Open Track Day Safety

[Kickaha]

Ruapuna is open to anyone on Tuesdays and Fridays normal hire rate is $45 for half a day,but you do share the track with the cars and can go out at the same time.

Of the riders that you listed as killed Lynda did any die as a result of poor track safety, eg poorly sited barriers etc

[jimbo600]

Best you do that!

Question: $80 each for three hours or total? Good value either way.

I'll get right on it 'g'

Do you want brolly girls with that?

[FROSTY:Me]

so is anyone offering to contact amcc??

[XRNR]

Well where were the pair of you on Saturday when the NZSRA ran a sidecar have a go day at Taupo,I made it from the South to attend and you both live closer than me.

I wasn't one of the pair, but I had planned to be down there for it, & had been looking forward to it for a couple of weekends.

Instead I spent the day taking drugs. (I can tell you what I would have prefered !)
Another time I guess.

[FROSTY:Me]

I know of three people have been killed at Pukekohe: Cal Rayborn, an American out here in the '70s (1973?) at Jennian Homes corner; Ian Slater from Wgtn (WT: he worked for Wgtn M/Cycles) in about 1979/80 I think it was, and from memory it was on the start/finish straight; and a guy I think called Rene at a club-type day a year or two ago, I understand on the back straight towards the hairpin.

At Manfeild there's been a couple: a sidecar rider or passenger about 1979 on Denny Hulme Straight going into Higgins; and John Marsh (aka Huggy Bear) from New Plymouth, in about the mid/late '80s, in the sweeper.

At Levels one of the Ramage brothers (I think it was Grant) was killed in the early '80s.

There was a death at the Gracefield races we ran in about '83 - Carey Larkin from New Plymouth.

These are only the ones I am aware of, there may well be more. I guess when you think of all the riding/racing hours done on the tracks, it's pretty good odds.

wasnt there a sidecar death at wanganui back in 89?

[RiderInBlack]

so is anyone offering to contact amcc??

Not that I know of, appart from your thread:

Ok well The clup pres is chris costello -happens to be a mate of mine--
I can talk to him on thursday --but as ya say the problem is --what if noono turns up--keeping in mind a fair percentage of the guys there were practicing for the meeting on saturday

Could try myself but I am not a member of AMCC. I only do the odd bit of Marshelling for them. If some is keen to give me details and Phone No. of who I should contact in AMCC, I'll make very effort to contact them and discuss the use of the safety bales with them. Better yet would be if one of you are a member of AMCC to contact them yourself or have it raised at one of their meetings.

[k14]

I know the PR lady at Ruapuna and can pretty much get the track booked not just for bikes, but just for us queer lot. Cost would be about $80.00 for three hours and that's plenty of thrash time if the track is all to yourself.

So could be a run down to Chch. Get on the track, then get on the gas.

Lots of purdy gurls doon chch too.

I'll get my people to talk to their people etc

If you sort that out i will be definately there. Want to run my bike out there to have a go on a track.

Keep us posted with the progress.

[LB]

Of the riders that you listed as killed Lynda did any die as a result of poor track safety, eg poorly sited barriers etc

I don't think so, but I'm not sure sorry.

[LB]

wasnt there a sidecar death at wanganui back in 89?

I'm not aware of it, but will try to find out.

[merv]

Of the riders that you listed as killed Lynda did any die as a result of poor track safety, eg poorly sited barriers etc

It probably could be argued that was the case when Rayborn died. His Suzuki seized and he hit a barrier rather close to the track. Its all relative though because Cal was used to riding around Daytona close to the walls and I doubt he would have been concerned about Pukekohe at the time and nor would any of the other riders used to doing the street circuits of NZ in the 70's.

Carey Larkin came off around where the track at Gracefield went over the railway line on the Waiwhetu stream end of the track. Was the line being there a problem or the fact that on a street circuit when he came off there were the usual gutters, poles and stuff to run into. Track safety there was typical street circuit. See second of attached pics in this link http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/sh...33&postcount=5 that is Brent Jones (I think) coming over that spot.

[SPman]

Of the riders that you listed as killed Lynda did any die as a result of poor track safety, eg poorly sited barriers etc

The guy killed at the trackday last year (or the yr b4 - I have a Billy Connelly perception of time these days!) was tossed off his bike and hit the end of the armco at the entrance to the pit lane, apparently.

A spot were there arent normally any bales anyway.

[KATWYN]

The guy killed at the trackday last year (or the yr b4 - I have a Billy Connelly perception of time these days!) was tossed off his bike and hit the end of the armco at the entrance to the pit lane, apparently.

A spot were there arent normally any bales anyway.

Yea that was Rene. There wasn't really anywhere for him to go. His
motorcycle (gsxr600) hit the tyres so hard it made an imprint into the barrier tyres. No one actually saw it happen.

He was also running in his Ohlen(? don't know how its spelt) shocks that day as well and was pleased with how the bike was performing and was doing his best time that day.

A couple of months earlier he had got a fright on the same track
by riding off onto the grass verge, but controlled it at the time (maybe had more room in that particular place) but it didn't put him off, he believed you
only ever get broken bones on a race track.

[RiderInBlack]

After reading about the Manfield Cancellation, I felt it was time to reactivate this Thread. This was exactly what I was concerned about happening to Open Days at Puke. If we as riders do not put an efford in to ensuring some level of safety at Open Track Days this could happen for all Tracks.
Do not waste our time blaming the hoons in "cans" (that is up to them to try and save their "sport"), it's up to us to ensure our sport by showing track owners that we are taking some responcibility for the safe running of these days. Only this way will we be able to save them.

PS: read the follow threads and links if you have not already:
Manfield Board's Decision - http://www.manfeild.co.nz/news_artic...n=index&page=1

Kiwi Biker Treads Relating To The Above
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=3098
http://www.kiwibiker.co.nz/forums/showthread.php?t=2776

[750Y]

These are my thoughts.
i have no issues with safety at the pukekohe vehicle testing days.
the track is 'cleaned' in the morning & inspected regularly, a qualified paramedic is in attendance, there is provision for dealing with oil spills and a transporter capable of removing debris(vehicles included). The track is maintained to a good standard & marshalls ensure the safe & orderly procession of vehicles both onto and across the track as well as keeping the odd idiot in check.
soon as the dogooders start making a big noise it's fucked for good.
I like things just the way they are.
has anyone talked to Gary about this?
I sense some pre-emption here & some presumption.
what do you think will be the effect of making a big noise about safety at open days at this point?
I believe it will speed up the process of slowly strangling our fun.
of interest how many of these open days do You people do? not counting Track-time days?
I would be very careful that You are not indirectly making things worse with your well meaning initiatives.
like i said i'm not trying to be an ass here just presenting another view.
I am keen to do what i can to preserve what we have, but what you people are proposing isn't poreserving what we have but moreso changing it to something else and that is why i question how much you are involved in the existing open days. the way i see it is if you hardly do them then you should back off a little. something good you could do instead is to turn up and boost the stats by having a safe & fun day while also supporting the track through entry fees & helping the track organisers to in turn slowly imrpove things.