swing right as little as 50cm and carry on -(go straight to the other guys and apologise straight after)
2)pull right and get hard on the brakes. Not even to stop-enough to come on in and blend behind the other guys -or even stopp if needed I'd likely stop and go into the pits to accept the bollocking I was likely to get
Thats without thinking about it

[wharfy]

Ever since Scott Dixon ran over a guy (forget his name) on an Anglo American Harley at Puke and knocked one of his legs off.

Do you mean they actually had cars AND bikes out on the track at the same time ??? FUCK

[Kickaha]

Do you mean they actually had cars AND bikes out on the track at the same time ??? FUCK

Used to do it at Ruapuna all the time, it was good fun

[Grumph]

Used to do it at Ruapuna all the time, it was good fun

Still do - still is - except when a bloody erratic three wheeled thing wanders out....

the track is there for all - and the same for all. if some people won't obey what they're told - repeatedly - just take them off and don't let them back.
the risk level starts out the same for all - then you factor in other people and their unpredictable reactions...

safer to just go racing IMO....

[scracha]

Oh yeah, overtaking in the inside is so easy because they are faster in and blocking your way through the turn because they are coming out slower too
:

To be fair, some of the idiots they let out in the medium and even fast group beggar belief. They start braking halfway along the straight(s) and the unexpected speed difference when you come up to them means that the safest option is to pass them on the inside. Passing on the outside going into the corner often isn't an option because they're usually 1cm from the outside. Passing them on the inside through the corner isn't allowed and would normally spook them. Passing them on the outside through the corner isn't allowed and you know their riding will spook you. Passing them on the exit isn't possible because they're normally riding GSXR1000's or R1's.

The marshalls need to be more proactive in FORCING people into groups more appropriate for their riding.

[nzspokes]

The marshalls need to be more proactive in FORCING people into groups more appropriate for their riding.

This may sound obvious but why not give everybody transponders? At the end of each track day everybody gets there bast and average times for the track recorded in it. Then for the next day the organizers can put everybody in the right group. Just a thought.

And forget your book and your in the newb group with me.....

[sil3nt]

This may sound obvious but why not give everybody transponders? At the end of each track day everybody gets there bast and average times for the track recorded in it. Then for the next day the organizers can put everybody in the right group. Just a thought.

And forget your book and your in the newb group with me.....

This is what I was thinking as well.

I also think the two medium groups should be split by engine size. Medium-slow less than 600 medium-fast 600 and over. And also limit the the speed in the newbie group to 150kph.

It sounds a bit 'nanny state' but there is nothing worse than getting spanked down the straight and having them pull in front of you and hit the brakes 100m before you need to.

[Shaun Harris]

This may sound obvious but why not give everybody transponders? At the end of each track day everybody gets there bast and average times for the track recorded in it. Then for the next day the organizers can put everybody in the right group. Just a thought.

And forget your book and your in the newb group with me.....

And who is going to pay the cost involved in this idea mate, it does have merit but but but

[AndyR1]

To be fair, some of the idiots they let out in the medium and even fast group beggar belief. They start braking halfway along the straight(s) and the unexpected speed difference when you come up to them means that the safest option is to pass them on the inside. Passing on the outside going into the corner often isn't an option because they're usually 1cm from the outside. Passing them on the inside through the corner isn't allowed and would normally spook them. Passing them on the outside through the corner isn't allowed and you know their riding will spook you. Passing them on the exit isn't possible because they're normally riding GSXR1000's or R1's.

The marshalls need to be more proactive in FORCING people into groups more appropriate for their riding.

Totally agree with you - sure you can overtake at the inside if you are just in front of the other rider even around the turn and give him the 2m space all the time - but mostly the inside rider is then so slow that i ended up driving parallel around the turn with him and without keeping 2m distance as well. That's what I just don't like so I slow even more down so we can stay behind each other.
Just a question of discipline and knowing what you are doing and what the other rider will do.

In the end, my health and my bike are more worth than being in front of another rider by squeezing, blocking or bother others :-)

[Shaun Harris]

To me the inside outside passing thing at track days is rubbish realy. It is a race track and you all go knowing the risks. As many have said already, you get such a variety of speed difference due to engine size and gonads, that this rule causes a lot of riders to get very impatient and ride badly In my opinion causing incidents.