OK Kids - I have sat here listening to all of your banter regarding =
safety equipment and now I must add my 2 cents too!
For those of you who do not know me, I have been around racing for 27 =
years and flagging for 21 of those very same years. I now have a husband =
who I bid "have fun & play safe" to at 10+ events per year.
Now for the horrible stories - Lime Rock 1990 (?) at an SCCA Regional a =
friend driving a FF got into his car to go to the pre-grid after just =
having re-fueled the car. He pushed his ignition button and was =
immediately engulfed in flames - why because the fuel cap was not =
replaced properly and his weight on the fuel cell pushed the fuel out. =
He did have enough where-with-all to hit the on board fire system & kill =
switch as he was bailing out. He suffered 2nd & 3rd degree burns on his =
face & hands. This particular day he happened to put his helmut on =
losely prior to starting the car, but his visor was open & he did not =
have his gloves or balaclava on. In talking with him @ the hospital, =
putting the helmut on before starting the car was not something of =
ususal practice - he was very lucky this time!
Storey #2 - Bridgehampton 198(?) - A formula vee rolled over in the =
"light-bulb". The driver was hanging by his straps until help arrived. =
We could not extricate him with the car upside down and yet we could not =
"just" flip the car over because he was NOT wearing a coller - why, you =
ask? - because flipping the car back over with him in it could cause =
neck injuries. Catch 22... We had to dig out under the cock pit, crawl =
in on our hands & knees - put a c-coller on - then proceed with =
re-righting the car.
The moral of my storey - DO NOT MESS WITH YOUR SAFETY! If the products =
are available - buy them and use them!
For those of you who know us here @ Team Deep Steam, you are aware that =
Brian had an incident @ Mosport this year (failed LF spindle) He =
impacted the tires @ turn 10 doing atleast 75 mph - he did not have even =
a sore muscle - why because his safety equipment was in place. That =
included a coller & arm restraints.
By the way, I have noted all too often many of you are not using your =
arm restraints properly. They need to be below your elbow not above. =
This takes a little to get use to if they aren't stiched in place the =
manufacturer. Simpson will do this for you if you ask. By having the =
strap below the elbow your arms will not go above the length of the =
strap. Sit in your cars & try it both ways - you will see how much =
further into the air your arm reaches when you have them above the =
elbow. For those of you in open cockpit cars - think about where your =
arms have just travelled. And if your thinking, "well, i'll be holding =
on to the steering wheel" - try again - having been the passenger in my =
own flips @ the Bridge - you are just a passenger!
So, please stop this joking about safety equipment. You family will not =
appreciate the phone call from the hospital and we are all family in =
this sport.
Thank you for listening.
Best reagrds & play safe every one!
maura
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