Wm. Severin Thompson wrote:
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: MHKitchen@aol.com [SMTP:MHKitchen@aol.com]
> Sent: Monday, May 19, 1997 3:24 PM
> To: wsthompson@thrunet.net; vintage-race@autox.team.net
> Subject: Re: Pomona Reports??
>
> In a message dated 97-05-19 15:50:20 EDT, you write:
>
> << I'd say that some organizations must be issuing licenses pretty freely. >>
>
> I'd have to say we all know this is true....there's really no qualifications
> required. As a past event organizer AND a participant, I can see the good in
> a system that gets participants to police themselves. CSRG has used (at
> least in the past) a Driver Observer system that was good at getting people
> to realize when they screwed up. Instead of one guy ALWAYS being the bad guy
> who yells at the drivers, volunteer drivers would man the D.O. (i.e. Black
> Flag) station and talk to those who screwed up during the respective
> sessions. Getting volunteers isn't always easy, but it is effective. By
> having participants work the event, particularly if they must wear a headset
> for any period of time and listen to the reports and what the corner workers
> are looking for out there, they can certainly gain an appreciation of how
> they must appear when they're out there screwing up. In most cases, I'd say
> it helps to get them in line.
>
> I think most of us have had "brain fade" or encountered the "red mist" at one
> time or another. Sufficient embarassement in front of your peers is usually
> effective at calming most people down. Those that are habitual offenders,
> need more serious talking to, and/or disciplinary actions by the Chief
> Stewart and/or Board of the appropriate club. Sending people home and/or
> becoming ineligible to participate for a period of time is effective, in my
> opinion.
>
> I guess the point is...I think there's too much leniency in many incident
>reviews. I've heard driver's committees prodding drivers to indicate some
>mechanical difficulty that caused their dumbass move that got them there.
>
> I was involved in an enduro 4 years ago On the 48th lap out of 50, a driver
>(who admitted his brakes were gone for 2 laps), stayed out on the track, at
>speed, lost it, slid through the grass, pulled the handbrake (now he has no
>handbrake and no steering) slid back across the track and T-boned me at over
>70mph. Every day my neck reminds me of this incident.
>
> Equally as dangerous are the guys that drive really fast cars poorly, brake
>before the turn... realize they've braked too early... get on the gas again...
>then brake IN the turn.
>
> So the meek are as dangerous as the over-zealous.
>
> WST
> Myles H. Kitchen
Some people just have more money and car than brains. Talking nicely to
these people and having them observe and listen will not penetrate their
helmet let alone their head.
Case in point yesterday a driver arrived late, showed up for tech at
Gingerman Raceway for the VSCDA Spring Brake. I found an oil leak at a
loose hose clamp and told him to fix it and bring the car back to get
his tech sticker.Our Chief of Tech ok'd giving him the sticker and told
him to stop at his paddock and fix it before going out. We then watched
him drive right past his trailer and go out onto the track without
checking out the leak. This being for a practice session. During this
session, as I listened to the corner net, I heard them call 3 times
about his over aggressive driving. When he came in we stopped him and
read him the riot act about not fixing the leak using all of the four
letter words recalled from growing up in NYC. The last words to him were
if he ever screwed with us on an issue like this again we would remove
his tech sticker and let him take it up with the board of directors. I
am also reporting the corner worker calls and this incident to the club.
This driver's car will get absolutely no break from me ever again no
matter what his attitude becomes. The only way a guy like this will
learn is to be hit over the head with a 2X4 while not wearing a helmet
so you can be sure you have gotten his attention and then explaining, in
no uncertain terms, the way the game will be played from then on
out.Making him listen to or work with the workers will not impress a
person like this because he doesn't believe he is doing anything wrong
and what he is hearing does not apply to him. I belive that if a person
like this is sent home for a few races and told that his name and
actions are being sent to every other organization involved in vintage
racing- he might get the message that he is about to find he not able to
race.
Bill Dalton
VSCDA Ass't Chief of Tech
SCCA National Tech
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